diff --git a/django_q/__init__.py b/django_q/__init__.py
index 5a594273..47c95de2 100644
--- a/django_q/__init__.py
+++ b/django_q/__init__.py
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
 myPath = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
 sys.path.insert(0, myPath)
 
-from .tasks import async, schedule, result, result_group, fetch, fetch_group, count_group, delete_group
+from .tasks import async, schedule, result, result_group, fetch, fetch_group, count_group, delete_group, queue_size
 from .models import Task, Schedule, Success, Failure
 from .cluster import Cluster
 from .monitor import Stat
 
-VERSION = (0, 5, 1)
+VERSION = (0, 5, 2)
 
 default_app_config = 'django_q.apps.DjangoQConfig'
diff --git a/django_q/conf.py b/django_q/conf.py
index 9c57b566..30460d0e 100644
--- a/django_q/conf.py
+++ b/django_q/conf.py
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ class Conf(object):
     # Sets the number of processors for each worker, defaults to all.
     CPU_AFFINITY = conf.get('cpu_affinity', 0)
 
+    # Global sync option to for debugging
+    SYNC = conf.get('sync', False)
+
     # 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/tasks.py b/django_q/tasks.py
index ea03ffa4..b9c73603 100644
--- a/django_q/tasks.py
+++ b/django_q/tasks.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def async(func, *args, **kwargs):
         task['save'] = save
     # sign it
     pack = signing.SignedPackage.dumps(task)
-    if sync:
+    if sync or Conf.SYNC:
         return _sync(pack)
     # push it
     redis.rpush(list_key, pack)
@@ -152,6 +152,19 @@ def delete_group(group_id, tasks=False):
     return Task.delete_group(group_id, tasks)
 
 
+def queue_size(list_key=Conf.Q_LIST, r=redis_client):
+    """
+    Returns the current queue size.
+    Note that this doesn't count any tasks currently being processed by workers.
+
+    :param list_key: optional redis key
+    :param r: optional redis connection
+    :return: current queue size
+    :rtype: int
+    """
+    return r.llen(list_key)
+
+
 def _sync(pack):
     """Simulate a package travelling through the cluster."""
     task_queue = Queue()
diff --git a/django_q/tests/test_cluster.py b/django_q/tests/test_cluster.py
index 684bb863..a5c11547 100644
--- a/django_q/tests/test_cluster.py
+++ b/django_q/tests/test_cluster.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 from django_q.cluster import Cluster, Sentinel, pusher, worker, monitor
 from django_q.humanhash import DEFAULT_WORDLIST
-from django_q.tasks import fetch, fetch_group, async, result, result_group, count_group, delete_group
+from django_q.tasks import fetch, fetch_group, async, result, result_group, count_group, delete_group, queue_size
 from django_q.models import Task, Success
 from django_q.conf import Conf, redis_client
 from django_q.monitor import Stat
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def test_cluster(r):
     list_key = 'cluster_test:q'
     r.delete(list_key)
     task = async('django_q.tests.tasks.count_letters', DEFAULT_WORDLIST, list_key=list_key)
-    assert r.llen(list_key) == 1
+    assert queue_size(list_key=list_key, r=r) == 1
     task_queue = Queue()
     assert task_queue.qsize() == 0
     result_queue = Queue()
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ def test_cluster(r):
     # Test push
     pusher(task_queue, event, list_key=list_key, r=r)
     assert task_queue.qsize() == 1
-    assert r.llen(list_key) == 0
+    assert queue_size(list_key=list_key, r=r) == 0
     # Test work
     task_queue.put('STOP')
     worker(task_queue, result_queue, Value('f', -1))
@@ -142,14 +142,14 @@ def test_async(r, admin_user):
     assert isinstance(k, str)
     # run the cluster to execute the tasks
     task_count = 10
-    assert r.llen(list_key) == task_count
+    assert queue_size(list_key=list_key, r=r) == task_count
     task_queue = Queue()
     stop_event = Event()
     stop_event.set()
     # push the tasks
     for i in range(task_count):
         pusher(task_queue, stop_event, list_key=list_key, r=r)
-    assert r.llen(list_key) == 0
+    assert queue_size(list_key=list_key, r=r) == 0
     assert task_queue.qsize() == task_count
     task_queue.put('STOP')
     # let a worker handle them
diff --git a/django_q/tests/test_scheduler.py b/django_q/tests/test_scheduler.py
index 074ed848..6a0a2f96 100644
--- a/django_q/tests/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/django_q/tests/test_scheduler.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 from django_q.conf import redis_client
 from django_q.cluster import pusher, worker, monitor, scheduler
-from django_q.tasks import Schedule, fetch, schedule as create_schedule
+from django_q.tasks import Schedule, fetch, schedule as create_schedule, queue_size
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def test_scheduler(r):
     # push it
     pusher(task_queue, stop_event, list_key=list_key, r=r)
     assert task_queue.qsize() == 1
-    assert r.llen(list_key) == 0
+    assert queue_size(list_key=list_key,r=r) == 0
     task_queue.put('STOP')
     # let a worker handle them
     result_queue = Queue()
diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index 74a22b82..fd9d4f05 100644
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
 # The short X.Y version.
 version = '0.5'
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags.
-release = '0.5.1'
+release = '0.5.2'
 
 # The language for content autogenerated by Sphinx. Refer to documentation
 # for a list of supported languages.
diff --git a/docs/install.rst b/docs/install.rst
index 5f2ff5ae..e6b61f6e 100644
--- a/docs/install.rst
+++ b/docs/install.rst
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 Installation
 ============
+.. py:currentmodule:: django_q
 
 -  Install the latest version with pip::
 
@@ -91,6 +92,14 @@ Limits the amount of successful tasks saved to Django.
  - Defaults to ``250``
  - Failures are always saved.
 
+.. _sync:
+
+sync
+~~~~
+
+When set to ``True`` this configuration option forces all :func:`async` calls to be run with ``sync=True``.
+Effectively making everything synchronous. Useful for testing. Defaults to ``False``.
+
 .. _queue_limit:
 
 queue_limit
@@ -102,7 +111,7 @@ It can also be used to manage the loss of data in case of a cluster failure.
 Defaults to ``None``, meaning no limit.
 
 label
-~~~~~
+~~~~~Dev
 
 The label used for the Django Admin page. Defaults to ``'Django Q'``
 
diff --git a/docs/tasks.rst b/docs/tasks.rst
index 1125e952..10c5a65d 100644
--- a/docs/tasks.rst
+++ b/docs/tasks.rst
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ Overrides the cluster's timeout setting for this task.
 sync
 """"
 Simulates a task execution synchronously. Useful for testing.
+Can also be forced globally via the :ref:`sync` configuration option.
 
 redis
 """""
@@ -213,6 +214,14 @@ Reference
 
     Renamed from get_task
 
+.. py:function:: queue_size()
+
+    Returns the size of the broker queue.
+    Note that this does not count tasks currently being processed.
+
+    :returns: The amount of task packages in the broker
+    :rtype: int
+
 .. py:function:: result_group(group_id, failures=False)
 
     Returns the results of a task group
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 94fb0206..2f3cdfdc 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def run(self):
 
 setup(
     name='django-q',
-    version='0.5.1',
+    version='0.5.2',
     author='Ilan Steemers',
     author_email='koed00@gmail.com',
     keywords='django task queue worker redis multiprocessing',