diff --git a/docs/references/api.md b/docs/references/api.md
index 8fed6cd95..f1e581455 100644
--- a/docs/references/api.md
+++ b/docs/references/api.md
@@ -152,6 +152,8 @@ If `altDomain` is set, the app can be accessed from `https://<altDomain>`.
 * `SAMEORIGIN` - allows embedding from the same domain as the app. This is the default.
 * `ALLOW-FROM https://example.com/` - allows this app to be embedded from example.com
 
+`memoryLimit` is the maximum memory this app can use (in bytes) including swap. If set to 0, the app uses the `memoryLimit` value set in the manifest. If set to -1, the app gets unlimited memory.
+
 If `readonlyRootfs` is false, then the app's rootfs can be modified post installation. This is useful for debugging as it allows the app's code to be modified post installation. Apps that have a readonly rootfs cannot
 be updated to a newer version (because it is not safe to update them).
 
diff --git a/src/apps.js b/src/apps.js
index b14011479..7f2df4275 100644
--- a/src/apps.js
+++ b/src/apps.js
@@ -207,6 +207,9 @@ function validateMemoryLimit(manifest, memoryLimit) {
     // this is needed so an app update can change the value in the manifest, and if not set by the user, the new value should be used
     if (memoryLimit === 0) return null;
 
+    // a special value that indicates unlimited memory
+    if (memoryLimit === -1) return null;
+
     if (memoryLimit < min) return new AppsError(AppsError.BAD_FIELD, 'memoryLimit too small');
     if (memoryLimit > max) return new AppsError(AppsError.BAD_FIELD, 'memoryLimit too large');
 
@@ -714,7 +717,8 @@ function update(appId, data, auditSource, callback) {
             if (!app.readonlyRootfs && !data.force) return callback(new AppsError(AppsError.BAD_STATE, 'rootfs is not readonly'));
 
             // Ensure we update the memory limit in case the new app requires more memory as a minimum
-            if (values.manifest.memoryLimit && app.memoryLimit < values.manifest.memoryLimit) {
+            // 0 and -1 are special values for memory limit indicating unset and unlimited
+            if (app.memoryLimit > 0 && values.manifest.memoryLimit && app.memoryLimit < values.manifest.memoryLimit) {
                 values.memoryLimit = values.manifest.memoryLimit;
             }
 
diff --git a/src/docker.js b/src/docker.js
index a6ab2b80e..14ed6d3e6 100644
--- a/src/docker.js
+++ b/src/docker.js
@@ -157,8 +157,7 @@ function createSubcontainer(app, name, cmd, options, callback) {
     // first check db record, then manifest
     var memoryLimit = app.memoryLimit || manifest.memoryLimit || 0;
 
-    if (developmentMode) {
-        // developerMode does not restrict memory usage
+    if (memoryLimit === -1) { // unrestricted
         memoryLimit = 0;
     } else if (memoryLimit === 0 || memoryLimit < constants.DEFAULT_MEMORY_LIMIT) { // ensure we never go below minimum (in case we change the default)
         memoryLimit = constants.DEFAULT_MEMORY_LIMIT;