diff --git a/lib/docker_client.rb b/lib/docker_client.rb
index 95b89e50..72960723 100644
--- a/lib/docker_client.rb
+++ b/lib/docker_client.rb
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ class DockerClient
     local_workspace_path = generate_local_workspace_path
     FileUtils.mkdir(local_workspace_path)
     container.start(container_start_options(execution_environment, local_workspace_path))
+    container.start_time = Time.now
     container
   rescue Docker::Error::NotFoundError => error
     destroy_container(container)
@@ -187,7 +188,17 @@ class DockerClient
       {status: :ok, stderr: stderr.join, stdout: stdout.join}
     end
   rescue Timeout::Error
-    container.restart if RECYCLE_CONTAINERS
+    #container.restart if RECYCLE_CONTAINERS
+    DockerContainerPool.remove_from_all_containers(container, @execution_environment)
+
+    # destroy container
+    destroy_container(container)
+
+    if(RECYCLE_CONTAINERS)
+      # create new container and add it to @all_containers. will be added to @containers on return_container
+      container = create_container(@execution_environment)
+      DockerContainerPool.add_to_all_containers(container, @execution_environment)
+    end
     {status: :timeout}
   ensure
     RECYCLE_CONTAINERS ? return_container(container) : self.class.destroy_container(container)
diff --git a/lib/docker_container_mixin.rb b/lib/docker_container_mixin.rb
index a8d3c8a4..fde9fe5b 100644
--- a/lib/docker_container_mixin.rb
+++ b/lib/docker_container_mixin.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 module DockerContainerMixin
+
+  attr_accessor :start_time
+  attr_accessor :status
+
   def binds
     json['HostConfig']['Binds']
   end
diff --git a/lib/docker_container_pool.rb b/lib/docker_container_pool.rb
index 8823d989..fc3aee99 100644
--- a/lib/docker_container_pool.rb
+++ b/lib/docker_container_pool.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ require 'concurrent/timer_task'
 require 'concurrent/utilities'
 
 class DockerContainerPool
+  TIME_TILL_RESTART = 900
+
   @containers = ThreadSafe::Hash[ExecutionEnvironment.all.map { |execution_environment| [execution_environment.id, ThreadSafe::Array.new] }]
   #as containers are not containing containers in use
   @all_containers = ThreadSafe::Hash[ExecutionEnvironment.all.map { |execution_environment| [execution_environment.id, ThreadSafe::Array.new] }]
@@ -17,17 +19,51 @@ class DockerContainerPool
     @config ||= CodeOcean::Config.new(:docker).read(erb: true)[:pool]
   end
 
+  def self.remove_from_all_containers(container, execution_environment)
+    @all_containers[execution_environment.id]-=[container]
+    if(@containers[execution_environment.id].include?(container))
+      @containers[execution_environment.id]-=[container]
+    end
+  end
+
+  def self.add_to_all_containers(container, execution_environment)
+    @all_containers[execution_environment.id]+=[container]
+    if(!@containers[execution_environment.id].include?(container))
+      @containers[execution_environment.id]+=[container]
+    end
+  end
+
   def self.create_container(execution_environment)
-     DockerClient.create_container(execution_environment)
+     container = DockerClient.create_container(execution_environment)
+     container.status = 'available'
+     container
   end
 
   def self.return_container(container, execution_environment)
+    container.status = 'available'
     @containers[execution_environment.id].push(container)
   end
 
   def self.get_container(execution_environment)
     if config[:active]
-      @containers[execution_environment.id].try(:shift) || nil
+      container = @containers[execution_environment.id].try(:shift) || nil
+
+      if(!container.nil?)
+        if ((Time.now - container.start_time).to_i.abs > TIME_TILL_RESTART)
+          # remove container from @all_containers
+          remove_from_all_containers(container, execution_environment)
+
+          # destroy container
+          DockerClient.destroy_container(container)
+
+          # create new container and add it to @all_containers. will be added to @containers on return_container
+          container = create_container(execution_environment)
+          add_to_all_containers(container, execution_environment)
+        end
+        #container.status = 'used'
+      end
+      container
+
     else
       create_container(execution_environment)
     end
diff --git a/spec/lib/docker_container_pool_spec.rb b/spec/lib/docker_container_pool_spec.rb
index f820a49b..464c3221 100644
--- a/spec/lib/docker_container_pool_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/docker_container_pool_spec.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 describe DockerContainerPool do
-  let(:container) { double }
+  let(:container) { double(:start_time => Time.now, :status => 'available') }
 
   def reload_class
     load('docker_container_pool.rb')