diff --git a/go/cmd/vttablet/cli/cli.go b/go/cmd/vttablet/cli/cli.go
index 3b77b43d9cb..c16d45d7c0f 100644
--- a/go/cmd/vttablet/cli/cli.go
+++ b/go/cmd/vttablet/cli/cli.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"runtime/debug"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	debug.SetGCPercent(200)
 	servenv.Init()
 
 	// Ensure we open the topo before we start the context, so that the