diff --git a/.ruby-version b/.ruby-version
index 8e17352..d538d61 100644
--- a/.ruby-version
+++ b/.ruby-version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-ruby-1.9.3-p448
+ruby-2.2.0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index efd10ac..457cdc9 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
 language: ruby
 rvm:
-  - 1.9.3
-  - rbx-19mode
-  - jruby-19mode
-matrix:
-  allow_failures:
-    - rvm: jruby-19mode
+  - 2.2.0
diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 86d3189..03d6807 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ group :development, :test do
   gem 'guard-rspec'
   gem 'faker'
   gem 'timecop'
-  gem "debugger", platform: :mri
+  gem 'pry'
+  gem 'test-unit'
 
-  if RUBY_PLATFORM =~ /darwin/
+  group :darwin do
     # OS X integration
     gem "ruby_gntp"
     gem "rb-fsevent"
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index a1e58ed..2a1cefd 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ PATH
   remote: .
   specs:
     batch_api (0.2.1)
+      celluloid
       middleware
 
 GEM
@@ -36,14 +37,9 @@ GEM
       multi_json (~> 1.0)
     arel (3.0.2)
     builder (3.0.4)
+    celluloid (0.16.0)
+      timers (~> 4.0.0)
     coderay (1.0.8)
-    columnize (0.3.6)
-    debugger (1.6.1)
-      columnize (>= 0.3.1)
-      debugger-linecache (~> 1.2.0)
-      debugger-ruby_core_source (~> 1.2.3)
-    debugger-linecache (1.2.0)
-    debugger-ruby_core_source (1.2.3)
     diff-lcs (1.1.3)
     erubis (2.7.0)
     faker (1.1.2)
@@ -57,9 +53,10 @@ GEM
       guard (>= 1.1)
       rspec (~> 2.11)
     hike (1.2.1)
+    hitimes (1.2.2)
     i18n (0.6.1)
     journey (1.0.4)
-    json (1.7.5)
+    json (1.8.2)
     listen (0.5.3)
     lumberjack (1.0.2)
     mail (2.4.4)
@@ -71,6 +68,7 @@ GEM
     mime-types (1.19)
     multi_json (1.3.6)
     polyglot (0.3.3)
+    power_assert (0.2.2)
     pry (0.9.10)
       coderay (~> 1.0.5)
       method_source (~> 0.8)
@@ -128,10 +126,14 @@ GEM
       hike (~> 1.2)
       rack (~> 1.0)
       tilt (~> 1.1, != 1.3.0)
-    sqlite3 (1.3.6)
+    sqlite3 (1.3.10)
+    test-unit (3.0.9)
+      power_assert
     thor (0.16.0)
     tilt (1.3.3)
     timecop (0.5.3)
+    timers (4.0.1)
+      hitimes
     treetop (1.4.11)
       polyglot
       polyglot (>= 0.3.1)
@@ -142,10 +144,10 @@ PLATFORMS
 
 DEPENDENCIES
   batch_api!
-  debugger
   faker
   guard
   guard-rspec
+  pry
   rack-contrib
   rails (~> 3.2)
   rb-fsevent
@@ -154,4 +156,5 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   ruby_gntp
   sinatra
   sqlite3
+  test-unit
   timecop
diff --git a/batch_api.gemspec b/batch_api.gemspec
index f374eb7..f97a32e 100644
--- a/batch_api.gemspec
+++ b/batch_api.gemspec
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.test_files = Dir["spec/**/*"]
 
