diff --git a/automation/roles/mitmproxy/files/bubble_role.json b/automation/roles/mitmproxy/files/bubble_role.json
index c0d52417..5044ccd2 100644
--- a/automation/roles/mitmproxy/files/bubble_role.json
+++ b/automation/roles/mitmproxy/files/bubble_role.json
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   "config": [
     {"name": "admin_port", "value": "[[node.adminPort]]"},
     {"name": "bubble_network", "value": "[[node.network]]"},
-    {"name": "mitm_port", "value": "[[configuration.mitmPort]]"}
+    {"name": "mitm_port", "value": "[[configuration.defaultMitmProxyPort]]"}
   ],
   "tgzB64": ""
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/server/BubbleConfiguration.java b/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/server/BubbleConfiguration.java
index 8d975132..ddd0c55f 100644
--- a/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/server/BubbleConfiguration.java
+++ b/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/server/BubbleConfiguration.java
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ public class BubbleConfiguration extends PgRestServerConfiguration
     public BubbleConfiguration (BubbleConfiguration other) { copy(this, other); }
 
     @Getter @Setter private int defaultNodeSslPort = 1443;
+    @Getter @Setter private int defaultMitmProxyPort = 8888;
 
     @Getter @Setter private LocalNotificationStrategy localNotificationStrategy = LocalNotificationStrategy.inline;
     public LocalNotificationStrategy localNotificationStrategy() {
diff --git a/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/server/listener/NodeInitializerListener.java b/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/server/listener/NodeInitializerListener.java
index af63e651..169984a4 100644
--- a/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/server/listener/NodeInitializerListener.java
+++ b/bubble-server/src/main/java/bubble/server/listener/NodeInitializerListener.java
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import static org.cobbzilla.util.time.TimeUtil.DATE_FORMAT_YYYY_MM_DD_HH_mm_ss;
 @Slf4j
 public class NodeInitializerListener extends RestServerLifecycleListenerBase<BubbleConfiguration> {
 
+    private static final int MIN_WORKER_THREADS = 12;
+
     @Override public void beforeStart(RestServer server) {
         final BubbleConfiguration c = (BubbleConfiguration) server.getConfiguration();
 
@@ -33,6 +35,14 @@ public class NodeInitializerListener extends RestServerLifecycleListenerBase<Bub
         // ensure locales were loaded correctly
         final String[] allLocales = c.getAllLocales();
         if (empty(allLocales)) die("beforeStart: no locales found");  // should never happen
+
+        // if we are using the 'http' localNotificationStrategy, ensure we have enough worker threads
+        if (!c.getHttp().hasWorkerThreads() || c.getHttp().getWorkerThreads() < MIN_WORKER_THREADS) {
+            log.info("beforeStart: http.workerThreads="+c.getHttp().getWorkerThreads()+" is not set or too low, increasing to "+ MIN_WORKER_THREADS);
+            c.getHttp().setWorkerThreads(MIN_WORKER_THREADS);
+        } else {
+            log.info("beforeStart: http.workerThreads="+c.getHttp().getWorkerThreads());
+        }
     }
 
     @Override public void onStart(RestServer server) {
diff --git a/bubble-server/src/main/resources/ansible/default_roles.json b/bubble-server/src/main/resources/ansible/default_roles.json
index e431a92a..288ce140 100644
--- a/bubble-server/src/main/resources/ansible/default_roles.json
+++ b/bubble-server/src/main/resources/ansible/default_roles.json
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
     "config": [
       {"name": "admin_port", "value": "[[node.adminPort]]"},
       {"name": "bubble_network", "value": "[[node.network]]"},
-      {"name": "mitm_port", "value": "[[configuration.mitmPort]]"}
+      {"name": "mitm_port", "value": "[[configuration.defaultMitmProxyPort]]"}
     ],
     "tgzB64": ""
   },