diff --git a/jobs/file_server/spec b/jobs/file_server/spec
index 7d50581a3a..3d1c1bf997 100644
--- a/jobs/file_server/spec
+++ b/jobs/file_server/spec
@@ -80,6 +80,10 @@ properties:
   loggregator.key:
     description: "Private key for the SSH-proxy metron client certificate."
 
+  set_ulimit_fds:
+    description: "Set an ulimit on the number of open file descriptors. NOTE: set this property to 'false' when deploying to a containerized cloud"
+    default: true
+
   set_kernel_parameters:
     description: "Enable tuning /proc/sys kernel parameters. NOTE: set this property to 'false' when deploying to BOSH-Lite or other containerized BOSH clouds."
     default: true
diff --git a/jobs/file_server/templates/file_server_ctl.erb b/jobs/file_server/templates/file_server_ctl.erb
index 13dc388577..e47d6eb7bd 100644
--- a/jobs/file_server/templates/file_server_ctl.erb
+++ b/jobs/file_server/templates/file_server_ctl.erb
@@ -20,8 +20,10 @@ case $1 in
 
     $bin_dir/set-file-server-kernel-params
 
+<% if p("set_ulimit_fds") %>
     # Allowed number of open file descriptors
     ulimit -n 100000
+<% end %>
 
     exec chpst -u vcap:vcap bash -c '/var/vcap/jobs/file_server/bin/file_server_as_vcap'
 
diff --git a/jobs/rep/spec b/jobs/rep/spec
index dedacbed3d..47d72ad4fb 100644
--- a/jobs/rep/spec
+++ b/jobs/rep/spec
@@ -325,6 +325,10 @@ properties:
     description: "Enable tuning /proc/sys kernel parameters. NOTE: set this property to 'false' when deploying to BOSH-Lite or other containerized BOSH clouds."
     default: true
 
+  set_ulimit_fds:
+    description: "Set an ulimit on the number of open file descriptors. NOTE: set this property to 'false' when deploying to a containerized cloud"
+    default: true
+
   containers.proxy.configuration_reload_duration:
     description: "Duration of time in seconds that the rep grants the container Envoy proxy to reload its listener configuration when shutting down a container gracefully so that TLS-verifying clients will stop making connections. After this time duration, the rep will shut down other processes in the container."
     default: 5s
diff --git a/jobs/rep/templates/rep_ctl.erb b/jobs/rep/templates/rep_ctl.erb
index 50e2ab7d72..77545d9728 100644
--- a/jobs/rep/templates/rep_ctl.erb
+++ b/jobs/rep/templates/rep_ctl.erb
@@ -39,8 +39,10 @@ case $1 in
     $bin_dir/set-rep-kernel-params
     $bin_dir/setup_mounted_data_dirs
 
+<% if p("set_ulimit_fds") %>
     # Allowed number of open file descriptors
     ulimit -n 100000
+<% end %>
 
     exec chpst -u vcap:vcap /var/vcap/jobs/rep/bin/rep_as_vcap