diff --git a/tools/AutoTuner/src/autotuner/distributed.py b/tools/AutoTuner/src/autotuner/distributed.py
index 2d87b710ac..c5b07dc74c 100644
--- a/tools/AutoTuner/src/autotuner/distributed.py
+++ b/tools/AutoTuner/src/autotuner/distributed.py
@@ -396,6 +396,13 @@ def parse_arguments():
         default=16,
         help="Max number of threads openroad can use.",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--memory_limit",
+        type=float,
+        metavar="<float>",
+        default=None,
+        help="Maximum memory in GB that each trial job can use, process will be killed and not retried if it exceeds.",
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--server",
         type=str,
diff --git a/tools/AutoTuner/src/autotuner/utils.py b/tools/AutoTuner/src/autotuner/utils.py
index 3b49c32110..fadab40325 100644
--- a/tools/AutoTuner/src/autotuner/utils.py
+++ b/tools/AutoTuner/src/autotuner/utils.py
@@ -324,6 +324,9 @@ def openroad(
     export_command += " && "
 
     make_command = export_command
+    if args.memory_limit is not None:
+        limit = int(args.memory_limit * 1_000_000)
+        make_command += f"ulimit -v {limit}; "
     make_command += f"make -C {base_dir}/flow DESIGN_CONFIG=designs/"
     make_command += f"{args.platform}/{args.design}/config.mk"
     make_command += f" PLATFORM={args.platform}"