diff --git a/src/main/python/python_word_count.py b/src/main/python/python_word_count.py
index 0963c1589aa69..3aa1a2a24543c 100644
--- a/src/main/python/python_word_count.py
+++ b/src/main/python/python_word_count.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import sys
 
 from pyspark.sql import SparkSession
+from pyspark.conf import SparkConf
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
@@ -10,8 +11,15 @@
         print("Usage: python_word_count <input_file> <output_file>", file=sys.stderr)
         sys.exit(-1)
 
+    # These confs override the default configuration for spark applications during runtime.
+    conf = SparkConf()\
+        .set('spark.executor.memory', '4g')\
+        .set('spark.executor.cores', '2')\
+        .set('spark.driver.memory', '8g')
+
     spark = SparkSession\
         .builder\
+        .config(conf=conf)\
         .appName("Python Word Count")\
         .getOrCreate()
 
diff --git a/src/main/scala/com/yahoo/spark/starter/ScalaWordCount.scala b/src/main/scala/com/yahoo/spark/starter/ScalaWordCount.scala
index 45997a360c9df..9d44ef7133e5f 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/com/yahoo/spark/starter/ScalaWordCount.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/com/yahoo/spark/starter/ScalaWordCount.scala
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ object ScalaWordCount {
 
     // Get a logger on the Driver/AppMaster
     val logger = SparkStarterUtil.logger
-   
+
     logger.info("Input : " + inputFilesUri)
     logger.info("Output : " + outputFilesUri)