diff --git a/pool.go b/pool.go
index 6063294..374a2b4 100644
--- a/pool.go
+++ b/pool.go
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ const (
 	resourceStatusBorrowed  = iota
 )
 
+const maxUint = ^uint(0)
+const maxInt = int(maxUint >> 1)
+
 type CreateFunc func() (res interface{}, err error)
 
 type resourceWrapper struct {
@@ -24,6 +27,7 @@ type Pool struct {
 
 	allResources       map[interface{}]*resourceWrapper
 	availableResources []*resourceWrapper
+	maxSize            int
 
 	create CreateFunc
 }
@@ -32,10 +36,37 @@ func New(create CreateFunc) *Pool {
 	return &Pool{
 		cond:         sync.NewCond(new(sync.Mutex)),
 		allResources: make(map[interface{}]*resourceWrapper),
+		maxSize:      maxInt,
 		create:       create,
 	}
 }
 
+// Size returns the current size of the pool.
+func (p *Pool) Size() int {
+	p.cond.L.Lock()
+	n := len(p.allResources)
+	p.cond.L.Unlock()
+	return n
+}
+
+// MaxSize returns the current maximum size of the pool.
+func (p *Pool) MaxSize() int {
+	p.cond.L.Lock()
+	n := p.maxSize
+	p.cond.L.Unlock()
+	return n
+}
+
+// SetMaxSize sets the maximum size of the pool. It panics if n < 1.
+func (p *Pool) SetMaxSize(n int) {
+	if n < 1 {
+		panic("pool MaxSize cannot be < 1")
+	}
+	p.cond.L.Lock()
+	p.maxSize = n
+	p.cond.L.Unlock()
+}
+
 // Get gets a resource from the pool. If no resources are available and the pool
 // is not at maximum capacity it will create a new resource. If the pool is at
 // maximum capacity it will block until a resource is available. ctx can be used
@@ -51,51 +82,92 @@ func (p *Pool) Get(ctx context.Context) (interface{}, error) {
 
 	p.cond.L.Lock()
 
+	// If a resource is available now
 	if len(p.availableResources) > 0 {
-		rw := p.availableResources[len(p.availableResources)-1]
-		p.availableResources = p.availableResources[:len(p.availableResources)-1]
-		if rw.status != resourceStatusAvailable {
-			panic("BUG: unavailable resource gotten from availableResources")
-		}
-		rw.status = resourceStatusBorrowed
-		p.cond.L.Unlock()
-		return rw.resource, nil
-	}
-
-	// if can create resource
-
-	var localVal int
-	placeholder := &localVal
-	p.allResources[placeholder] = &resourceWrapper{resource: placeholder, status: resourceStatusCreating}
-	p.cond.L.Unlock()
-
-	resChan := make(chan interface{})
-	errChan := make(chan error)
-
-	go func() {
-		res, err := p.create()
-		if err != nil {
-			errChan <- err
-		}
-		resChan <- res
-	}()
-
-	select {
-	case <-ctx.Done():
-		return nil, ctx.Err()
-	case err := <-errChan:
-		p.cond.L.Lock()
-		delete(p.allResources, placeholder)
-		p.cond.L.Unlock()
-		return nil, err
-	case res := <-resChan:
-		p.cond.L.Lock()
-		delete(p.allResources, placeholder)
-		p.allResources[res] = &resourceWrapper{resource: res, status: resourceStatusBorrowed}
+		res := p.lockedAvailableGet()
 		p.cond.L.Unlock()
 		return res, nil
 	}
 
+	// If there is room to create a resource start the process asynchronously
+	var errChan chan error
+	if len(p.allResources) < p.maxSize {
+		errChan = p.startCreate()
+	}
+	p.cond.L.Unlock()
+
+	// Whether or not we started creating a resource all we can do now is wait.
+	resChan := make(chan interface{})
+	abortChan := make(chan struct{})
+
+	go func() {
+		p.cond.L.Lock()
+		for len(p.availableResources) == 0 {
+			p.cond.Wait()
+		}
+		res := p.lockedAvailableGet()
+		p.cond.L.Unlock()
+
+		select {
+		case <-abortChan:
+			p.Return(res)
+		case resChan <- res:
+		}
+	}()
+
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		close(abortChan)
+		return nil, ctx.Err()
+	case err := <-errChan:
+		close(abortChan)
+		return nil, err
+	case res := <-resChan:
+		return res, nil
+	}
+}
+
+// lockedAvailableGet gets the top resource from p.availableResources. p.cond.L
+// must already be locked. len(p.availableResources) must be > 0.
+func (p *Pool) lockedAvailableGet() interface{} {
+	rw := p.availableResources[len(p.availableResources)-1]
+	p.availableResources = p.availableResources[:len(p.availableResources)-1]
+	if rw.status != resourceStatusAvailable {
+		panic("BUG: unavailable resource gotten from availableResources")
+	}
+	rw.status = resourceStatusBorrowed
+	return rw.resource
+}
+
+// startCreate starts creating a new resource. p.cond.L must already be
+// locked. The returned error channel will receive any error returned by create.
+func (p *Pool) startCreate() chan error {
+	// Use a buffered errChan to receive the error so the goroutine doesn't leak if
+	// the error channel is never read.
+	errChan := make(chan error, 1)
+
+	var localVal int
+	placeholder := &localVal
+	p.allResources[placeholder] = &resourceWrapper{resource: placeholder, status: resourceStatusCreating}
+
+	go func() {
+		res, err := p.create()
+		p.cond.L.Lock()
+		delete(p.allResources, placeholder)
+		if err != nil {
+			p.cond.L.Unlock()
+			errChan <- err
+			return
+		}
+
+		rw := &resourceWrapper{resource: res, status: resourceStatusAvailable}
+		p.allResources[res] = rw
+		p.availableResources = append(p.availableResources, rw)
+		p.cond.L.Unlock()
+		p.cond.Signal()
+	}()
+
+	return errChan
 }
 
