diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 982ddb27..0d340561 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"golang.org/x/sync/semaphore"
+
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/tsuna/gohbase/compression"
 	"github.com/tsuna/gohbase/hrpc"
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@ const (
 	defaultZkRoot        = "/hbase"
 	defaultZkTimeout     = 30 * time.Second
 	defaultEffectiveUser = "root"
+	defaultMetaLimit     = 50
 )
 
 // Client a regular HBase client
@@ -90,6 +93,12 @@ type client struct {
 	// regionReadTimeout is the maximum amount of time to wait for regionserver reply
 	regionReadTimeout time.Duration
 
+	// The max number of the goroutines that look up meta table simultaneously.
+	metaLimit int64
+
+	// The corresponding semaphore of metaLimit
+	sema *semaphore.Weighted
+
 	done      chan struct{}
 	closeOnce sync.Once
 
@@ -126,6 +135,7 @@ func newClient(zkquorum string, options ...Option) *client {
 		zkRoot:              defaultZkRoot,
 		zkTimeout:           defaultZkTimeout,
 		effectiveUser:       defaultEffectiveUser,
+		metaLimit:           defaultMetaLimit,
 		regionLookupTimeout: region.DefaultLookupTimeout,
 		regionReadTimeout:   region.DefaultReadTimeout,
 		done:                make(chan struct{}),
@@ -139,6 +149,13 @@ func newClient(zkquorum string, options ...Option) *client {
 	//since the zkTimeout could be changed as an option
 	c.zkClient = zk.NewClient(zkquorum, c.zkTimeout)
 
+	if c.metaLimit > 0 {
+		c.sema = semaphore.NewWeighted(c.metaLimit)
+	} else {
+		c.sema = semaphore.NewWeighted(defaultMetaLimit)
+		c.metaLimit = defaultMetaLimit
+	}
+
 	return c
 }
 
diff --git a/rpc.go b/rpc.go
index 370e6187..ec33aedc 100644
--- a/rpc.go
+++ b/rpc.go
@@ -342,8 +342,10 @@ func (c *client) metaLookup(ctx context.Context,
 		return nil, "", err
 	}
 
+	c.sema.Acquire(context.Background(), 1)
 	scanner := c.Scan(rpc)
 	resp, err := scanner.Next()
+	c.sema.Release(1)
 	if err == io.EOF {
 		return nil, "", TableNotFound
 	}