diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/ir3/ir3_gallium.c b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/ir3/ir3_gallium.c
index f2a574ac9c9..7b406ac1338 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/ir3/ir3_gallium.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/freedreno/ir3/ir3_gallium.c
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ ir3_screen_init(struct pipe_screen *pscreen)
     * big cores.  OTOH if they are sitting idle, maybe it is useful to
     * use them?
     */
-   unsigned num_threads = sysconf(_SC_NPROCESSORS_ONLN) - 1;
+   unsigned num_threads = sysconf(_SC_NPROCESSORS_ONLN) / 2;
 
    /* Create at least one thread - even on single core CPU systems. */
    num_threads = MAX2(1, num_threads);