diff --git a/maven-surefire-common/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/surefire/AbstractSurefireMojo.java b/maven-surefire-common/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/surefire/AbstractSurefireMojo.java
index 551d9800af..9b74170764 100644
--- a/maven-surefire-common/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/surefire/AbstractSurefireMojo.java
+++ b/maven-surefire-common/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/surefire/AbstractSurefireMojo.java
@@ -1300,7 +1300,11 @@ private void convertJunitCoreParameters() throws MojoExecutionException
         }
 
         getProperties().setProperty( ProviderParameterNames.PARALLEL_PROP, usedParallel );
-        getProperties().setProperty( ProviderParameterNames.THREADCOUNT_PROP, Integer.toString( getThreadCount() ) );
+        if ( this.getThreadCount() > 0 )
+        {
+            getProperties().setProperty( ProviderParameterNames.THREADCOUNT_PROP,
+                                         Integer.toString( getThreadCount() ) );
+        }
         getProperties().setProperty( "perCoreThreadCount", Boolean.toString( getPerCoreThreadCount() ) );
         getProperties().setProperty( "useUnlimitedThreads", Boolean.toString( getUseUnlimitedThreads() ) );
         getProperties().setProperty( ProviderParameterNames.THREADCOUNTSUITES_PROP,