diff --git a/lib/delayed/tasks.rb b/lib/delayed/tasks.rb
index ce2d075fd..67ff91b3d 100644
--- a/lib/delayed/tasks.rb
+++ b/lib/delayed/tasks.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,19 @@
 namespace :jobs do
+  def fork_delayed(worker_index)
+    worker_name = "delayed_job.#{worker_index}"
+    
+    worker_pid = fork do
+      Delayed::Worker.after_fork
+      worker = Delayed::Worker.new(@worker_options)
+      worker.name_prefix = worker_name
+      worker.start
+    end
+    
+    puts "started #{worker_name} with pid=#{worker_pid}"
+    
+    return worker_name, worker_pid
+  end
+  
   desc "Clear the delayed_job queue."
   task :clear => :environment do
     Delayed::Job.delete_all
@@ -6,7 +21,36 @@
 
   desc "Start a delayed_job worker."
   task :work => :environment_options do
-    Delayed::Worker.new(@worker_options).start
+    if @worker_options[:num_processes] == 1
+      Delayed::Worker.new(@worker_options).start
+    else
+      stop = false
+
+      Signal.trap 'TERM' do
+        stop = true
+      end
+
+      Delayed::Worker.before_fork
+      
+      workers = {}
+      @worker_options[:num_processes].times do |worker_index|
+        worker_name, worker_pid = fork_delayed(worker_index)
+        workers[worker_pid] = worker_name
+      end
+
+      worker_index = @worker_options[:num_processes]
+
+      while true
+        worker_pid = Process.wait()
+        puts "worker #{workers[worker_pid]} exited - #{$?.to_s }"
+        break if stop
+
+        worker_name, worker_pid = fork_delayed(worker_index)
+        workers[worker_pid] = worker_name
+        
+        worker_index = worker_index + 1
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   desc "Start a delayed_job worker and exit when all available jobs are complete."