diff --git a/debian/init.d b/debian/init.d
index 909def7049b..4a62a677dba 100644
--- a/debian/init.d
+++ b/debian/init.d
@@ -120,7 +120,17 @@ running() {
 }
 
 start_server() {
-# Start the process using the wrapper
+            # Recommended ulimit values for mongod or mongos
+            # See http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/ulimit/#recommended-settings
+            #
+            ulimit -f unlimited
+            ulimit -t unlimited
+            ulimit -v unlimited
+            ulimit -n 64000
+            ulimit -m unlimited
+            ulimit -u 32000
+
+            # Start the process using the wrapper
             start-stop-daemon --background --start --quiet --pidfile $PIDFILE \
                         --make-pidfile --chuid $DAEMONUSER \
                         --exec $NUMACTL $DAEMON $DAEMON_OPTS
diff --git a/debian/mongod.upstart b/debian/mongod.upstart
index 48180ba8a4e..ebfa006ad8b 100644
--- a/debian/mongod.upstart
+++ b/debian/mongod.upstart
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 # Ubuntu upstart file at /etc/init/mongod.conf
 
-limit nofile 20000 20000
+# Recommended ulimit values for mongod or mongos
+# See http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/ulimit/#recommended-settings
+#
+limit fsize unlimited unlimited
+limit cpu unlimited unlimited
+limit as unlimited unlimited
+limit nofile 64000 64000
+limit rss unlimited unlimited
+limit nproc 32000 32000
 
 kill timeout 300 # wait 300s between SIGTERM and SIGKILL.
 
diff --git a/rpm/init.d-mongod b/rpm/init.d-mongod
index ab69b19e993..2f3de17aa64 100644
--- a/rpm/init.d-mongod
+++ b/rpm/init.d-mongod
@@ -45,6 +45,16 @@ fi
 
 start()
 {
+  # Recommended ulimit values for mongod or mongos
+  # See http://docs.mongodb.org/manual/reference/ulimit/#recommended-settings
+  #
+  ulimit -f unlimited
+  ulimit -t unlimited
+  ulimit -v unlimited
+  ulimit -n 64000
+  ulimit -m unlimited
+  ulimit -u 32000
+
   echo -n $"Starting mongod: "
   daemon --user "$MONGO_USER" $NUMACTL $mongod $OPTIONS
   RETVAL=$?
@@ -66,7 +76,7 @@ restart () {
 	start
 }
 
-ulimit -n 12000
+
 RETVAL=0
 
 case "$1" in