diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0d7b9c2..66edbae 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ cmdstalk -help
 #   -cmd="": Command to run in worker.
 #   -per-tube=1: Number of workers per tube.
 #   -tubes=[default]: Comma separated list of tubes.
+#   -max-jobs=0: Maximum number of items to process before exitting. Zero for no limit.
 
 # Watch three specific tubes.
 cmdstalk -cmd="/path/to/your/worker --your=flags --here" -tubes="one,two,three"
diff --git a/broker/broker.go b/broker/broker.go
index d2c8cf6..7cf2fb4 100644
--- a/broker/broker.go
+++ b/broker/broker.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package broker
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"os"
@@ -41,8 +42,10 @@ type Broker struct {
 	// Tube name this broker will service.
 	Tube string
 
-	log     *log.Logger
-	results chan<- *JobResult
+	log         *log.Logger
+	results     chan<- *JobResult
+	jobReceived chan<- struct{}
+	ctx         context.Context
 }
 
 type JobResult struct {
@@ -71,13 +74,15 @@ type JobResult struct {
 }
 
 // New broker instance.
-func New(address, tube string, slot uint64, cmd string, results chan<- *JobResult) (b Broker) {
+func New(ctx context.Context, address, tube string, slot uint64, cmd string, results chan<- *JobResult, jobReceived chan<- struct{}) (b Broker) {
 	b.Address = address
 	b.Tube = tube
 	b.Cmd = cmd
 
 	b.log = log.New(os.Stdout, fmt.Sprintf("[%s:%d] ", tube, slot), log.LstdFlags)
 	b.results = results
+	b.jobReceived = jobReceived
+	b.ctx = ctx
 	return
 }
 
@@ -94,6 +99,7 @@ func (b *Broker) Run(ticks chan bool) {
 	b.log.Println("watching", b.Tube)
 	ts := beanstalk.NewTubeSet(conn, b.Tube)
 
+	b.log.Println("starting reserve loop (waiting for job)")
 	for {
 		if ticks != nil {
 			if _, ok := <-ticks; !ok {
@@ -101,10 +107,20 @@ func (b *Broker) Run(ticks chan bool) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		b.log.Println("reserve (waiting for job)")
-		id, body := bs.MustReserveWithoutTimeout(ts)
+		if isCancelled(b.ctx) {
+			break
+		}
+
+		id, body, err := bs.MustReserveWithTimeout(ts, 1*time.Second)
+		if err == bs.ErrTimeout {
+			// Doing this to be able to gracefully handle cancelled context.
+			continue
+		}
+
 		job := bs.NewJob(id, body, conn)
 
+		b.jobReceived <- struct{}{}
+
 		t, err := job.Timeouts()
 		if err != nil {
 			b.log.Panic(err)
@@ -154,6 +170,15 @@ func (b *Broker) Run(ticks chan bool) {
 	b.log.Println("broker finished")
 }
 
+func isCancelled(ctx context.Context) bool {
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return true
+	default:
+		return false
+	}
+}
+
 func (b *Broker) executeJob(job bs.Job, shellCmd string) (result *JobResult, err error) {
 	result = &JobResult{JobId: job.Id, Executed: true}
 
diff --git a/broker/broker_dispatcher.go b/broker/broker_dispatcher.go
index 47e0b72..bff5dfb 100644
--- a/broker/broker_dispatcher.go
+++ b/broker/broker_dispatcher.go
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package broker
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"log"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/kr/beanstalk"
@@ -18,19 +20,27 @@ const (
 // created. The `perTube` option determines how many brokers are started for
 // each tube.
 type BrokerDispatcher struct {
-	address string
-	cmd     string
-	conn    *beanstalk.Conn
-	perTube uint64
-	tubeSet map[string]bool
+	address     string
+	cmd         string
+	conn        *beanstalk.Conn
+	perTube     uint64
+	tubeSet     map[string]bool
+	jobReceived chan<- struct{}
+	ctx         context.Context
+	wg          sync.WaitGroup
 }
 
-func NewBrokerDispatcher(address, cmd string, perTube uint64) *BrokerDispatcher {
+func NewBrokerDispatcher(parentCtx context.Context, address, cmd string, perTube, maxJobs uint64) *BrokerDispatcher {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(parentCtx)
+	jobReceived := make(chan struct{})
+	go limittedCountGenerator(maxJobs, cancel, jobReceived)
 	return &BrokerDispatcher{
-		address: address,
-		cmd:     cmd,
-		perTube: perTube,
-		tubeSet: make(map[string]bool),
+		address:     address,
+		cmd:         cmd,
+		perTube:     perTube,
+		tubeSet:     make(map[string]bool),
+		jobReceived: jobReceived,
+		ctx:         ctx,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -72,13 +82,33 @@ func (bd *BrokerDispatcher) RunAllTubes() (err error) {
 	return
 }
 
