diff --git a/assignment/impl/src/java/org/sakaiproject/assignment/impl/AssignmentServiceImpl.java b/assignment/impl/src/java/org/sakaiproject/assignment/impl/AssignmentServiceImpl.java
index 95da8fedda14..cf6f8a29743e 100644
--- a/assignment/impl/src/java/org/sakaiproject/assignment/impl/AssignmentServiceImpl.java
+++ b/assignment/impl/src/java/org/sakaiproject/assignment/impl/AssignmentServiceImpl.java
@@ -2937,6 +2937,7 @@ private void zipSubmissions(String assignmentReference, String assignmentTitle,
 
         try {
             out = new ZipOutputStream(outputStream);
+            out.setLevel(serverConfigurationService.getInt("zip.compression.level", 1));
 
             // create the folder structure - named after the assignment's title
             final String root = escapeInvalidCharsEntry(Validator.escapeZipEntry(assignmentTitle)) + Entity.SEPARATOR;
@@ -3233,6 +3234,7 @@ protected void zipGroupSubmissions(String assignmentReference, String assignment
         ZipOutputStream out = null;
         try {
             out = new ZipOutputStream(outputStream);
+            out.setLevel(serverConfigurationService.getInt("zip.compression.level", 1));
 
             // create the folder structure - named after the assignment's title
             final String root = escapeInvalidCharsEntry(Validator.escapeZipEntry(assignmentTitle)) + Entity.SEPARATOR;
diff --git a/config/configuration/bundles/src/bundle/org/sakaiproject/config/bundle/default.sakai.properties b/config/configuration/bundles/src/bundle/org/sakaiproject/config/bundle/default.sakai.properties
index 47c2df9311a7..ab3632b60145 100644
--- a/config/configuration/bundles/src/bundle/org/sakaiproject/config/bundle/default.sakai.properties
+++ b/config/configuration/bundles/src/bundle/org/sakaiproject/config/bundle/default.sakai.properties
@@ -564,6 +564,12 @@
 # content.zip.expand.charsets.count=1
 # content.zip.expand.charsets.1=GBK
 
+# SAK-43573
+# What compression level to use when creating ZIPs for instructor download
+# Used in Samigo, Lessons, Assignments, Resources
+# 0=no compression (fastest), 1=fastest compression (default), 6=best value, 9=highest compression (most cpu)
+# zip.compression.level=6
+
 # Enable creation of Web Content tools from resources, on by default.
 # DEFAULT: true
 # content.make.site.page=true
diff --git a/kernel/kernel-util/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/content/util/ZipContentUtil.java b/kernel/kernel-util/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/content/util/ZipContentUtil.java
index edaa167a5af7..5f9205398484 100644
--- a/kernel/kernel-util/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/content/util/ZipContentUtil.java
+++ b/kernel/kernel-util/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/content/util/ZipContentUtil.java
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ public void compressFolder(Reference reference) {
 				temp = File.createTempFile("sakai_content-", ".tmp");
 				ContentCollection collection = ContentHostingService.getCollection(reference.getId());
 				out = new ZipOutputStream(new BufferedOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(temp),BUFFER_SIZE),java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+				out.setLevel(ServerConfigurationService.getInt("zip.compression.level", 1));
 				storeContentCollection(reference.getId(),collection,out);
 			} finally {
 				if (out != null) {
diff --git a/lessonbuilder/tool/src/java/org/sakaiproject/lessonbuildertool/ccexport/CCExport.java b/lessonbuilder/tool/src/java/org/sakaiproject/lessonbuildertool/ccexport/CCExport.java
index 3cf8321f6513..aa86240b4f74 100644
--- a/lessonbuilder/tool/src/java/org/sakaiproject/lessonbuildertool/ccexport/CCExport.java
+++ b/lessonbuilder/tool/src/java/org/sakaiproject/lessonbuildertool/ccexport/CCExport.java
@@ -1186,6 +1186,7 @@ public boolean download() {
         try {
 	    htmlOut = response.getOutputStream();
 	    out = new ZipPrintStream(htmlOut);
+	    out.setLevel(ServerConfigurationService.getInt("zip.compression.level", 1));
 
 	    response.setHeader("Content-disposition", "inline; filename=sakai-export.imscc");
 	    response.setContentType("application/zip");