diff --git a/docker_overlay/opt/neon/neon.yaml b/docker_overlay/opt/neon/neon.yaml
index cac3cf0..b0700b7 100644
--- a/docker_overlay/opt/neon/neon.yaml
+++ b/docker_overlay/opt/neon/neon.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 MQ:
+  async_consumers: True
   server: neon-rabbitmq
   port: 5672
   users:
diff --git a/neon_iris/client.py b/neon_iris/client.py
index dc956f0..85cef6f 100644
--- a/neon_iris/client.py
+++ b/neon_iris/client.py
@@ -382,6 +382,8 @@ def _send_serialized_message(self, serialized: dict):
 
     def _init_mq_connection(self):
         mq_config = self._config.get("MQ") or self._config
+        NeonMQHandler.async_consumers_enabled = mq_config.get("async_consumers",
+                                                              True)
         mq_connection = NeonMQHandler(mq_config, "mq_handler", self._vhost)
         mq_connection.register_consumer("neon_response_handler", self._vhost,
                                         self.uid, self.handle_neon_response,