diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index b559c86de..c6d7684eb 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -28,14 +28,15 @@ CFLAGS=-c -I/usr/include -I../include -I../inih -I/usr/include/mysql -Wall -g
 LDFLAGS=-rdynamic
 SRCS= atomic.c buffer.c spinlock.c gateway.c gateway_mysql_protocol.c gw_utils.c \
 	utils.c dcb.c load_utils.c session.c service.c server.c poll.c config.c \
-	users.c hashtable.c dbusers.c
+	users.c hashtable.c dbusers.c thread.c
 HDRS= ../include/atomic.h ../include/buffer.h ../include/dcb.h \
 	../include/gateway_mysql.h ../include/gw.h ../include/mysql_protocol.h \
 	../include/session.h ../include/spinlock.h ../include/thread.h \
 	../include/modules.h ../include/poll.h ../include/config.h ../include/users.h \
 	../include/hashtable.h
 OBJ=$(SRCS:.c=.o)
-LIBS=-L../inih/extra -linih -lssl -lstdc++ -L/packages/mariadb-5.5.25/libmysql -lmysqlclient -lz -lm -lcrypto
+LIBS=-L../inih/extra -linih -lssl -lstdc++ -L/packages/mariadb-5.5.25/libmysql -lmysqlclient \
+	-lz -lm -lcrypto
 
 gateway: $(OBJ)
 	$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) $(OBJ) $(LIBS) -o $@
diff --git a/core/config.c b/core/config.c
index 9450ed5b7..b3a65c014 100644
--- a/core/config.c
+++ b/core/config.c
@@ -36,11 +36,13 @@
 #include <server.h>
 #include <users.h>
 
-
 static	int	process_config_context(CONFIG_CONTEXT	*);
 static	void	free_config_context(CONFIG_CONTEXT	*);
-static char 	*config_get_value(CONFIG_PARAMETER *, const char *);
+static	char 	*config_get_value(CONFIG_PARAMETER *, const char *);
+static	int	handle_global_item(const char *, const char *);
+static	void	global_defaults();
 
+static	GATEWAY_CONF	gateway;
 
 /**
  * Config item handler for the ini file reader
@@ -58,6 +60,10 @@ CONFIG_CONTEXT		*cntxt = (CONFIG_CONTEXT *)userdata;
 CONFIG_CONTEXT		*ptr = cntxt;
 CONFIG_PARAMETER	*param;
 
+	if (strcmp(section, "gateway") == 0)
+	{
+		return handle_global_item(name, value);
+	}
 	/*
 	 * If we already have some parameters for the object
 	 * add the parameters to that object. If not create
@@ -89,11 +95,13 @@ CONFIG_PARAMETER	*param;
  * @param file	The filename of the configuration file
  */
 int
-load_config(char *file)
+config_load(char *file)
 {
 CONFIG_CONTEXT	config;
 int		rval;
 
+	global_defaults();
+
 	config.object = "";
 	config.next = NULL;
 
