diff --git a/README b/README
index 8fd75b81..ee80ac62 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -265,6 +265,10 @@ new network blocks and is 100 by default. It is intended to be a backup only
 for when the notifier is not set up and only polls if the "notify" field is
 not set on a btcd.
 
+"compress" : When running in a passthrough mode (redirector, passthrough, node),
+should we gzip compress large packets. For passthroughs on a local network it
+is recommended to disable this. Default is enabled.
+
 "nonce1length" : This is optional allowing the extranonce1 length to be chosen
 from 2 to 8. Default 4
 
diff --git a/ckpassthrough.conf b/ckpassthrough.conf
index a0c9a092..dc7b2ec1 100644
--- a/ckpassthrough.conf
+++ b/ckpassthrough.conf
@@ -6,14 +6,11 @@
 		"pass" : "pass"
 	}
 ],
-"update_interval" : 30,
 "serverurl" : [
 	"192.168.1.100:3334",
 	"127.0.0.1:3334"
 	],
-"mindiff" : 1,
-"startdiff" : 42,
-"maxdiff" : 0,
+"compress" : true,
 "logdir" : "logs"
 }
 Comments from here on are ignored.
diff --git a/src/ckpool.c b/src/ckpool.c
index 00f9a908..3f8e4aab 100644
--- a/src/ckpool.c
+++ b/src/ckpool.c
@@ -1539,6 +1539,7 @@ static void parse_config(ckpool_t *ckp)
 		ckp->btcsig[38] = '\0';
 	}
 	json_get_int(&ckp->blockpoll, json_conf, "blockpoll");
+	json_get_bool(&ckp->compress, json_conf, "compress");
 	json_get_int(&ckp->nonce1length, json_conf, "nonce1length");
 	json_get_int(&ckp->nonce2length, json_conf, "nonce2length");
 	json_get_int(&ckp->update_interval, json_conf, "update_interval");
@@ -1907,6 +1908,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (ret && errno != EEXIST)
 		quit(1, "Failed to make directory %s", ckp.socket_dir);
 
+	/* Set default on */
+	ckp.compress = true;
+
 	parse_config(&ckp);
 	/* Set defaults if not found in config file */
 	if (!ckp.btcds) {
diff --git a/src/ckpool.h b/src/ckpool.h
index 52017027..0ab30f4c 100644
--- a/src/ckpool.h
+++ b/src/ckpool.h
@@ -192,6 +192,9 @@ struct ckpool_instance {
 	/* Are we a redirecting passthrough */
 	bool redirector;
 
+	/* Should we compress large packets in passthrough modes */
+	bool compress;
+
 	/* Are we running as a proxy */
 	bool proxy;
 
diff --git a/src/generator.c b/src/generator.c
index 353dc641..49b0f215 100644
--- a/src/generator.c
+++ b/src/generator.c
@@ -766,7 +766,7 @@ out:
 }
 
 /* cs semaphore must be held */
-static bool passthrough_stratum(connsock_t *cs, proxy_instance_t *proxi)
+static bool passthrough_stratum(ckpool_t *ckp, connsock_t *cs, proxy_instance_t *proxi)
 {
 	json_t *req, *val = NULL, *res_val, *err_val;
 	bool res, ret = false;
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ static bool passthrough_stratum(connsock_t *cs, proxy_instance_t *proxi)
 
 	JSON_CPACK(req, "{ss,sb,s[s]}",
 			"method", "mining.passthrough",
-			"gz", json_true(),
+			"gz", ckp->compress,
 			"params", PACKAGE"/"VERSION);
 	res = send_json_msg(cs, req);
 	json_decref(req);
@@ -812,7 +812,7 @@ out:
 }
 
 /* cs semaphore must be held */
-static bool node_stratum(connsock_t *cs, proxy_instance_t *proxi)
+static bool node_stratum(ckpool_t *ckp, connsock_t *cs, proxy_instance_t *proxi)
 {
 	json_t *req, *val = NULL, *res_val, *err_val;
 	bool res, ret = false;
@@ -820,7 +820,7 @@ static bool node_stratum(connsock_t *cs, proxy_instance_t *proxi)
 
 	JSON_CPACK(req, "{ss,sb,s[s]}",
 			"method", "mining.node",
-			"gz", json_true(),
+			"gz", ckp->compress,
 			"params", PACKAGE"/"VERSION);
 
 	res = send_json_msg(cs, req);
@@ -1855,7 +1855,7 @@ static bool proxy_alive(ckpool_t *ckp, proxy_instance_t *proxi, connsock_t *cs,
 		goto out;
 	}
 	if (ckp->node) {
-		if (!node_stratum(cs, proxi)) {
+		if (!node_stratum(ckp, cs, proxi)) {
 			LOGWARNING("Failed initial node setup to %s:%s !",
 				   cs->url, cs->port);
 			goto out;
@@ -1864,7 +1864,7 @@ static bool proxy_alive(ckpool_t *ckp, proxy_instance_t *proxi, connsock_t *cs,
 		goto out;
 	}
 	if (ckp->passthrough) {
-		if (!passthrough_stratum(cs, proxi)) {
+		if (!passthrough_stratum(ckp, cs, proxi)) {
 			LOGWARNING("Failed initial passthrough to %s:%s !",
 				   cs->url, cs->port);
 			goto out;