diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6129e1a..7a204fa 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -19,14 +19,15 @@ fallback user profile discovery.
 
 ## Installation
 
-`Dockerfile` and `docker-compose.yml` are provided for easy install
+Guppe uses Docker Swarm for easy load balancing Web server replicas
 
 ```
 git clone https://github.com/wmurphyrd/guppe.git
 cd guppe
 cp .env.defaults .env
 echo DOMAIN=yourdomain.com >> .env
-docker-compose up --build -d
+docker swarm init --advertise-addr 127.0.0.1
+docker stack deploy --compose-file docker-compose.yml guppe
 ```
 
 ## Updating
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ Fetch latest code & restart server:
 
 ```
 git pull
-docker-compose up --build -d
+docker stack deploy --compose-file docker-compose.yml guppe
 ```
 
 ## Optional configuration
diff --git a/deliveryWorker.js b/deliveryWorker.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d463575
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deliveryWorker.js
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+require('dotenv').config()
+const MongoClient = require('mongodb').MongoClient
+const { onShutdown } = require('node-graceful-shutdown')
+const ActivitypubExpress = require('activitypub-express')
+
+const { DOMAIN, DB_URL, DB_NAME } = process.env
+
+const client = new MongoClient(DB_URL)
+
+const routes = {
+  actor: '/u/:actor',
+  object: '/o/:id',
+  activity: '/s/:id',
+  inbox: '/u/:actor/inbox',
+  outbox: '/u/:actor/outbox',
+  followers: '/u/:actor/followers',
+  following: '/u/:actor/following',
+  liked: '/u/:actor/liked',
+  collections: '/u/:actor/c/:id',
+  blocked: '/u/:actor/blocked',
+  rejections: '/u/:actor/rejections',
+  rejected: '/u/:actor/rejected',
+  shares: '/s/:id/shares',
+  likes: '/s/:id/likes'
+}
+const apex = ActivitypubExpress({
+  domain: DOMAIN,
+  actorParam: 'actor',
+  objectParam: 'id',
+  itemsPerPage: 100,
+  routes
+})
+
+client.connect()
+  .then(async () => {
+    apex.store.db = client.db(DB_NAME)
+    let resumeDeliveryTimer
+    function deliver () {
+      apex.startDelivery()
+      // delivery will stop if the queue empties, ensure it keeps running when new work is available
+      // no effect if called while already running
+      resumeDeliveryTimer = setTimeout(deliver, 5000)
+    }
+    deliver()
+    onShutdown(async () => {
+      clearTimeout(resumeDeliveryTimer)
+      // time for last delivery to finish (need to fix in apex)
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 3000))
+      await client.close()
+      console.log('Guppe delivery worker closed')
+    })
+  })
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index ed89001..905ea2c 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ version: "3.8"
 
 services:
   guppe:
-    build: .
+    image: datatitian/guppe
+    deploy:
+      mode: replicated
+      replicas: 4
     restart: always
     ports:
       - 443:443
@@ -21,7 +24,24 @@ services:
       driver: local
       options:
         max-size: '10m'
-    
+
+  worker1:
+    image: datatitian/guppe
+    command: [ "node", "deliveryWorker.js" ]
+    deploy:
+      mode: replicated
+      replicas: 8
+    restart: always
+    env_file: '.env'
+    environment:
+      DB_URL: 'mongodb://mongodb:27017'
+    depends_on:
+      - mongodb
+    logging:
+      driver: local
+      options:
+        max-size: '10m'
+
   mongodb:
     image: mongo:4.2
     restart: always
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index b8f6f08..e396fda 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ const apex = ActivitypubExpress({
   actorParam: 'actor',
   objectParam: 'id',
   itemsPerPage: 100,
+  offlineMode: true, // delivery done in workers only
   routes
 })