diff --git a/medcat-service/env/app.env b/medcat-service/env/app.env
index cb68c397c..9a7641611 100755
--- a/medcat-service/env/app.env
+++ b/medcat-service/env/app.env
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ SERVER_PORT=5000
 SERVER_WORKERS=1
 SERVER_WORKER_TIMEOUT=300
 SERVER_THREADS=1
+SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS=1000
+SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS_JITTER=50
 
 # set the number of torch threads, this should be used ONLY if you are using CPUs and the default image
 # set to -1 or 0 if you are using GPU
@@ -43,4 +45,4 @@ APP_TORCH_THREADS=8
 
 # GPU SETTING
 # CAUTION, use only if you are using the GPU docker image.
-APP_CUDA_DEVICE_COUNT=1
+APP_CUDA_DEVICE_COUNT=-1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/medcat-service/env/app_deid.env b/medcat-service/env/app_deid.env
index 56607c72b..e59c7ad2f 100755
--- a/medcat-service/env/app_deid.env
+++ b/medcat-service/env/app_deid.env
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ SERVER_PORT=5000
 SERVER_WORKERS=1
 SERVER_WORKER_TIMEOUT=300
 SERVER_THREADS=1
+SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS=1000
+SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS_JITTER=50
 
 # set the number of torch threads, this should be used ONLY if you are using CPUs and the default image
 # set to -1 or 0 if you are using GPU
diff --git a/medcat-service/medcat_service/demo/gradio_demo.py b/medcat-service/medcat_service/demo/gradio_demo.py
index fbe7db96a..0ef5fe797 100644
--- a/medcat-service/medcat_service/demo/gradio_demo.py
+++ b/medcat-service/medcat_service/demo/gradio_demo.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import gradio as gr
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 
-from medcat_service.dependencies import get_medcat_processor, get_settings
+from medcat_service.dependencies import get_global_processor
 from medcat_service.types import ProcessAPIInputContent
 from medcat_service.types_entities import Entity
 
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ def convert_display_model_to_list_of_lists(entity_display_model: list[EntityAnno
 
 
 def process_input(input_text: str):
-    processor = get_medcat_processor(get_settings())
+    processor = get_global_processor()
     input = ProcessAPIInputContent(text=input_text)
 
     result = processor.process_content(input.model_dump())
diff --git a/medcat-service/medcat_service/dependencies.py b/medcat-service/medcat_service/dependencies.py
index f9cbab061..ce4ba5626 100644
--- a/medcat-service/medcat_service/dependencies.py
+++ b/medcat-service/medcat_service/dependencies.py
@@ -1,26 +1,52 @@
 import logging
-from functools import lru_cache
-from typing import Annotated
+from typing import Annotated, Optional
 
-from fastapi import Depends
+from fastapi import Depends, Request
 
 from medcat_service.config import Settings
 from medcat_service.nlp_processor.medcat_processor import MedCatProcessor
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+processor_singleton: Optional[MedCatProcessor] = None
+settings_singleton: Optional[Settings] = None
 
-@lru_cache
-def get_settings() -> Settings:
-    settings = Settings()
-    log.debug("Using settings: %s", settings)
-    return settings
 
+def get_settings(request: Request) -> Settings:
+    _settings = request.app.state.settings
+    log.debug("Using settings: %s", _settings)
+    return _settings
 
-@lru_cache
-def get_medcat_processor(settings: Annotated[Settings, Depends(get_settings)]) -> MedCatProcessor:
-    log.debug("Creating new Medcat Processsor using settings: %s", settings)
-    return MedCatProcessor(settings)
 
+def set_global_settings(settings: Settings) -> None:
+    global settings_singleton
+    settings_singleton = settings
 
+
+def get_global_settings() -> Settings:
+    if settings_singleton is None:
+        raise RuntimeError("Settings have not been initialised yet")
+    return settings_singleton
+
+
+def set_global_processor(proc: MedCatProcessor):
+    global processor_singleton
+    processor_singleton = proc
+
+
+def get_medcat_processor(request: Request) -> MedCatProcessor:
+    proc = getattr(request.app.state, "medcat", None)
+    log.debug("Getting MedCatProcessor from app.state: %s", proc)
+    if proc is None:
+        raise RuntimeError("MedCatProcessor is not initialised on app.state")
+    return proc
+
+
+def get_global_processor() -> MedCatProcessor:
+    if processor_singleton is None:
+        raise RuntimeError("MedCatProcessor has not been initialised yet")
+    return processor_singleton
+
+
+SettingsDep = Annotated[Settings, Depends(get_settings)]
 MedCatProcessorDep = Annotated[MedCatProcessor, Depends(get_medcat_processor)]
diff --git a/medcat-service/medcat_service/main.py b/medcat-service/medcat_service/main.py
index 945d6255b..0f4d5f9c3 100644
--- a/medcat-service/medcat_service/main.py
+++ b/medcat-service/medcat_service/main.py
@@ -1,28 +1,55 @@
+import logging
+from contextlib import asynccontextmanager
+
 import gradio as gr
 from fastapi import FastAPI, Request
 from fastapi.responses import JSONResponse
 
