diff --git a/polkadot/node/core/pvf/src/host.rs b/polkadot/node/core/pvf/src/host.rs
index 292e37cdc3..a50f7f2770 100644
--- a/polkadot/node/core/pvf/src/host.rs
+++ b/polkadot/node/core/pvf/src/host.rs
@@ -128,11 +128,11 @@ impl Config {
 			cache_path,
 			prepare_worker_program_path: program_path.clone(),
 			prepare_worker_spawn_timeout: Duration::from_secs(3),
-			prepare_workers_soft_max_num: 8,
-			prepare_workers_hard_max_num: 5,
+			prepare_workers_soft_max_num: 1,
+			prepare_workers_hard_max_num: 1,
 			execute_worker_program_path: program_path,
 			execute_worker_spawn_timeout: Duration::from_secs(3),
-			execute_workers_max_num: 5,
+			execute_workers_max_num: 2,
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/polkadot/node/core/pvf/tests/it/main.rs b/polkadot/node/core/pvf/tests/it/main.rs
index e8fd7b665a..bf0983d508 100644
--- a/polkadot/node/core/pvf/tests/it/main.rs
+++ b/polkadot/node/core/pvf/tests/it/main.rs
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ async fn parallel_execution() {
 #[async_std::test]
 async fn execute_queue_doesnt_stall_if_workers_died() {
 	let host = TestHost::new_with_config(|cfg| {
-		assert_eq!(cfg.execute_workers_max_num, 5);
+		cfg.execute_workers_max_num = 5;
 	});
 
 	// Here we spawn 8 validation jobs for the `halt` PVF and share those between 5 workers. The