 // Return returns res to the the pool. If res is not part of the pool Return
@@ -113,4 +185,5 @@ func (p *Pool) Return(res interface{}) {
 	p.availableResources = append(p.availableResources, rw)
 
 	p.cond.L.Unlock()
+	p.cond.Signal()
 }
diff --git a/pool_test.go b/pool_test.go
index 2365ad8..0aa0cfe 100644
--- a/pool_test.go
+++ b/pool_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package pool_test
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -11,11 +12,32 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
+type Counter struct {
+	mutex sync.Mutex
+	n     int
+}
+
+// Next increments the counter and returns the value
+func (c *Counter) Next() int {
+	c.mutex.Lock()
+	c.n += 1
+	n := c.n
+	c.mutex.Unlock()
+	return n
+}
+
+// Value returns the counter
+func (c *Counter) Value() int {
+	c.mutex.Lock()
+	n := c.n
+	c.mutex.Unlock()
+	return n
+}
+
 func TestPoolGet_CreatesResourceWhenNoneAvailable(t *testing.T) {
-	createCalls := 0
+	var createCalls Counter
 	createFunc := func() (interface{}, error) {
-		createCalls += 1
-		return createCalls, nil
+		return createCalls.Next(), nil
 	}
 	pool := pool.New(createFunc)
 
@@ -26,6 +48,35 @@ func TestPoolGet_CreatesResourceWhenNoneAvailable(t *testing.T) {
 	pool.Return(res)
 }
 
+func TestPoolGet_DoesNotCreatesResourceWhenItWouldExceedMaxSize(t *testing.T) {
+	var createCalls Counter
+	createFunc := func() (interface{}, error) {
+		return createCalls.Next(), nil
+	}
+	pool := pool.New(createFunc)
+	pool.SetMaxSize(1)
+
+	wg := &sync.WaitGroup{}
+
+	for i := 0; i < 100; i++ {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			for j := 0; j < 100; j++ {
+				res, err := pool.Get(context.Background())
+				assert.NoError(t, err)
+				assert.Equal(t, 1, res)
+				pool.Return(res)
+			}
+			wg.Done()
+		}()
+	}
+
+	wg.Wait()
+
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, createCalls.Value())
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, pool.Size())
+}
+
 func TestPoolGet_ReturnsErrorFromFailedResourceCreate(t *testing.T) {
 	errCreateFailed := errors.New("create failed")
 	createFunc := func() (interface{}, error) {
@@ -39,10 +90,9 @@ func TestPoolGet_ReturnsErrorFromFailedResourceCreate(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestPoolGet_ReusesResources(t *testing.T) {
-	createCalls := 0
+	var createCalls Counter
 	createFunc := func() (interface{}, error) {
-		createCalls += 1
-		return createCalls, nil
+		return createCalls.Next(), nil
 	}
 	pool := pool.New(createFunc)
 
@@ -58,7 +108,7 @@ func TestPoolGet_ReusesResources(t *testing.T) {
 
 	pool.Return(res)
 
-	assert.Equal(t, 1, createCalls)
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, createCalls.Value())
 }
 
 func TestPoolGet_ContextAlreadyCanceled(t *testing.T) {
@@ -77,13 +127,11 @@ func TestPoolGet_ContextAlreadyCanceled(t *testing.T) {
 func TestPoolGet_ContextCanceledDuringCreate(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 
-	createCalls := 0
-
+	var createCalls Counter
 	createFunc := func() (interface{}, error) {
 		cancel()
 		time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
-		createCalls += 1
-		return createCalls, nil
+		return createCalls.Next(), nil
 	}
 	pool := pool.New(createFunc)
 
@@ -92,13 +140,68 @@ func TestPoolGet_ContextCanceledDuringCreate(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Nil(t, res)
 }
 
-func TestPoolReturnPanicsIfResourceNotPartOfPool(t *testing.T) {
-	createCalls := 0
+func TestPoolReturn_PanicsIfResourceNotPartOfPool(t *testing.T) {
+	var createCalls Counter
 	createFunc := func() (interface{}, error) {
-		createCalls += 1
-		return createCalls, nil
+		return createCalls.Next(), nil
 	}
 	pool := pool.New(createFunc)
 
 	assert.Panics(t, func() { pool.Return(42) })
 }
+
+func BenchmarkPoolGetAndReturnNoContention(b *testing.B) {
+	var createCalls Counter
+	createFunc := func() (interface{}, error) {
+		return createCalls.Next(), nil
+	}
+	pool := pool.New(createFunc)
+
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		res, err := pool.Get(context.Background())
+		if err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		pool.Return(res)
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkPoolGetAndReturnHeavyContention(b *testing.B) {
+	poolSize := 8
+	contentionClients := 15
+
+	var createCalls Counter
+	createFunc := func() (interface{}, error) {
+		return createCalls.Next(), nil
+	}
+	pool := pool.New(createFunc)
+	pool.SetMaxSize(poolSize)
+
+	doneChan := make(chan struct{})
+	defer close(doneChan)
+	for i := 0; i < contentionClients; i++ {
+		go func() {
+			for {
+				select {
+				case <-doneChan:
+					return
+				default:
+				}
+
+				res, err := pool.Get(context.Background())
+				if err != nil {
+					b.Fatal(err)
+				}
+				pool.Return(res)
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		res, err := pool.Get(context.Background())
+		if err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		pool.Return(res)
+	}
+}