diff --git a/registry/storage/driver/base/regulator.go b/registry/storage/driver/base/regulator.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..21ddfe57f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/registry/storage/driver/base/regulator.go
@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+package base
+
+import (
+	"io"
+	"sync"
+
+	"github.com/docker/distribution/context"
+	storagedriver "github.com/docker/distribution/registry/storage/driver"
+)
+
+type regulator struct {
+	storagedriver.StorageDriver
+	sync.Cond
+
+	available uint
+}
+
+// NewRegulator wraps the given driver and is used to regulate concurrent calls
+// to the given storage driver to a maximum of the given limit. This is useful
+// for storage drivers that would otherwise create an unbounded number of OS
+// threads if allowed to be called unregulated.
+func NewRegulator(driver storagedriver.StorageDriver, limit uint) storagedriver.StorageDriver {
+	return &regulator{
+		StorageDriver: driver,
+		Cond: sync.Cond{
+			L: &sync.Mutex{},
+		},
+		available: limit,
+	}
+}
+
+func (r *regulator) condition() bool {
+	return r.available > 0
+}
+
+func (r *regulator) enter() {
+	r.L.Lock()
+	defer r.L.Unlock()
+
+	for !r.condition() {
+		r.Wait()
+	}
+
+	r.available--
+}
+
+func (r *regulator) exit() {
+	r.L.Lock()
+	defer r.Signal()
+	defer r.L.Unlock()
+
+	r.available++
+}
+
+// Name returns the human-readable "name" of the driver, useful in error
+// messages and logging. By convention, this will just be the registration
+// name, but drivers may provide other information here.
+func (r *regulator) Name() string {
+	r.enter()
+	defer r.exit()
+
+	return r.StorageDriver.Name()
+}
+
+// GetContent retrieves the content stored at "path" as a []byte.
+// This should primarily be used for small objects.
+func (r *regulator) GetContent(ctx context.Context, path string) ([]byte, error) {
+	r.enter()
+	defer r.exit()
+
+	return r.StorageDriver.GetContent(ctx, path)
+}
+
+// PutContent stores the []byte content at a location designated by "path".
+// This should primarily be used for small objects.
+func (r *regulator) PutContent(ctx context.Context, path string, content []byte) error {
+	r.enter()
+	defer r.exit()
+
+	return r.StorageDriver.PutContent(ctx, path, content)
+}
+
+// ReadStream retrieves an io.ReadCloser for the content stored at "path"
+// with a given byte offset.
+// May be used to resume reading a stream by providing a nonzero offset.
+func (r *regulator) ReadStream(ctx context.Context, path string, offset int64) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+	r.enter()
+	defer r.exit()
+
+	return r.StorageDriver.ReadStream(ctx, path, offset)
+}
+
+// WriteStream stores the contents of the provided io.ReadCloser at a
+// location designated by the given path.
+// May be used to resume writing a stream by providing a nonzero offset.
+// The offset must be no larger than the CurrentSize for this path.
+func (r *regulator) WriteStream(ctx context.Context, path string, offset int64, reader io.Reader) (nn int64, err error) {
+	r.enter()
+	defer r.exit()
+
+	return r.StorageDriver.WriteStream(ctx, path, offset, reader)
+}
+
+// Stat retrieves the FileInfo for the given path, including the current
+// size in bytes and the creation time.
+func (r *regulator) Stat(ctx context.Context, path string) (storagedriver.FileInfo, error) {
+	r.enter()
+	defer r.exit()
+
+	return r.StorageDriver.Stat(ctx, path)
+}
+
+// List returns a list of the objects that are direct descendants of the
+//given path.
+func (r *regulator) List(ctx context.Context, path string) ([]string, error) {
+	r.enter()
+	defer r.exit()
+
+	return r.StorageDriver.List(ctx, path)
+}
+
+// Move moves an object stored at sourcePath to destPath, removing the
+// original object.
+// Note: This may be no more efficient than a copy followed by a delete for
+// many implementations.
+func (r *regulator) Move(ctx context.Context, sourcePath string, destPath string) error {
+	r.enter()
+	defer r.exit()
+
+	return r.StorageDriver.Move(ctx, sourcePath, destPath)
+}
+
+// Delete recursively deletes all objects stored at "path" and its subpaths.
+func (r *regulator) Delete(ctx context.Context, path string) error {
+	r.enter()
+	defer r.exit()
+
+	return r.StorageDriver.Delete(ctx, path)
+}
+
+// URLFor returns a URL which may be used to retrieve the content stored at
+// the given path, possibly using the given options.
+// May return an ErrUnsupportedMethod in certain StorageDriver
+// implementations.
+func (r *regulator) URLFor(ctx context.Context, path string, options map[string]interface{}) (string, error) {
+	r.enter()
+	defer r.exit()
+
+	return r.StorageDriver.URLFor(ctx, path, options)
+}
diff --git a/registry/storage/driver/filesystem/driver.go b/registry/storage/driver/filesystem/driver.go
index 3bbdc6379..e22e98097 100644
--- a/registry/storage/driver/filesystem/driver.go
+++ b/registry/storage/driver/filesystem/driver.go
@@ -60,12 +60,12 @@ func FromParameters(parameters map[string]interface{}) *Driver {
 
 // New constructs a new Driver with a given rootDirectory
 func New(rootDirectory string) *Driver {
+	fsDriver := &driver{rootDirectory: rootDirectory}
+
 	return &Driver{
 		baseEmbed: baseEmbed{
 			Base: base.Base{
-				StorageDriver: &driver{
-					rootDirectory: rootDirectory,
-				},
+				StorageDriver: base.NewRegulator(fsDriver, 100),
 			},
 		},
 	}