+from medcat_service.config import Settings
 from medcat_service.demo.gradio_demo import io
-from medcat_service.dependencies import get_settings
+from medcat_service.dependencies import set_global_processor, set_global_settings
+from medcat_service.nlp_processor.medcat_processor import MedCatProcessor
 from medcat_service.routers import admin, health, process
 from medcat_service.types import HealthCheckFailedException
 
-settings = get_settings()
 
-app = FastAPI(
-    title="MedCAT Service",
-    summary="MedCAT Service",
-    contact={
+@asynccontextmanager
+async def lifespan(app: FastAPI):
+
+    log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+    log.debug("Starting MedCAT Service lifespan setup")
+
+    # allow overriding settings and medcat processor for testing
+    settings = getattr(app.state, "settings", None)
+    if settings is None:
+        settings = Settings()
+        app.state.settings = settings
+
+    medcat = getattr(app.state, "medcat", None)
+    if medcat is None:
+        medcat = MedCatProcessor(settings)
+        app.state.medcat = medcat
+
+    app.state.title = "MedCAT Service",
+    app.state.summary = "MedCAT Service",
+    app.state.contact = {
         "name": "CogStack Org",
         "url": "https://cogstack.org/",
         "email": "contact@cogstack.org",
     },
-    license_info={
+    app.state.license_info = {
         "name": "Apache 2.0",
         "identifier": "Apache-2.0",
     },
-    root_path=settings.app_root_path,
-)
+    app.state.root_path = settings.app_root_path
+
+    set_global_settings(settings)
+    set_global_processor(medcat)
+    log.debug("MedCAT Service lifespan setup complete")
+
+    yield
+
+app = FastAPI(lifespan=lifespan)
 
 app.include_router(admin.router)
 app.include_router(health.router)
@@ -35,9 +62,9 @@
 async def healthcheck_failed_exception_handler(request: Request, exc: HealthCheckFailedException):
     return JSONResponse(status_code=503, content=exc.reason.model_dump())
 
-
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     # Only run this when directly executing `python main.py` for local dev.
     import os
+
     import uvicorn
     uvicorn.run("medcat_service.main:app", host="0.0.0.0", port=int(os.environ.get("SERVER_PORT", 8000)))
diff --git a/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/common.py b/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/common.py
index 4f1747868..2f3efd5a7 100644
--- a/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/common.py
+++ b/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/common.py
@@ -3,9 +3,20 @@
 import logging
 import os
 
+from medcat_service.config import Settings
+
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+def get_settings_override_deid():
+    return Settings(
+        deid_mode=True,
+        deid_redact=True,
+        APP_LOG_LEVEL=10,
+        MEDCAT_LOG_LEVEL=10
+    )  # type: ignore
+
+
 def get_example_short_document():
     """
     Returns an example short document to be processed with possibly minimal set of annotations to be validated
diff --git a/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/test_admin.py b/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/test_admin.py
index b4b82b048..22cbebd8b 100644
--- a/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/test_admin.py
+++ b/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/test_admin.py
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ class TestAdminApi(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         setup_medcat_processor()
-        self.client = TestClient(app)
+        self._client_ctx = TestClient(app)
+        self.client = self._client_ctx.__enter__()
 
     def testGetInfo(self):
         response = self.client.get(self.ENDPOINT_INFO_ENDPOINT)
diff --git a/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/test_deid.py b/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/test_deid.py
index 24fe8063a..b24a6c340 100644
--- a/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/test_deid.py
+++ b/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/test_deid.py
@@ -4,13 +4,8 @@
 from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
 
 import medcat_service.test.common as common
-from medcat_service.config import Settings
-from medcat_service.dependencies import get_settings
 from medcat_service.main import app
-
-
-def get_settings_override():
-    return Settings(deid_mode=True, deid_redact=True)
+from medcat_service.nlp_processor.medcat_processor import MedCatProcessor
 
 
 class TestMedcatServiceDeId(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -25,14 +20,27 @@ def setUpClass(cls):
         if "APP_MEDCAT_MODEL_PACK" not in os.environ:
             os.environ["APP_MEDCAT_MODEL_PACK"] = "./models/examples/example-deid-model-pack.zip"
 