@@ -251,3 +259,40 @@ CONFIG_PARAMETER	*p1, *p2;
 		context = obj;
 	}
 }
+
+/**
+ * Return the number of configured threads
+ *
+ * @return The number of threads configured in the config file
+ */
+int
+config_threadcount()
+{
+	return gateway.n_threads;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Configuration handler for items in the global [gateway] section
+ *
+ * @param name	The item name
+ * @param value	The item value
+ * @return 0 on error
+ */
+static	int
+handle_global_item(const char *name, const char *value)
+{
+	if (!strcmp(name, "threads") == 0)
+		gateway.n_threads = atoi(value);
+	else
+		return 0;
+	return 1;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Set the defaults for the global configuration options
+ */
+static void
+global_defaults()
+{
+	gateway.n_threads = 1;
+}
diff --git a/core/dcb.c b/core/dcb.c
index 6bdbb2f4d..41ac8898a 100644
--- a/core/dcb.c
+++ b/core/dcb.c
@@ -111,9 +111,20 @@ dcb_free(DCB *dcb)
 	/* First remove this DCB from the chain */
 	spinlock_acquire(dcbspin);
 	if (allDCBs == dcb)
+	{
+		/*
+		 * Deal with the special case of removign the DCB at the head of
+		 * the chain.
+		 */
 		allDCBs = dcb->next;
+	}
 	else
 	{
+		/*
+		 * We find the DCB that pont to the one we are removing and then
+		 * set the next pointer of that DCB to the next pointer of the
+		 * DCB we are removing.
+		 */
 		DCB *ptr = allDCBs;
 		while (ptr && ptr->next != dcb)
 			ptr = ptr->next;
diff --git a/core/depend.mk b/core/depend.mk
index 453d087d2..dfdd042e1 100644
--- a/core/depend.mk
+++ b/core/depend.mk
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ utils.o: utils.c ../include/gw.h /usr/include/stdio.h \
  ../include/mysql_protocol.h ../include/dcb.h ../include/session.h \
  ../include/mysql_protocol.h /usr/include/openssl/sha.h \
  /usr/include/openssl/e_os2.h /usr/include/openssl/opensslconf.h \
- /usr/include/openssl/opensslconf-x86_64.h
+ /usr/include/openssl/opensslconf-x86_64.h ../include/poll.h
 dcb.o: dcb.c /usr/include/stdio.h /usr/include/features.h \
  /usr/include/sys/cdefs.h /usr/include/bits/wordsize.h \
  /usr/include/gnu/stubs.h /usr/include/gnu/stubs-64.h \
@@ -315,6 +315,28 @@ session.o: session.c /usr/include/stdio.h /usr/include/features.h \
  /usr/include/bits/sched.h /usr/include/bits/setjmp.h ../include/dcb.h \
  ../include/buffer.h ../include/server.h ../include/router.h \
  ../include/atomic.h
+service.o: service.c /usr/include/stdio.h /usr/include/features.h \
+ /usr/include/sys/cdefs.h /usr/include/bits/wordsize.h \
+ /usr/include/gnu/stubs.h /usr/include/gnu/stubs-64.h \
+ /usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/4.4.6/include/stddef.h \
+ /usr/include/bits/types.h /usr/include/bits/typesizes.h \
+ /usr/include/libio.h /usr/include/_G_config.h /usr/include/wchar.h \
+ /usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/4.4.6/include/stdarg.h \
+ /usr/include/bits/stdio_lim.h /usr/include/bits/sys_errlist.h \
+ /usr/include/stdlib.h /usr/include/bits/waitflags.h \
+ /usr/include/bits/waitstatus.h /usr/include/endian.h \
+ /usr/include/bits/endian.h /usr/include/bits/byteswap.h \
+ /usr/include/sys/types.h /usr/include/time.h /usr/include/sys/select.h \
+ /usr/include/bits/select.h /usr/include/bits/sigset.h \
+ /usr/include/bits/time.h /usr/include/sys/sysmacros.h \
+ /usr/include/bits/pthreadtypes.h /usr/include/alloca.h \
+ /usr/include/string.h /usr/include/xlocale.h ../include/session.h \
+ ../include/service.h ../include/spinlock.h ../include/thread.h \
+ /usr/include/pthread.h /usr/include/sched.h /usr/include/bits/sched.h \
+ /usr/include/bits/setjmp.h ../include/dcb.h ../include/buffer.h \
+ ../include/server.h ../include/router.h ../include/modules.h \
+ ../include/users.h ../include/hashtable.h ../include/atomic.h \
+ ../include/dbusers.h
 server.o: server.c /usr/include/stdio.h /usr/include/features.h \
  /usr/include/sys/cdefs.h /usr/include/bits/wordsize.h \
  /usr/include/gnu/stubs.h /usr/include/gnu/stubs-64.h \
@@ -429,3 +451,14 @@ dbusers.o: dbusers.c /usr/include/stdio.h /usr/include/features.h \
  /usr/include/bits/setjmp.h ../include/buffer.h ../include/service.h \
  ../include/server.h ../include/users.h ../include/hashtable.h \
  ../include/atomic.h
+thread.o: thread.c ../include/thread.h /usr/include/pthread.h \
+ /usr/include/features.h /usr/include/sys/cdefs.h \
+ /usr/include/bits/wordsize.h /usr/include/gnu/stubs.h \
+ /usr/include/gnu/stubs-64.h /usr/include/endian.h \
+ /usr/include/bits/endian.h /usr/include/bits/byteswap.h \
+ /usr/include/sched.h /usr/include/bits/types.h \
+ /usr/include/bits/typesizes.h \
+ /usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/4.4.6/include/stddef.h \
+ /usr/include/time.h /usr/include/bits/sched.h /usr/include/bits/time.h \
+ /usr/include/xlocale.h /usr/include/bits/pthreadtypes.h \
+ /usr/include/bits/setjmp.h
diff --git a/core/gateway.c b/core/gateway.c
index 2bb97feff..bce09e4c9 100644
--- a/core/gateway.c
+++ b/core/gateway.c
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ char			buf[1024], *home, *cnf_file = NULL;
 		exit(1);
 	}
 
