diff --git a/django_q/cluster.py b/django_q/cluster.py
index bd3db19..aa41397 100644
--- a/django_q/cluster.py
+++ b/django_q/cluster.py
@@ -436,20 +436,23 @@ def scheduler(list_key=Conf.Q_LIST):
             # set up the next run time
             if not s.schedule_type == s.ONCE:
                 next_run = arrow.get(s.next_run)
-                if s.schedule_type == s.MINUTES:
-                    next_run = next_run.replace(minutes=+(s.minutes or 1))
-                elif s.schedule_type == s.HOURLY:
-                    next_run = next_run.replace(hours=+1)
-                elif s.schedule_type == s.DAILY:
-                    next_run = next_run.replace(days=+1)
-                elif s.schedule_type == s.WEEKLY:
-                    next_run = next_run.replace(weeks=+1)
-                elif s.schedule_type == s.MONTHLY:
-                    next_run = next_run.replace(months=+1)
-                elif s.schedule_type == s.QUARTERLY:
-                    next_run = next_run.replace(months=+3)
-                elif s.schedule_type == s.YEARLY:
-                    next_run = next_run.replace(years=+1)
+                while True:
+                    if s.schedule_type == s.MINUTES:
+                        next_run = next_run.replace(minutes=+(s.minutes or 1))
+                    elif s.schedule_type == s.HOURLY:
+                        next_run = next_run.replace(hours=+1)
+                    elif s.schedule_type == s.DAILY:
+                        next_run = next_run.replace(days=+1)
+                    elif s.schedule_type == s.WEEKLY:
+                        next_run = next_run.replace(weeks=+1)
+                    elif s.schedule_type == s.MONTHLY:
+                        next_run = next_run.replace(months=+1)
+                    elif s.schedule_type == s.QUARTERLY:
+                        next_run = next_run.replace(months=+3)
+                    elif s.schedule_type == s.YEARLY:
+                        next_run = next_run.replace(years=+1)
+                    if Conf.CATCH_UP or next_run > arrow.utcnow():
+                        break
                 s.next_run = next_run.datetime
                 s.repeats += -1
             # send it to the cluster
@@ -467,8 +470,7 @@ def scheduler(list_key=Conf.Q_LIST):
             # default behavior is to delete a ONCE schedule
             if s.schedule_type == s.ONCE:
                 if s.repeats < 0:
-                    s.delete()
-                    return
+                    return s.delete()
                 # but not if it has a positive repeats
                 s.repeats = 0
             # save the schedule
diff --git a/django_q/conf.py b/django_q/conf.py
index 30460d0..9a011ab 100644
--- a/django_q/conf.py
+++ b/django_q/conf.py
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@ class Conf(object):
     # Global sync option to for debugging
     SYNC = conf.get('sync', False)
 
+    # If set to False the scheduler won't execute tasks in the past.
+    # Instead it will reschedule the next run in the future. Defaults to True.
+    CATCH_UP = conf.get('catch_up', True)
+
     # Use the secret key for package signing
     # Django itself should raise an error if it's not configured
     SECRET_KEY = settings.SECRET_KEY
diff --git a/django_q/tests/test_scheduler.py b/django_q/tests/test_scheduler.py
index 6a0a2f9..05f5281 100644
--- a/django_q/tests/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/django_q/tests/test_scheduler.py
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
+from datetime import timedelta
 from multiprocessing import Queue, Event, Value
 
 import pytest
 import arrow
+
 from django.utils import timezone
 
-from django_q.conf import redis_client
+from django_q.conf import redis_client, Conf
 from django_q.cluster import pusher, worker, monitor, scheduler
 from django_q.tasks import Schedule, fetch, schedule as create_schedule, queue_size
 
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ def test_scheduler(r):
     # push it
     pusher(task_queue, stop_event, list_key=list_key, r=r)
     assert task_queue.qsize() == 1
-    assert queue_size(list_key=list_key,r=r) == 0
+    assert queue_size(list_key=list_key, r=r) == 0
     task_queue.put('STOP')
     # let a worker handle them
     result_queue = Queue()
@@ -96,7 +98,27 @@ def test_scheduler(r):
                             kwargs='word="django"',
                             schedule_type=Schedule.DAILY
                             )
+    # scheduler
     scheduler(list_key=list_key)
     # ONCE schedule should be deleted
     assert Schedule.objects.filter(pk=once_schedule.pk).exists() is False
+    # Catch up On
+    Conf.CATCH_UP = True
+    now = timezone.now()
+    schedule = create_schedule('django_q.tests.tasks.word_multiply',
+                               2,
+                               word='catch_up',
+                               schedule_type=Schedule.HOURLY,
+                               next_run=timezone.now() - timedelta(hours=12),
+                               repeats=-1
+                               )
+    scheduler(list_key=list_key)
+    schedule = Schedule.objects.get(pk=schedule.pk)
+    assert schedule.next_run < now
+    # Catch up off
+    Conf.CATCH_UP = False
+    scheduler(list_key=list_key)
+    schedule = Schedule.objects.get(pk=schedule.pk)
+    assert schedule.next_run > now
+    # Done
     r.delete(list_key)