-        app.dependency_overrides[get_settings] = get_settings_override
-        cls.client = TestClient(app)
+        test_settings = common.get_settings_override_deid()
+        app.state.settings = test_settings
+        app.state.medcat = MedCatProcessor(test_settings)
+
+        cls._client_ctx = TestClient(app)
+        cls.client = cls._client_ctx.__enter__()
+
+    @classmethod
+    def tearDownClass(cls):
+        # exit context so shutdown runs
+        cls._client_ctx.__exit__(None, None, None)
+        app.dependency_overrides.clear()
+
+    def test_settings_override_applied(self):
+        assert app.state.settings.deid_mode is True
+        assert app.state.settings.deid_redact is True
 
     def test_deid_process_api(self):
         payload = common.create_payload_content_from_doc_single(
             "John had been diagnosed with acute Kidney Failure the week before"
         )
-        app.dependency_overrides[get_settings] = get_settings_override
 
         response = self.client.post(self.ENDPOINT_PROCESS_SINGLE, json=payload)
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
@@ -54,13 +62,11 @@ def test_deid_process_api(self):
         self.assertEqual(ann["pretty_name"], expected["pretty_name"])
         self.assertEqual(ann["source_value"], expected["source_value"])
         self.assertEqual(ann["cui"], expected["cui"])
-        app.dependency_overrides = {}
 
     def test_deid_process_bulk_api(self):
         payload = common.create_payload_content_from_doc_bulk([
             "John had been diagnosed with acute Kidney Failure the week before"
         ])
-        app.dependency_overrides[get_settings] = get_settings_override
 
         response = self.client.post(self.ENDPOINT_PROCESS_BULK, json=payload)
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
@@ -87,4 +93,3 @@ def test_deid_process_bulk_api(self):
         # self.assertEqual(ann["pretty_name"], expected["pretty_name"])
         # self.assertEqual(ann["source_value"], expected["source_value"])
         # self.assertEqual(ann["cui"], expected["cui"])
-        app.dependency_overrides = {}
diff --git a/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/test_service.py b/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/test_service.py
index 92362fe99..f3160f47c 100644
--- a/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/test_service.py
+++ b/medcat-service/medcat_service/test/test_service.py
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@
 from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
 
 import medcat_service.test.common as common
+from medcat_service.config import Settings
 from medcat_service.main import app
+from medcat_service.nlp_processor.medcat_processor import MedCatProcessor
 
 
 class TestMedcatService(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -31,7 +33,11 @@ def setUpClass(cls):
         """
         cls._setup_logging(cls)
         common.setup_medcat_processor()
-        cls.client = TestClient(app)
+        test_settings = Settings()
+        app.state.settings = test_settings
+        app.state.medcat = MedCatProcessor(test_settings)
+        cls._client_ctx = TestClient(app)
+        cls.client = cls._client_ctx.__enter__()
 
     @staticmethod
     def _setup_logging(cls):
@@ -39,6 +45,11 @@ def _setup_logging(cls):
         logging.basicConfig(format=log_format, level=logging.INFO)
         cls.log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+    @classmethod
+    def tearDownClass(cls):
+        # exit context so shutdown runs
+        cls._client_ctx.__exit__(None, None, None)
+
     # unit test helper methods
     #
     def _testProcessSingleDoc(self, doc):
diff --git a/medcat-service/start_service_production.sh b/medcat-service/start_service_production.sh
index 5009c521f..0f5b1437a 100644
--- a/medcat-service/start_service_production.sh
+++ b/medcat-service/start_service_production.sh
@@ -33,6 +33,15 @@ if [ -z ${SERVER_WORKER_TIMEOUT+x} ]; then
   echo "SERVER_WORKER_TIMEOUT is unset -- setting to default (sec): $SERVER_WORKER_TIMEOUT";
 fi
 
+if [ -z ${SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS+x} ]; then
+  SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS=1000;
+  echo "SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS is unset -- setting to default (sec): $SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS";
+fi
+
+if [ -z ${SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS_JITTER+x} ]; then
+  SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS_JITTER=50;
+  echo "SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS_JITTER is unset -- setting to default (sec): $SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS_JITTER";
+fi
 
 SERVER_ACCESS_LOG_FORMAT="%(t)s [ACCESS] %(h)s \"%(r)s\" %(s)s \"%(f)s\" \"%(a)s\""
 
@@ -50,5 +59,7 @@ exec gunicorn \
   --error-logfile=- \
   --log-level info \
   --config /cat/config.py \
+  --max-requests="$SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS" \
+  --max-requests-jitter="$SERVER_GUNICORN_MAX_REQUESTS_JITTER" \
   --worker-class uvicorn.workers.UvicornWorker \
   medcat_service.main:app