-	if (!load_config(cnf_file))
+	if (!config_load(cnf_file))
 	{
 		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to load gateway configuration file %s\n", cnf_file);
 		exit(1);
@@ -246,8 +246,12 @@ char			buf[1024], *home, *cnf_file = NULL;
 	 */
 	printf("Started %d services\n", serviceStartAll());
 
-	while (1)
-	{
-		poll_waitevents();
-	}
+	/*
+	 * Start the polling threads, note this is one less than is configured as the
+	 * main thread will also poll.
+	 */
+	for (n = 0; n < config_threadcount() - 1; n++)
+		thread_start(poll_waitevents);
+	poll_waitevents();
+
 } // End of main
diff --git a/core/thread.c b/core/thread.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..715d4792e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/thread.c
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/*
+ * This file is distributed as part of the SkySQL Gateway.  It is free
+ * software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the
+ * GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation,
+ * version 2.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more
+ * details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+ * this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51
+ * Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ * Copyright SkySQL Ab 2013
+ */
+#include <thread.h>
+#include <pthread.h>
+/**
+ * @file thread.c  - Implementation of thread related operations
+ *
+ * @verbatim
+ * Revision History
+ *
+ * Date		Who		Description
+ * 25/06/13	Mark Riddoch	Initial implementation
+ *
+ * @endverbatim
+ */
+
+
+/**
+ * Start a polling thread
+ *
+ * @param entry		The entry point to call
+ * @return	The thread handle
+ */
+void *
+thread_start(void (*entry)())
+{
+pthread_t	thd;
+
+	if (pthread_create(&thd, NULL, (void *(*)(void *))entry, NULL) != 0)
+	{
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	return (void *)thd;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Wait for all running threads to complete.
+ *
+ */
+void
+thread_wait(void *thd)
+{
+void	*rval;
+
+	pthread_join((pthread_t)thd, &rval);
+}
diff --git a/core/utils.c b/core/utils.c
index 4299f1921..8866ab04d 100644
--- a/core/utils.c
+++ b/core/utils.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include <session.h>
 #include <mysql_protocol.h>
 #include <openssl/sha.h>
+#include <poll.h>
 
 // used in the hex2bin function
 #define char_val(X) (X >= '0' && X <= '9' ? X-'0' :\
diff --git a/gateway.cnf b/gateway.cnf
index 7060cc73c..82c720257 100644
--- a/gateway.cnf
+++ b/gateway.cnf
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 #
 # Example gateway.cnf configuration file
 #
+#
+[gateway]
+threads=1
+
 [Test Service]
 type=service
 router=readconnroute
@@ -40,4 +44,4 @@ port=4442
 type=listener
 service=Test Service
 protocol=MySQLClient
-port=4407
+port=4006
diff --git a/include/config.h b/include/config.h
index 1a6276dd6..3ef4bf785 100644
--- a/include/config.h
+++ b/include/config.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ typedef struct config_parameter {
 	char			*value;		/**< The value of the parameter */
 	struct config_parameter	*next;		/**< Next pointer in the linked list */
 } CONFIG_PARAMETER;
+
 /**
  * The config context structure, used to build the configuration
  * data during the parse process
@@ -49,5 +50,13 @@ typedef struct	config_context {
 	struct config_context	*next;		/**< Next pointer in the linked list */
 } CONFIG_CONTEXT;
 
-extern int	load_config(char *);
+/**
+ * The gateway global configuration data
+ */
+typedef struct {
+	int			n_threads;	/**< Number of polling threads */
+} GATEWAY_CONF;
+
+extern int	config_load(char *);
+extern int	config_threadcount();
 #endif
diff --git a/include/thread.h b/include/thread.h
index 0ba83ce9b..a9c28b518 100644
--- a/include/thread.h
+++ b/include/thread.h
@@ -22,4 +22,7 @@
 #define THREAD		pthread_t
 #define THREAD_SHELF	pthread_self
 
+extern void 	*thread_start(void (*entry)());
+extern void	thread_wait(void *thd);
+
 #endif