diff --git a/commands/compile/compile.go b/commands/compile/compile.go
index 0307f7c2d39..f8a17b03843 100644
--- a/commands/compile/compile.go
+++ b/commands/compile/compile.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -115,6 +116,12 @@ func Compile(ctx context.Context, req *rpc.CompileReq, outStream, errStream io.W
 
 	builderCtx.CoreBuildCachePath = paths.TempDir().Join("arduino-core-cache")
 
+	jobs := runtime.NumCPU()
+	if req.GetJobs() > 0 {
+		jobs = int(req.GetJobs())
+	}
+	builderCtx.Jobs = jobs
+
 	builderCtx.USBVidPid = req.GetVidPid()
 	builderCtx.WarningsLevel = req.GetWarnings()
 
diff --git a/legacy/builder/builder_utils/utils.go b/legacy/builder/builder_utils/utils.go
index 07b021ee8bf..72c109da793 100644
--- a/legacy/builder/builder_utils/utils.go
+++ b/legacy/builder/builder_utils/utils.go
@@ -175,20 +175,30 @@ func compileFilesWithRecipe(ctx *types.Context, sourcePath *paths.Path, sources
 
 	ctx.Progress.Steps = ctx.Progress.Steps / float64(len(sources))
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
-	wg.Add(len(sources))
 
-	for _, source := range sources {
-		go func(source *paths.Path) {
-			defer wg.Done()
-			PrintProgressIfProgressEnabledAndMachineLogger(ctx)
-			objectFile, err := compileFileWithRecipe(ctx, sourcePath, source, buildPath, buildProperties, includes, recipe)
-			if err != nil {
-				errorsChan <- err
-			} else {
-				objectFilesChan <- objectFile
+	// Split jobs into batches of N jobs each; wait for the completion of a batch to start the next
+	par := ctx.Jobs
+
+	go func() {
+		for total := 0; total < len(sources); total += par {
+			for i := total; i < total+par && i < len(sources); i++ {
+				wg.Add(1)
+				go func(source *paths.Path) {
+					defer wg.Done()
+					PrintProgressIfProgressEnabledAndMachineLogger(ctx)
+					objectFile, err := compileFileWithRecipe(ctx, sourcePath, source, buildPath, buildProperties, includes, recipe)
+					if err != nil {
+						errorsChan <- err
+					} else {
+						objectFilesChan <- objectFile
+					}
+				}(sources[i])
 			}
-		}(source)
-	}
+			wg.Wait()
+		}
+
+		doneChan <- struct{}{}
+	}()
 
 	go func() {
 		wg.Wait()
diff --git a/legacy/builder/types/context.go b/legacy/builder/types/context.go
index e2ed7ff8706..1a8a6b5c788 100644
--- a/legacy/builder/types/context.go
+++ b/legacy/builder/types/context.go
@@ -111,6 +111,9 @@ type Context struct {
 	// Experimental: use arduino-preprocessor to create prototypes
 	UseArduinoPreprocessor bool
 
+	// Parallel processes
+	Jobs int
+
 	// Out and Err stream to redirect all Exec commands
 	ExecStdout io.Writer
 	ExecStderr io.Writer