diff --git a/config/job_conf.xml.sample_advanced b/config/job_conf.xml.sample_advanced
index c0d702a0189..c7fbea173e7 100644
--- a/config/job_conf.xml.sample_advanced
+++ b/config/job_conf.xml.sample_advanced
@@ -332,9 +332,9 @@
              For documentation on handler assignment methods, see the documentation under:
              https://docs.galaxyproject.org/en/latest/admin/scaling.html#job-handler-assignment-methods
 
-             The <handlers> container tag takes two optional attributes:
+             The <handlers> container tag takes three optional attributes:
 
-               <handlers assign_with="method" default="id_or_tag"/>
+               <handlers assign_with="method" max_grab="count" default="id_or_tag"/>
 
                - `assign_with` - How jobs should be assigned to handlers. The value can be a single method or a
                  comma-separated list that will be tried in order. The default depends on whether any handlers and a job
@@ -348,6 +348,11 @@
                    - `db-transaction-isolation` - Database Transaction Isolation
                    - `db-skip-locked` - Database SKIP LOCKED
 
+               - `max_grab` - Limit the number of jobs that a handler will self-assign per jobs-ready-to-run check loop
+                 iteration. This only applies for methods that cause handlers to self-assign multiple jobs at once
+                 (db-skip-locked, db-transaction-isolation) and the value is an integer > 0. Default is to grab as many
+                 jobs ready to run as possible.
+
                - `default` - An ID or tag of the handler(s) that should handle any jobs not assigned to a specific
                  handler (which is probably most of them). If unset, the default is any untagged handlers plus any
                  handlers in the `job-handlers` (no tag) pool.
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/queue_worker.py b/lib/galaxy/queue_worker.py
index 7d5b3302858..23ac03f7597 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/queue_worker.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/queue_worker.py
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ from kombu import (
     uuid,
 )
 from kombu.mixins import ConsumerProducerMixin
-from kombu.pools import producers
+from kombu.pools import (
+    connections,
+    producers,
+)
 from six.moves import reload_module
 
 import galaxy.queues
@@ -308,6 +311,7 @@ class GalaxyQueueWorker(ConsumerProducerMixin, threading.Thread):
         # Force connection instead of lazy-connecting the first time it is required.
         # Fixes `'kombu.transport.sqlalchemy.Message' is not mapped` error.
         self.connection.connect()
+        self.connection.release()
         self.app = app
         self.task_mapping = task_mapping
         self.exchange_queue = None
@@ -325,8 +329,9 @@ class GalaxyQueueWorker(ConsumerProducerMixin, threading.Thread):
         self.exchange_queue, self.direct_queue = galaxy.queues.control_queues_from_config(self.app.config)
         self.control_queues = [self.exchange_queue, self.direct_queue]
         # Delete messages for the current workers' control queues on startup
-        for q in self.control_queues:
-            q(self.connection).delete()
+        with connections[self.connection].acquire(block=True) as conn:
+            for q in self.control_queues:
+                q(conn).delete()
         self.start()
 
     def get_consumers(self, Consumer, channel):