diff --git a/src/tasks.js b/src/tasks.js
index d4446f328..952fa8a55 100644
--- a/src/tasks.js
+++ b/src/tasks.js
@@ -1,20 +1,20 @@
 'use strict';
 
 exports = module.exports = {
-    get: get,
-    add: add,
-    update: update,
-    setCompleted: setCompleted,
-    setCompletedByType: setCompletedByType,
-    listByTypePaged: listByTypePaged,
+    get,
+    add,
+    update,
+    setCompleted,
+    setCompletedByType,
+    listByTypePaged,
 
-    getLogs: getLogs,
+    getLogs,
 
-    startTask: startTask,
-    stopTask: stopTask,
-    stopAllTasks: stopAllTasks,
+    startTask,
+    stopTask,
+    stopAllTasks,
 
-    removePrivateFields: removePrivateFields,
+    removePrivateFields,
 
     // task types. if you add a task here, fill up the function table in taskworker and dashboard client.js
     TASK_APP: 'app',
diff --git a/src/updater.js b/src/updater.js
index b81d3918c..680866565 100644
--- a/src/updater.js
+++ b/src/updater.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ var apps = require('./apps.js'),
     paths = require('./paths.js'),
     safe = require('safetydance'),
     semver = require('semver'),
+    settings = require('./settings.js'),
     shell = require('./shell.js'),
     tasks = require('./tasks.js'),
     updateChecker = require('./updatechecker.js');
@@ -219,21 +220,27 @@ function updateToLatest(options, auditSource, callback) {
         error = locker.lock(locker.OP_BOX_UPDATE);
         if (error) return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_STATE, `Cannot update now: ${error.message}`));
 
-        tasks.add(tasks.TASK_UPDATE, [ boxUpdateInfo, options ], function (error, taskId) {
+        settings.getBackupConfig(function (error, backupConfig) {
             if (error) return callback(error);
 
-            eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_UPDATE, auditSource, { taskId, boxUpdateInfo });
+            const memoryLimit = 'memoryLimit' in backupConfig ? Math.max(backupConfig.memoryLimit/1024/1024, 400) : 400;
 
-            tasks.startTask(taskId, { timeout: 20 * 60 * 60 * 1000 /* 20 hours */ }, (error) => {
-                locker.unlock(locker.OP_BOX_UPDATE);
+            tasks.add(tasks.TASK_UPDATE, [ boxUpdateInfo, options ], function (error, taskId) {
+                if (error) return callback(error);
 
-                debug('Update failed with error', error);
+                eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_UPDATE, auditSource, { taskId, boxUpdateInfo });
 
-                const timedOut = error.code === tasks.ETIMEOUT;
-                eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_UPDATE_FINISH, auditSource, { taskId, errorMessage: error.message, timedOut });
+                tasks.startTask(taskId, { timeout: 20 * 60 * 60 * 1000 /* 20 hours */, nice: 15, memoryLimit }, (error) => {
+                    locker.unlock(locker.OP_BOX_UPDATE);
+
+                    debug('Update failed with error', error);
+
+                    const timedOut = error.code === tasks.ETIMEOUT;
+                    eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_UPDATE_FINISH, auditSource, { taskId, errorMessage: error.message, timedOut });
+                });
+
+                callback(null, taskId);
             });
-
-            callback(null, taskId);
         });
     });
 }