diff --git a/agent/consul/config.go b/agent/consul/config.go
index c37dd8d67d..d0b26d93b6 100644
--- a/agent/consul/config.go
+++ b/agent/consul/config.go
@@ -376,6 +376,21 @@ func (c *Config) CheckACL() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// SerfDefaultConfig returns a Consul-flavored Serf default configuration,
+// suitable as a basis for a LAN, WAN, segment, or area.
+func SerfDefaultConfig() *serf.Config {
+	base := serf.DefaultConfig()
+
+	// This effectively disables the annoying queue depth warnings.
+	base.QueueDepthWarning = 1000000
+
+	// This enables dynamic sizing of the message queue depth based on the
+	// cluster size.
+	base.MinQueueDepth = 4096
+
+	return base
+}
+
 // DefaultConfig returns a sane default configuration.
 func DefaultConfig() *Config {
 	hostname, err := os.Hostname()
@@ -389,8 +404,8 @@ func DefaultConfig() *Config {
 		NodeName:                 hostname,
 		RPCAddr:                  DefaultRPCAddr,
 		RaftConfig:               raft.DefaultConfig(),
-		SerfLANConfig:            serf.DefaultConfig(),
-		SerfWANConfig:            serf.DefaultConfig(),
+		SerfLANConfig:            SerfDefaultConfig(),
+		SerfWANConfig:            SerfDefaultConfig(),
 		SerfFloodInterval:        60 * time.Second,
 		ReconcileInterval:        60 * time.Second,
 		ProtocolVersion:          ProtocolVersion2Compatible,