+// limittedCountGenerator creates a channel that returns a boolean channel with
+// nlimit true's and false otherwise. If nlimit is 0 it the channel will always
+// be containing true.
+func limittedCountGenerator(nlimit uint64, cancel context.CancelFunc, eventHappened <-chan struct{}) {
+	ngenerated := uint64(1)
+	for range eventHappened {
+		if nlimit != 0 && ngenerated == nlimit {
+			log.Println("reached job limit. quitting.")
+			cancel()
+		}
+		ngenerated++
+	}
+}
+
 func (bd *BrokerDispatcher) runBroker(tube string, slot uint64) {
+	bd.wg.Add(1)
 	go func() {
-		b := New(bd.address, tube, slot, bd.cmd, nil)
+		defer bd.wg.Done()
+		b := New(bd.ctx, bd.address, tube, slot, bd.cmd, nil, bd.jobReceived)
 		b.Run(nil)
 	}()
 }
 
+func (bd *BrokerDispatcher) Wait() {
+	bd.wg.Wait()
+}
+
 func (bd *BrokerDispatcher) watchNewTubes() (err error) {
 	tubes, err := bd.conn.ListTubes()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/bs/bs.go b/bs/bs.go
index 2d8835a..1fe6347 100644
--- a/bs/bs.go
+++ b/bs/bs.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package bs
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/kr/beanstalk"
@@ -16,18 +17,22 @@ const (
 	DeadlineSoonDelay = 1 * time.Second
 )
 
+var (
+	ErrTimeout = errors.New("timeout for reserving a job")
+)
+
 // reserve-with-timeout until there's a job or something panic-worthy.
 // Handles beanstalk.ErrTimeout by retrying immediately.
 // Handles beanstalk.ErrDeadline by sleeping DeadlineSoonDelay before retry.
 // panics for other errors.
-func MustReserveWithoutTimeout(ts *beanstalk.TubeSet) (id uint64, body []byte) {
-	var err error
+func MustReserveWithTimeout(ts *beanstalk.TubeSet, timeout time.Duration) (id uint64, body []byte, err error) {
 	for {
-		id, body, err = ts.Reserve(1 * time.Hour)
+		id, body, err = ts.Reserve(timeout)
 		if err == nil {
 			return
 		} else if err.(beanstalk.ConnError).Err == beanstalk.ErrTimeout {
-			continue
+			err = ErrTimeout
+			return
 		} else if err.(beanstalk.ConnError).Err == beanstalk.ErrDeadline {
 			time.Sleep(DeadlineSoonDelay)
 			continue
diff --git a/cli/options.go b/cli/options.go
index 5d53443..a2aab8c 100644
--- a/cli/options.go
+++ b/cli/options.go
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ type Options struct {
 
 	// The beanstalkd tubes to watch.
 	Tubes TubeList
+
+	// Maximum number of jobs to process before exitting.
+	MaxJobs uint64
 }
 
 // TubeList is a list of beanstalkd tube names.
@@ -54,6 +57,7 @@ func ParseFlags() (o Options, err error) {
 	flag.BoolVar(&o.All, "all", false, "Listen to all tubes, instead of -tubes=...")
 	flag.StringVar(&o.Cmd, "cmd", "", "Command to run in worker.")
 	flag.Uint64Var(&o.PerTube, "per-tube", 1, "Number of workers per tube.")
+	flag.Uint64Var(&o.MaxJobs, "max-jobs", 0, "Maximum number of items to process before exitting. Zero for no limit.")
 	flag.Var(&o.Tubes, "tubes", "Comma separated list of tubes.")
 	flag.Parse()
 
diff --git a/cmdstalk.go b/cmdstalk.go
index 7d197e9..3ab08b2 100644
--- a/cmdstalk.go
+++ b/cmdstalk.go
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"log"
+	"os"
+	"os/signal"
+
 	"github.com/99designs/cmdstalk/broker"
 	"github.com/99designs/cmdstalk/cli"
 )
@@ -27,7 +32,16 @@ import (
 func main() {
 	opts := cli.MustParseFlags()
 
-	bd := broker.NewBrokerDispatcher(opts.Address, opts.Cmd, opts.PerTube)
+	c := make(chan os.Signal)
+	signal.Notify(c, os.Interrupt)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	go func() {
+		<-c
+		log.Println("received interrupt. quitting.")
+		cancel()
+	}()
+
+	bd := broker.NewBrokerDispatcher(ctx, opts.Address, opts.Cmd, opts.PerTube, opts.MaxJobs)
 
 	if opts.All {
 		bd.RunAllTubes()
@@ -35,7 +49,5 @@ func main() {
 		bd.RunTubes(opts.Tubes)
 	}
 
-	// TODO: wire up to SIGTERM handler etc.
-	exitChan := make(chan bool)
-	<-exitChan
+	bd.Wait()
 }