   s.add_runtime_dependency("middleware")
-
+  s.add_runtime_dependency("celluloid")
+  
   s.add_development_dependency("rails", "~> 3.2")
   s.add_development_dependency("sinatra")
   s.add_development_dependency("rspec")
diff --git a/lib/batch_api/configuration.rb b/lib/batch_api/configuration.rb
index fee2a1f..d15a0d4 100644
--- a/lib/batch_api/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/batch_api/configuration.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ module BatchApi
     verb: :post,
     endpoint: "/batch",
     limit: 50,
+    parallel_size: 10,
     batch_middleware: InternalMiddleware::DEFAULT_BATCH_MIDDLEWARE,
     operation_middleware: InternalMiddleware::DEFAULT_OPERATION_MIDDLEWARE
   }
diff --git a/lib/batch_api/internal_middleware.rb b/lib/batch_api/internal_middleware.rb
index d33d2cd..075f26f 100644
--- a/lib/batch_api/internal_middleware.rb
+++ b/lib/batch_api/internal_middleware.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 require 'middleware'
 require 'batch_api/processor/sequential'
+require 'batch_api/processor/parallel'
 require 'batch_api/processor/executor'
 require 'batch_api/internal_middleware/decode_json_body'
 require 'batch_api/internal_middleware/response_filter'
@@ -68,7 +69,6 @@ def self.batch_stack(processor)
       Middleware::Builder.new do
         # evaluate these in the context of the middleware stack
         self.instance_eval &BatchApi.config.batch_middleware
-        # for now, everything's sequential, but that will change
         use processor.strategy
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/batch_api/internal_middleware/decode_json_body.rb b/lib/batch_api/internal_middleware/decode_json_body.rb
index 0d49aa9..8b59d7d 100644
--- a/lib/batch_api/internal_middleware/decode_json_body.rb
+++ b/lib/batch_api/internal_middleware/decode_json_body.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ def initialize(app)
 
       def call(env)
         @app.call(env).tap do |result|
-          result.body = MultiJson.load(result.body) if should_decode?(result)
+          result.body = MultiJson.load(result.body) if (should_decode?(result) && !result.body.blank?)
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/batch_api/parallel_actor.rb b/lib/batch_api/parallel_actor.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b361b87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/batch_api/parallel_actor.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+require 'celluloid'
+
+module BatchApi
+  class ParallelActor
+    include ::Celluloid
+    
+    def run(env)
+      middleware = InternalMiddleware.operation_stack
+
+      if defined?(ActiveRecord)
+        ActiveRecord::Base.connection_pool.with_connection do
+          middleware.call(env).tap {|r| env.delete(:op) }
+        end
+      else
+        middleware.call(env).tap {|r| env.delete(:op) }
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+  
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/batch_api/processor.rb b/lib/batch_api/processor.rb
index 40738fd..f37b112 100644
--- a/lib/batch_api/processor.rb
+++ b/lib/batch_api/processor.rb
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def initialize(request, app)
     # provided in BatchApi setup and the request.
     # Currently only Sequential is supported.
     def strategy
-      BatchApi::Processor::Sequential
+      @request.params["sequential"] ? BatchApi::Processor::Sequential : BatchApi::Processor::Parallel
     end
 
     # Public: run the batch operations according to the appropriate strategy.
@@ -95,18 +95,11 @@ def self.operation_klass
     end
 
     # Internal: Processes any other provided options for validity.
-    # Currently, the :sequential option is REQUIRED (until parallel
-    # implementation is created).
     #
     # options - an options hash
     #
-    # Raises Errors::BadOptionError if sequential is not provided.
-    #
     # Returns the valid options hash.
     def process_options
-      unless @request.params["sequential"]
-        raise Errors::BadOptionError, "Sequential flag is currently required"
-      end
       @request.params
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/batch_api/processor/parallel.rb b/lib/batch_api/processor/parallel.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e12000f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/batch_api/processor/parallel.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+require 'batch_api/parallel_actor'
+module BatchApi
+  class Processor
+    class Parallel
+      
+      # Public: initialize with the app.
+      def initialize(app)
+        @app = app
+      end
+
+      # Public: execute all operations sequentially.
+      #
+      # ops - a set of BatchApi::Operations
+      # options - a set of options
+      #
+      # Returns an array of BatchApi::Response objects.
+      def call(env)
+        futures = env[:ops].map do |op|
+          _env = BatchApi::Utils.deep_dup(env)
+          _env[:op] = op
+          self.class.get_actor_pool.future.run(_env)
+        end
+        futures.map do |future|
+          future.value
+        end
+      end
+      
+      def self.get_actor_pool
+        Celluloid::Actor[:batch_parallel_pool] ||= BatchApi::ParallelActor.pool(size: BatchApi.config.parallel_size)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
+
diff --git a/spec/integration/rails_spec.rb b/spec/integration/rails_spec.rb
index 29dda87..db90fb7 100644
--- a/spec/integration/rails_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/integration/rails_spec.rb
@@ -6,5 +6,6 @@
     BatchApi.stub(:rails?).and_return(true)
   end
 
