diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 815a95b..6d9bda9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+## 5.6.1
+  - Fixes an issue where the `jdbc_static` filter's throughput was artificially limited to 4 concurrent queries, causing the plugin to become a bottleneck in pipelines with more than 4 workers. Each instance of the plugin is now limited to 16 concurrent queries, with increased timeouts to eliminate enrichment failures [#187](https://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-integration-jdbc/pull/187)
+
 ## 5.6.0
   - Support other rufus scheduling options in JDBC Input [#183](https://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-integration-jdbc/pull/183)
 
diff --git a/lib/logstash/filters/jdbc/read_write_database.rb b/lib/logstash/filters/jdbc/read_write_database.rb
index 23a4eee..c7782c7 100644
--- a/lib/logstash/filters/jdbc/read_write_database.rb
+++ b/lib/logstash/filters/jdbc/read_write_database.rb
@@ -103,6 +103,11 @@ def post_initialize()
       super
       # get a fair reentrant read write lock
       @rwlock = java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantReadWriteLock.new(true)
+
+      # configure the connection pool to reduce the chances of
+      # a worker thread being unable to acquire a connection.
+      @options_hash[:max_connections] = 16 # sequel default: 4
+      @options_hash[:pool_timeout] = 30    # sequel default: 5
     end
   end
 end end end
diff --git a/logstash-integration-jdbc.gemspec b/logstash-integration-jdbc.gemspec
index 72ff52d..6182978 100755
--- a/logstash-integration-jdbc.gemspec
+++ b/logstash-integration-jdbc.gemspec
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name = 'logstash-integration-jdbc'
-  s.version         = '5.6.0'
+  s.version         = '5.6.1'
   s.licenses = ['Apache License (2.0)']
   s.summary         = "Integration with JDBC - input and filter plugins"
   s.description     = "This gem is a Logstash plugin required to be installed on top of the Logstash core pipeline using $LS_HOME/bin/logstash-plugin install gemname. This gem is not a stand-alone program"
diff --git a/spec/filters/jdbc/read_write_database_spec.rb b/spec/filters/jdbc/read_write_database_spec.rb
index eda4568..554dc0d 100644
--- a/spec/filters/jdbc/read_write_database_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/filters/jdbc/read_write_database_spec.rb
@@ -19,8 +19,13 @@ module LogStash module Filters module Jdbc
           stub_driver_class = double('org.apache.derby.jdbc.EmbeddedDriver').as_null_object
           expect(::Sequel::JDBC).to receive(:load_driver).once.with("org.apache.derby.jdbc.EmbeddedDriver").and_return(stub_driver_class)
           # two calls to connect because ReadWriteDatabase does verify_connection and connect
-          expect(::Sequel).to receive(:connect).once.with(connection_string_regex, {:driver => stub_driver_class, :test => true}).and_return(db)
-          expect(::Sequel).to receive(:connect).once.with(connection_string_regex, {:driver => stub_driver_class}).and_return(db)
+          connection_options = {
+            driver: stub_driver_class,
+            max_connections: 16,
+            pool_timeout: 30,
+          }
+          expect(::Sequel).to receive(:connect).once.with(connection_string_regex, connection_options.merge(:test => true)).and_return(db)
+          expect(::Sequel).to receive(:connect).once.with(connection_string_regex, connection_options).and_return(db)
           expect(read_write_db.empty_record_set).to eq([])
         end
 
@@ -30,8 +35,17 @@ module LogStash module Filters module Jdbc
           password = Util::Password.new("secret")
           stub_driver_class = double('com.example.Driver')
           expect(::Sequel::JDBC).to receive(:load_driver).once.with("a driver class").and_return(stub_driver_class)
-          expect(::Sequel).to receive(:connect).once.with(connection_str, {:driver => stub_driver_class, :user => user, :password => password.value, :test => true}).and_return(db)
-          expect(::Sequel).to receive(:connect).once.with(connection_str, {:driver => stub_driver_class, :user => user, :password => password.value}).and_return(db)
+
+          connection_options = {
+            driver: stub_driver_class,
+            user: user,
+            password: password.value,
+            max_connections: 16,
+            pool_timeout: 30,
+          }
+
+          expect(::Sequel).to receive(:connect).once.with(connection_str, connection_options.merge(:test => true)).and_return(db)
+          expect(::Sequel).to receive(:connect).once.with(connection_str, connection_options).and_return(db)
           described_class.create(connection_str, "a driver class", nil, user, password)
         end
       end