diff --git a/pywb/apps/cli.py b/pywb/apps/cli.py
index 632f3380..cc572a1c 100644
--- a/pywb/apps/cli.py
+++ b/pywb/apps/cli.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class BaseCli(object):
         parser = ArgumentParser(desc)
         parser.add_argument('-p', '--port', type=int, default=default_port)
         parser.add_argument('-t', '--threads', type=int, default=4)
+        parser.add_argument('-s', '--server')
 
         self.desc = desc
 
@@ -48,14 +49,19 @@ class BaseCli(object):
         pass
 
     def run(self):
-        try:
-            from waitress import serve
-            print(self.desc)
-            serve(self.application, port=self.r.port, threads=self.r.threads)
-        except ImportError:  # pragma: no cover
-            # Shouldn't ever happen as installing waitress, but just in case..
-            from pywb.framework.wsgi_wrappers import start_wsgi_ref_server
-            start_wsgi_ref_server(self.application, self.desc, port=self.r.port)
+        if self.r.server == 'waitress':
+            self.run_waitress()
+        else:
+            self.run_wsgiref()
+
+    def run_waitress(self):
+        from waitress import serve
+        print(self.desc)
+        serve(self.application, port=self.r.port, threads=self.r.threads)
+
+    def run_wsgiref(self):  #pragma: no cover
+        from pywb.framework.wsgi_wrappers import start_wsgi_ref_server
+        start_wsgi_ref_server(self.application, self.desc, port=self.r.port)
 
 
 #=============================================================================
diff --git a/pywb/framework/wsgi_wrappers.py b/pywb/framework/wsgi_wrappers.py
index bb2da921..87237399 100644
--- a/pywb/framework/wsgi_wrappers.py
+++ b/pywb/framework/wsgi_wrappers.py
@@ -161,7 +161,8 @@ def init_app(init_func, load_yaml=True, config_file=None, config=None):
 
 #=================================================================
 def start_wsgi_ref_server(the_app, name, port):  # pragma: no cover
-    from wsgiref.simple_server import make_server
+    from wsgiref.simple_server import make_server, WSGIServer
+    from SocketServer import ThreadingMixIn
 
     # disable is_hop_by_hop restrictions
     import wsgiref.handlers
@@ -172,8 +173,11 @@ def start_wsgi_ref_server(the_app, name, port):  # pragma: no cover
 
     logging.info('Starting %s on port %s', name, port)
 
+    class ThreadingWSGIServer(ThreadingMixIn, WSGIServer):
+        pass
+
     try:
-        httpd = make_server('', port, the_app)
+        httpd = make_server('', port, the_app, ThreadingWSGIServer)
         httpd.serve_forever()
     except KeyboardInterrupt as ex:
         pass