diff --git a/backend/danswer/redis/redis_pool.py b/backend/danswer/redis/redis_pool.py
index 45ab39d8a..9664019eb 100644
--- a/backend/danswer/redis/redis_pool.py
+++ b/backend/danswer/redis/redis_pool.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ from typing import Optional
 
 import redis
 from redis.client import Redis
-from redis.connection import ConnectionPool
 
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import REDIS_DB_NUMBER
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import REDIS_HOST
@@ -13,13 +12,13 @@ from danswer.configs.app_configs import REDIS_SSL
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import REDIS_SSL_CA_CERTS
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import REDIS_SSL_CERT_REQS
 
-REDIS_POOL_MAX_CONNECTIONS = 10
+REDIS_POOL_MAX_CONNECTIONS = 128
 
 
 class RedisPool:
     _instance: Optional["RedisPool"] = None
     _lock: threading.Lock = threading.Lock()
-    _pool: ConnectionPool
+    _pool: redis.BlockingConnectionPool
 
     def __new__(cls) -> "RedisPool":
         if not cls._instance:
@@ -45,27 +44,33 @@ class RedisPool:
         ssl_ca_certs: str | None = REDIS_SSL_CA_CERTS,
         ssl_cert_reqs: str = REDIS_SSL_CERT_REQS,
         ssl: bool = False,
-    ) -> redis.ConnectionPool:
+    ) -> redis.BlockingConnectionPool:
+        """We use BlockingConnectionPool because it will block and wait for a connection
+        rather than error if max_connections is reached. This is far more deterministic
+        behavior and aligned with how we want to use Redis."""
+
         # Using ConnectionPool is not well documented.
         # Useful examples: https://github.com/redis/redis-py/issues/780
         if ssl:
-            return redis.ConnectionPool(
+            return redis.BlockingConnectionPool(
                 host=host,
                 port=port,
                 db=db,
                 password=password,
                 max_connections=max_connections,
+                timeout=None,
                 connection_class=redis.SSLConnection,
                 ssl_ca_certs=ssl_ca_certs,
                 ssl_cert_reqs=ssl_cert_reqs,
             )
 
-        return redis.ConnectionPool(
+        return redis.BlockingConnectionPool(
             host=host,
             port=port,
             db=db,
             password=password,
             max_connections=max_connections,
+            timeout=None,
         )