diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3086f4fd..f8874e76 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -68,6 +68,11 @@ kafkabeat:
   # @see https://github.com/Shopify/sarama/blob/v1.17.0/config.go#L262
   # for detailed explanation
   #channel_buffer_size: 256
+  
+  # Number of concurrent publish workers.
+  # General suggestion keep number of workers equal or lower than CPU cores available.
+  # Defaults to number of available cores
+  #channel_workers: 8
 ```
 
 ### Timestamp
diff --git a/beater/kafkabeat.go b/beater/kafkabeat.go
index 72acd21d..19f705b9 100644
--- a/beater/kafkabeat.go
+++ b/beater/kafkabeat.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/beat"
 	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/common"
 	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/logp"
-)
+	)
 
 type msgDecodeFn func(msg *sarama.ConsumerMessage) *beat.Event
 
@@ -39,11 +39,10 @@ func New(b *beat.Beat, cfg *common.Config) (beat.Beater, error) {
 	}
 
 	kConfig := cluster.NewConfig()
-	kConfig.Group.Return.Notifications = true
-	kConfig.Consumer.Return.Errors = true
 	kConfig.ClientID = bConfig.ClientID
-	kConfig.Consumer.MaxWaitTime = time.Millisecond * 500
 	kConfig.ChannelBufferSize = bConfig.ChannelBufferSize
+	kConfig.Consumer.MaxWaitTime = time.Millisecond * 500
+	kConfig.Consumer.Return.Errors = true
 
 	// initial offset handling
 	switch bConfig.Offset {
@@ -79,6 +78,10 @@ func New(b *beat.Beat, cfg *common.Config) (beat.Beater, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error in configuration, unknown publish_mode: '%s'", bConfig.PublishMode)
 	}
 
+	if bConfig.ChannelWorkers < 1 {
+		bConfig.ChannelWorkers = 1
+	}
+
 	// return beat
 	bt := &Kafkabeat{
 		done:    make(chan struct{}),
@@ -115,6 +118,12 @@ func (bt *Kafkabeat) Run(b *beat.Beat) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// run workers
+	bt.logger.Info("spawning channel workers: ", bt.bConfig.ChannelWorkers)
+	for i := 0; i < bt.bConfig.ChannelWorkers; i++ {
+		go bt.workerFn()
+	}
+
 	// run loop
 	bt.logger.Info("kafkabeat is running! Hit CTRL-C to stop it.")
 	for {
@@ -124,18 +133,22 @@ func (bt *Kafkabeat) Run(b *beat.Beat) error {
 			return nil
 
 		case err := <-bt.consumer.Errors():
-			bt.logger.Errorf("error: %#v", err)
+			bt.logger.Error(err.Error())
+		}
+	}
+}
 
-		case notify := <-bt.consumer.Notifications():
-			bt.logger.Debugf("received notification: %#v", notify)
+func (bt *Kafkabeat) workerFn() {
+	for {
+		msg := <-bt.consumer.Messages()
+		if msg == nil {
+			break
+		}
 
-		case msg := <-bt.consumer.Messages():
-			bt.logger.Debugf("received message: %#v", msg)
-			if event := bt.codec(msg); event != nil {
-				bt.pipeline.Publish(*event)
-			}
-			bt.consumer.MarkOffset(msg, "")
+		if event := bt.codec(msg); event != nil {
+			bt.pipeline.Publish(*event)
 		}
+		bt.consumer.MarkOffset(msg, "")
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index bf0154d0..17ac8a40 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 package config
 
+import "runtime"
+
 type Config struct {
 	Brokers           []string `config:"brokers"`
 	Topics            []string `config:"topics"`
@@ -12,6 +14,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	Codec             string   `config:"codec"`
 	PublishMode       string   `config:"publish_mode"`
 	ChannelBufferSize int      `config:"channel_buffer_size"`
+	ChannelWorkers    int      `config:"channel_workers"`
 }
 
 var DefaultConfig = Config{
@@ -23,4 +26,5 @@ var DefaultConfig = Config{
 	Codec:             "json",
 	PublishMode:       "default",
 	ChannelBufferSize: 256,
+	ChannelWorkers:    runtime.NumCPU(),
 }
diff --git a/config/config_test.go b/config/config_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index d177de3a..00000000
--- a/config/config_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-// +build !integration
-
-package config
diff --git a/kafkabeat.docker-compose.yml b/kafkabeat.docker-compose.yml
index 6b5d5c49..eb193071 100644
--- a/kafkabeat.docker-compose.yml
+++ b/kafkabeat.docker-compose.yml
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
-################### Kafkabeat Configuration Example #########################
-
-############################# Kafkabeat ######################################
 kafkabeat:
   brokers: ["localhost:9092"]
   topics: ["watch"]
   client_id: "beat"
   group: "kafkabeat"
   offset: "newest"
-  codec: "json"
+  codec: "plain"
   channel_buffer_size: 1024
+  channel_workers: 2
 
 output.elasticsearch:
   enabled: true
diff --git a/kafkabeat.reference.yml b/kafkabeat.reference.yml
index c6a73e36..6352282f 100644
--- a/kafkabeat.reference.yml
+++ b/kafkabeat.reference.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ kafkabeat:
   # for detailed explanation
   #channel_buffer_size: 256
 
+  # Number of concurrent publish workers.
+  # General suggestion keep number of workers equal or lower than CPU cores available.
+  # Defaults to number of available cores
+  #channel_workers: 1
+
 #================================ General ======================================
 
 # The name of the shipper that publishes the network data. It can be used to group
diff --git a/kafkabeat.yml b/kafkabeat.yml
index bf51b0be..816af11a 100644
--- a/kafkabeat.yml
+++ b/kafkabeat.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,17 @@ kafkabeat:
   # for detailed explanation.
   #publish_mode: "default"
 
+  # Channel buffer size.
+  # Defaults to 256
+  # @see https://github.com/Shopify/sarama/blob/v1.17.0/config.go#L262
+  # for detailed explanation
+  #channel_buffer_size: 256
+
+  # Number of concurrent publish workers.
+  # General suggestion keep number of workers equal or lower than CPU cores available.
+  # Defaults to number of available cores
+  #channel_workers: 1
+
 #================================ General =====================================
 
 # The name of the shipper that publishes the network data. It can be used to group