diff --git a/src/apps.js b/src/apps.js
index 139901e29..19a502f68 100644
--- a/src/apps.js
+++ b/src/apps.js
@@ -476,9 +476,6 @@ function install(data, auditSource, callback) {
         error = validateXFrameOptions(xFrameOptions);
         if (error) return callback(error);
 
-        // memoryLimit might come in as 0 if not specified
-        memoryLimit = memoryLimit || manifest.memoryLimit || constants.DEFAULT_MEMORY_LIMIT;
-
         if (altDomain !== null && !validator.isFQDN(altDomain)) return callback(new AppsError(AppsError.BAD_FIELD, 'Invalid alt domain'));
 
         // singleUser mode requires accessRestriction to contain exactly one user
@@ -572,9 +569,6 @@ function configure(appId, data, auditSource, callback) {
             values.memoryLimit = data.memoryLimit;
             error = validateMemoryLimit(app.manifest, values.memoryLimit);
             if (error) return callback(error);
-
-            // memoryLimit might come in as 0 if not specified
-            values.memoryLimit = values.memoryLimit || app.memoryLimit || app.manifest.memoryLimit || constants.DEFAULT_MEMORY_LIMIT;
         }
 
         if ('xFrameOptions' in data) {
diff --git a/src/docker.js b/src/docker.js
index 549dd27e7..5279870cf 100644
--- a/src/docker.js
+++ b/src/docker.js
@@ -163,13 +163,14 @@ function createSubcontainer(app, name, cmd, options, callback) {
     }
 
     // first check db record, then manifest
-    var memoryLimit = app.memoryLimit || manifest.memoryLimit;
+    var memoryLimit = app.memoryLimit || manifest.memoryLimit || 0;
 
-    // ensure we never go below minimum
-    memoryLimit = memoryLimit < constants.DEFAULT_MEMORY_LIMIT ? constants.DEFAULT_MEMORY_LIMIT : memoryLimit; // 256mb by default
-
-    // developerMode does not restrict memory usage
-    memoryLimit = developmentMode ? 0 : memoryLimit;
+    if (developmentMode) {
+        // developerMode does not restrict memory usage
+        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;
+    }
 
     addons.getEnvironment(app, function (error, addonEnv) {
         if (error) return callback(new Error('Error getting addon environment : ' + error));