diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 34ac7d99e..ae8ec62bc 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ solana-native-loader = { path = "programs/native/native_loader", version = "0.12
 solana-netutil = { path = "netutil", version = "0.12.0" }
 solana-sdk = { path = "sdk", version = "0.12.0" }
 solana-system-program = { path = "programs/native/system", version = "0.12.0" }
+sys-info = "0.5.6"
 tokio = "0.1"
 tokio-codec = "0.1"
 untrusted = "0.6.2"
diff --git a/benches/banking_stage.rs b/benches/banking_stage.rs
index 7ab90edde..83d7c03a8 100644
--- a/benches/banking_stage.rs
+++ b/benches/banking_stage.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ extern crate test;
 use rand::{thread_rng, Rng};
 use rayon::prelude::*;
 use solana::bank::Bank;
-use solana::banking_stage::{BankingStage, NUM_THREADS};
+use solana::banking_stage::BankingStage;
 use solana::entry::Entry;
 use solana::mint::Mint;
 use solana::packet::to_packets_chunked;
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ fn check_txs(receiver: &Receiver<Vec<Entry>>, ref_tx_count: usize) {
 
 #[bench]
 fn bench_banking_stage_multi_accounts(bencher: &mut Bencher) {
-    let txes = 1000 * NUM_THREADS;
+    let num_threads = BankingStage::num_threads() as usize;
+    let txes = 1000 * num_threads;
     let mint_total = 1_000_000_000_000;
     let mint = Mint::new(mint_total);
 
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ fn bench_banking_stage_multi_accounts(bencher: &mut Bencher) {
         if bank.count_valid_ids(&[mint.last_id()]).len() == 0 {
             bank.register_tick(&mint.last_id());
         }
-        for v in verified.chunks(verified.len() / NUM_THREADS) {
+        for v in verified.chunks(verified.len() / num_threads) {
             verified_sender.send(v.to_vec()).unwrap();
         }
         check_txs(&signal_receiver, txes);
@@ -130,7 +131,8 @@ fn bench_banking_stage_multi_accounts(bencher: &mut Bencher) {
 #[bench]
 fn bench_banking_stage_multi_programs(bencher: &mut Bencher) {
     let progs = 4;
-    let txes = 1000 * NUM_THREADS;
+    let num_threads = BankingStage::num_threads() as usize;
+    let txes = 1000 * num_threads;
     let mint_total = 1_000_000_000_000;
     let mint = Mint::new(mint_total);
 
@@ -223,7 +225,7 @@ fn bench_banking_stage_multi_programs(bencher: &mut Bencher) {
         if bank.count_valid_ids(&[mint.last_id()]).len() == 0 {
             bank.register_tick(&mint.last_id());
         }
-        for v in verified.chunks(verified.len() / NUM_THREADS) {
+        for v in verified.chunks(verified.len() / num_threads) {
             verified_sender.send(v.to_vec()).unwrap();
         }
         check_txs(&signal_receiver, txes);
diff --git a/src/banking_stage.rs b/src/banking_stage.rs
index c2c997847..be66079f2 100644
--- a/src/banking_stage.rs
+++ b/src/banking_stage.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
 use std::thread::{self, Builder, JoinHandle};
 use std::time::Duration;
 use std::time::Instant;
+use sys_info;
 
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Clone)]
 pub enum BankingStageReturnType {
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ pub enum BankingStageReturnType {
 }
 
 // number of threads is 1 until mt bank is ready
-pub const NUM_THREADS: usize = 10;
+pub const NUM_THREADS: u32 = 10;
 
 /// Stores the stage's thread handle and output receiver.
 pub struct BankingStage {
@@ -72,7 +73,8 @@ impl BankingStage {
         );
 
         // Many banks that process transactions in parallel.
-        let bank_thread_hdls: Vec<JoinHandle<Option<BankingStageReturnType>>> = (0..NUM_THREADS)
+        let bank_thread_hdls: Vec<JoinHandle<Option<BankingStageReturnType>>> = (0
+            ..Self::num_threads())
             .map(|_| {
                 let thread_bank = bank.clone();
                 let thread_verified_receiver = shared_verified_receiver.clone();
@@ -126,6 +128,10 @@ impl BankingStage {
         )
     }
 
+    pub fn num_threads() -> u32 {
+        sys_info::cpu_num().unwrap_or(NUM_THREADS)
+    }
+
     /// Convert the transactions from a blob of binary data to a vector of transactions and
     /// an unused `SocketAddr` that could be used to send a response.
     fn deserialize_transactions(p: &Packets) -> Vec<Option<(Transaction, SocketAddr)>> {