diff --git a/defaults/init.yml b/defaults/init.yml
index fcfc064..73322b4 100644
--- a/defaults/init.yml
+++ b/defaults/init.yml
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
     # Other
     salt_control_xenial_image_backend: /var/lib/libvirt/images/backends/xenial.qcow2
     salt_control_trusty_image_backend: /var/lib/libvirt/images/backends/trusty.qcow2
+    salt_master_worker_threads: 40
     salt_minion_ca_host: cfg01.${_param:cluster_domain}
     # Make sure this global variable is defined everywhere, where used it is already set on cluster level
     cluster_public_host: '127.0.0.1'
diff --git a/salt/master/single.yml b/salt/master/single.yml
index 25eaf56..815c766 100644
--- a/salt/master/single.yml
+++ b/salt/master/single.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
   salt:
     master:
       accept_policy: auto_accept
-      worker_threads: 40
+      worker_threads: ${_param:salt_master_worker_threads}
       max_open_files: 15000
       command_timeout: 10
       peer: