diff --git a/eggs.ini b/eggs.ini
index 6c369fa992f..5ae3fdbfc30 100644
--- a/eggs.ini
+++ b/eggs.ini
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ pysqlite = 2.3.5
 python_lzo = 1.08
 threadframe = 0.2
 guppy = 0.1.8
+PSI = 0.3b1.1
 
 [eggs:noplatform]
 amqplib = 0.6.1
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ NoseHTML = http://dist.g2.bx.psu.edu/nosehtml-0.2.tar.bz2
 Paste = http://cheeseshop.python.org/packages/source/P/Paste/Paste-1.5.1.tar.gz
 PasteDeploy = http://cheeseshop.python.org/packages/source/P/PasteDeploy/PasteDeploy-1.3.1.tar.gz
 PasteScript = http://cheeseshop.python.org/packages/source/P/PasteScript/PasteScript-1.3.6.tar.gz
+PSI = http://pypi.python.org/packages/source/P/PSI/PSI-0.3b1.1.tar.gz
 Routes = http://pypi.python.org/packages/source/R/Routes/Routes-1.6.3.tar.gz
 simplejson = http://cheeseshop.python.org/packages/source/s/simplejson/simplejson-1.5.tar.gz
 SQLAlchemy = http://pypi.python.org/packages/source/S/SQLAlchemy/SQLAlchemy-0.4.7p1.tar.gz
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/web/buildapp.py b/lib/galaxy/web/buildapp.py
index 347cd31d34d..0a23b25f913 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/web/buildapp.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/web/buildapp.py
@@ -64,7 +64,12 @@ def app_factory( global_conf, **kwargs ):
             sys.exit( 1 )
     atexit.register( app.shutdown )
     # Create the universe WSGI application
-    webapp = galaxy.web.framework.WebApplication( app, session_cookie='galaxysession' )
+    if app.config.log_memory_usage:
+        from galaxy.web.framework.memdebug import MemoryLoggingWebApplication
+        webapp = MemoryLoggingWebApplication( app, session_cookie='galaxysession' )
+    else:
+        webapp = galaxy.web.framework.WebApplication( app, session_cookie='galaxysession' )
+    # Find controllers
     add_controllers( webapp, app )
     # Force /history to go to /root/history -- needed since the tests assume this
     webapp.add_route( '/history', controller='root', action='history' )
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/web/framework/base.py b/lib/galaxy/web/framework/base.py
index 63fd077608f..76b2cbbf3cd 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/web/framework/base.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/web/framework/base.py
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ class WebApplication( object ):
         # Special key for AJAX debugging, remove to avoid confusing methods
         kwargs.pop( '_', None )
         try:
-            body = method( trans, **kwargs )
+            body = self.call_body_method( method, trans, kwargs )
         except Exception, e:
             body = self.handle_controller_exception( e, trans, **kwargs )
             if not body:
@@ -140,6 +140,9 @@ class WebApplication( object ):
                             trans.response.wsgi_headeritems() )
             return self.make_body_iterable( trans, body )
         
+    def call_body_method( self, method, trans, kwargs ):
+        return method( trans, **kwargs )
+        
     def make_body_iterable( self, trans, body ):
         if isinstance( body, ( types.GeneratorType, list, tuple ) ):
             # Recursively stream the iterable
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/web/framework/memdebug.py b/lib/galaxy/web/framework/memdebug.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8f41bcf10f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/galaxy/web/framework/memdebug.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+"""
+Implementation of WebApplication that logs memory usage before and after
+calling each controller method.
+"""
+
+import pkg_resources
+pkg_resources.require( "PSI" )
+import psi.process
+
+import os
+import logging
+
+from galaxy.web.framework import WebApplication
+
+log = logging.getLogger( __name__ )
+pid = os.getpid()
+
+class MemoryLoggingWebApplication( WebApplication ):    
+    def call_body_method( self, method, trans, kwargs ):
+        cls = method.im_class
+        process = psi.process.Process( pid )
+        log.debug( "before controller=%s.%s method=%s rss=%d vsz=%d", cls.__module__, cls.__name__, method.__name__, process.rss, process.vsz )
+        rval = method( trans, **kwargs )
+        process = psi.process.Process( pid )
+        log.debug( "after controller=%s.%s method=%s rss=%d vsz=%d", cls.__module__, cls.__name__, method.__name__, process.rss, process.vsz )
+        return rval
\ No newline at end of file