diff --git a/src/mem/ruby/network/MessageBuffer.hh b/src/mem/ruby/network/MessageBuffer.hh
--- a/src/mem/ruby/network/MessageBuffer.hh
+++ b/src/mem/ruby/network/MessageBuffer.hh
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 1999-2008 Mark D. Hill and David A. Wood
+ * Copyright (c) 2013 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
  * All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@
         m_ordering_set = true;
     }
 
-    void resize(unsigned int size) { m_max_size = size; }
+    void resize(unsigned int size);
     unsigned int getSize();
     void setRandomization(bool random_flag) { m_randomization = random_flag; }
 
# Node ID 15f1c291f866c42b7e86d88d016f76f93893cc66
# Parent  f62f8ef219c9716c543987056cee9294732f6ec9
diff --git a/src/mem/ruby/network/MessageBuffer.cc b/src/mem/ruby/network/MessageBuffer.cc
--- a/src/mem/ruby/network/MessageBuffer.cc
+++ b/src/mem/ruby/network/MessageBuffer.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 1999-2008 Mark D. Hill and David A. Wood
+ * Copyright (c) 2013 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
  * All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -64,6 +65,24 @@
     m_vnet_id = 0;
 }
 
+void
+MessageBuffer::resize(unsigned int size)
+{
+    if (g_system_ptr->useInfiniteBuffers()) {
+        if (size != 0) {
+            warn("%s: Finite buffer size ignored "
+                 "-- m_infinite_buffers in RubySystem is true", m_name);
+        }
+        assert(m_max_size == 0);
+    } else {
+        if (size == 0) {
+            warn("%s: Setting an infinite buffer while m_infinite_buffers "
+                 "in RubySystem is false", m_name);
+        }
+        m_max_size = size;
+    }
+}
+
 unsigned int
 MessageBuffer::getSize()
 {
diff --git a/src/mem/ruby/system/RubySystem.py b/src/mem/ruby/system/RubySystem.py
--- a/src/mem/ruby/system/RubySystem.py
+++ b/src/mem/ruby/system/RubySystem.py
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@
         "default cache block size; must be a power of two");
     memory_size_bits = Param.UInt32(64,
         "number of bits that a memory address requires");
+    infinite_buffers = Param.Bool(True,
+        "Use infinite buffers (ignore attempts to change buffer size)");
 
     # Profiler related configuration variables
     hot_lines = Param.Bool(False, "")
diff --git a/src/mem/ruby/system/System.hh b/src/mem/ruby/system/System.hh
--- a/src/mem/ruby/system/System.hh
+++ b/src/mem/ruby/system/System.hh
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 1999-2012 Mark D. Hill and David A. Wood
+ * Copyright (c) 2013 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
  * All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@
     static uint32_t getBlockSizeBytes() { return m_block_size_bytes; }
     static uint32_t getBlockSizeBits() { return m_block_size_bits; }
     static uint32_t getMemorySizeBits() { return m_memory_size_bits; }
+    static int useInfiniteBuffers() { return m_infinite_buffers; }
 
     SimpleMemory *getPhysMem() { return m_phys_mem; }
     const bool getAccessBackingStore() { return m_access_backing_store; }
@@ -125,6 +127,7 @@
     static uint32_t m_block_size_bytes;
     static uint32_t m_block_size_bits;
     static uint32_t m_memory_size_bits;
+    static bool m_infinite_buffers;
     SimpleMemory *m_phys_mem;
     const bool m_access_backing_store;
 
diff --git a/src/mem/ruby/system/System.cc b/src/mem/ruby/system/System.cc
--- a/src/mem/ruby/system/System.cc
+++ b/src/mem/ruby/system/System.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 1999-2011 Mark D. Hill and David A. Wood
+ * Copyright (c) 2013 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
  * All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@
 uint32_t RubySystem::m_block_size_bytes;
 uint32_t RubySystem::m_block_size_bits;
 uint32_t RubySystem::m_memory_size_bits;
+bool RubySystem::m_infinite_buffers;
 
 RubySystem::RubySystem(const Params *p)
     : ClockedObject(p), m_access_backing_store(p->access_backing_store)
@@ -78,6 +80,7 @@
     Stats::registerDumpCallback(new RubyStatsCallback(this));
     // Create the profiler
     m_profiler = new Profiler(p);
+    m_infinite_buffers = p->infinite_buffers;
     m_phys_mem = p->phys_mem;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/mem/slicc/symbols/StateMachine.py b/src/mem/slicc/symbols/StateMachine.py
--- a/src/mem/slicc/symbols/StateMachine.py
+++ b/src/mem/slicc/symbols/StateMachine.py
@@ -623,7 +623,28 @@
                     code('$vid->setPriority(${{var["rank"]}})')
 
                 # Set buffer size
-                code('$vid->resize(m_buffer_size);')
+                if "buffer_size" in var:
+                    size = var["buffer_size"]
+                    c = ''
+                    if isinstance(size, str):
+                        try:
+                            # see if this is an integer
+                            size = int(size)
+                            c = "%s" % size
+                        except ValueError:
+                            # if not, it should be a member
+                            c = "m_%s" % size
+                    elif isinstance(size, int):
+                        c = "%s" % size
+                    else:
+                        assert(isinstance(size, AST))
+                        func_code = code_formatter()
+                        ret_type = size.generate(func_code)
+                        assert(ret_type.isPrimitive)
+                        c = str(func_code)
+                    code('$vid->resize(${{c}});')
+                else:
+                    code('$vid->resize(m_buffer_size);')
 
                 if "recycle_latency" in var:
                     code('$vid->setRecycleLatency( ' \