-  it_should_behave_like "integrating with a server"
+  it_should_behave_like "integrating with a server", true
+  it_should_behave_like "integrating with a server", false
 end
diff --git a/spec/integration/shared_examples.rb b/spec/integration/shared_examples.rb
index 7ba6b20..b8c4c7a 100644
--- a/spec/integration/shared_examples.rb
+++ b/spec/integration/shared_examples.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
   end
 end
 
-shared_examples_for "integrating with a server" do
+shared_examples_for "integrating with a server" do |sequential|
   def headerize(hash)
     Hash[hash.map do |k, v|
       ["HTTP_#{k.to_s.upcase}", v.to_s]
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ def headerize(hash)
         failed_silent_request,
         get_by_default_request
       ],
-      sequential: true
+      sequential: sequential
     }.to_json, "CONTENT_TYPE" => "application/json"
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/integration/sinatra_integration_spec.rb b/spec/integration/sinatra_integration_spec.rb
index 3b30254..d391777 100644
--- a/spec/integration/sinatra_integration_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/integration/sinatra_integration_spec.rb
@@ -10,5 +10,6 @@ def app
     SinatraApp
   end
 
-  it_should_behave_like "integrating with a server"
+  it_should_behave_like "integrating with a server", true
+  it_should_behave_like "integrating with a server", false
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/internal_middleware/decode_json_body_spec.rb b/spec/lib/internal_middleware/decode_json_body_spec.rb
index c724338..1374850 100644
--- a/spec/lib/internal_middleware/decode_json_body_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/internal_middleware/decode_json_body_spec.rb
@@ -33,5 +33,12 @@
         decoder.call(env).body.should == MultiJson.dump(json)
       end
     end
+
+    context "for blank responses" do
+      it "doesn't try to parse" do
+        result.body = ''
+        decoder.call(env).body.should == ''
+      end
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/processor/parallel_spec.rb b/spec/lib/processor/parallel_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d66f2f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/processor/parallel_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe BatchApi::Processor::Parallel do
+
+  let(:app) { stub("app", call: stub) }
+  let(:parallel) { BatchApi::Processor::Parallel.new(app) }
+
+  describe "#call" do
+    let(:call_results) { 3.times.collect {|i| stub("called #{i}") } }
+    let(:env) { {
+        ops: 3.times.collect {|i| stub("op #{i}") }
+    } }
+    let(:op_middleware) { stub("middleware", call: {}) }
+
+    before :each do
+      BatchApi::InternalMiddleware.
+          stub(:operation_stack).and_return(op_middleware)
+      op_middleware.stub(:call).and_return(*call_results)
+    end
+
+    it "creates an operation middleware stack and calls it for each op" do
+      env[:ops].each {|op|
+        op_middleware.should_receive(:call).
+            with(hash_including(op: op))
+      }
+      parallel.call(env)
+    end
+
+    it "includes the rest of the env in the calls" do
+      op_middleware.should_receive(:call).
+          with(hash_including(env)).exactly(3).times
+      parallel.call(env)
+    end
+
+    it "returns the results of the calls" do
+      parallel.call(env).should =~ call_results
+    end
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/lib/processor_spec.rb b/spec/lib/processor_spec.rb
index 9830daa..7b506b8 100644
--- a/spec/lib/processor_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/processor_spec.rb
@@ -59,12 +59,6 @@
     end
 
     context "error conditions" do
-      it "(currently) throws an error if sequential is not true" do
-        request.params.delete("sequential")
-        expect {
-          BatchApi::Processor.new(request, app)
-        }.to raise_exception(BatchApi::Errors::BadOptionError)
-      end
 
       it "raise a OperationLimitExceeded error if too many ops provided" do
         ops = (BatchApi.config.limit + 1).to_i.times.collect {|i| i}
@@ -91,6 +85,13 @@
     it "returns BatchApi::Processor::Sequential" do
       processor.strategy.should == BatchApi::Processor::Sequential
     end
+    it "returns BatchApi::Processor::Parallel" do
+      request = Rack::Request.new(env).tap do |r|
+        r.stub(:params).and_return({}.merge("ops" => ops).merge("sequential" => false))
+      end
+      processor = BatchApi::Processor.new(request, app)
+      processor.strategy.should == BatchApi::Processor::Parallel
+    end
   end
 
   describe "#execute!" do
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 7fbf890..9dc714a 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 RSpec.configure do |config|
   config.before :each do
     BatchApi.config.limit = 20
+    BatchApi.config.parallel_size = 11
     BatchApi.config.endpoint = "/batch"
     BatchApi.config.verb = :post