diff --git a/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl b/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
index 114b6c84aa365b6bedc54ce48b9984d67aa4b654..b3acebbfc44434a3d0adee4f0301363a1973ffba 100755
--- a/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
+++ b/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
@@ -322,7 +322,8 @@ sub main {
     for my $limit (2000, 1500, 1000, 500){
       $opt_parallel-- if ($sys_info->min_bogomips() < $limit);
     }
-    $opt_parallel= 8 if ($opt_parallel > 8);
+    my $max_par= $ENV{MTR_MAX_PARALLEL} || 8;
+    $opt_parallel= $max_par if ($opt_parallel > $max_par);
     $opt_parallel= $num_tests if ($opt_parallel > $num_tests);
     $opt_parallel= 1 if (IS_WINDOWS and $sys_info->isvm());
     $opt_parallel= 1 if ($opt_parallel < 1);