diff --git a/backend/telemetry_core/src/main.rs b/backend/telemetry_core/src/main.rs
index 03320f6..3adc41a 100644
--- a/backend/telemetry_core/src/main.rs
+++ b/backend/telemetry_core/src/main.rs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ struct Opts {
     /// Number of worker threads to spawn. Defaults to the number of CPUs on the machine.
     /// If "0" is given, use the number of CPUs available on the machine.
     #[structopt(long)]
-    num_cpus: Option<usize>,
+    worker_threads: Option<usize>,
 }
 
 fn main() {
@@ -75,13 +75,13 @@ fn main() {
 
     log::info!("Starting Telemetry Core version: {}", VERSION);
 
-    let num_cpus_to_use = opts.num_cpus
+    let worker_threads = opts.worker_threads
         .and_then(|n| if n == 0 { None } else { Some(n) })
         .unwrap_or_else(|| num_cpus::get());
 
     tokio::runtime::Builder::new_multi_thread()
         .enable_all()
-        .worker_threads(num_cpus_to_use)
+        .worker_threads(worker_threads)
         .build()
         .unwrap()
         .block_on(async {
diff --git a/backend/telemetry_core/tests/soak_tests.rs b/backend/telemetry_core/tests/soak_tests.rs
index b1dab79..96c4e78 100644
--- a/backend/telemetry_core/tests/soak_tests.rs
+++ b/backend/telemetry_core/tests/soak_tests.rs
@@ -76,11 +76,11 @@ async fn run_soak_test(opts: SoakTestOpts) {
     let mut server = start_server(
         true,
         CoreOpts {
-            num_cpus: opts.num_core_cpus,
+            worker_threads: opts.core_worker_threads,
             ..Default::default()
         },
         ShardOpts {
-            num_cpus: opts.num_shard_cpus,
+            worker_threads: opts.shard_worker_threads,
             ..Default::default()
         },
     ).await;
@@ -259,11 +259,11 @@ async fn run_realistic_soak_test(opts: SoakTestOpts) {
     let mut server = start_server(
         true,
         CoreOpts {
-            num_cpus: opts.num_core_cpus,
+            worker_threads: opts.core_worker_threads,
             ..Default::default()
         },
         ShardOpts {
-            num_cpus: opts.num_shard_cpus,
+            worker_threads: opts.shard_worker_threads,
             ..Default::default()
         },
     ).await;
@@ -394,10 +394,10 @@ struct SoakTestOpts {
     nodes: usize,
     /// Number of worker threads the core will use
     #[structopt(long)]
-    num_core_cpus: Option<usize>,
+    core_worker_threads: Option<usize>,
     /// Number of worker threads each shard will use
     #[structopt(long)]
-    num_shard_cpus: Option<usize>,
+    shard_worker_threads: Option<usize>,
 }
 
 /// Get soak test args from an envvar and parse them via structopt.
diff --git a/backend/telemetry_shard/src/main.rs b/backend/telemetry_shard/src/main.rs
index 43159bd..abcdc30 100644
--- a/backend/telemetry_shard/src/main.rs
+++ b/backend/telemetry_shard/src/main.rs
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ struct Opts {
     /// Number of worker threads to spawn. Defaults to the number of CPUs on the machine.
     /// If "0" is given, use the number of CPUs available on the machine.
     #[structopt(long)]
-    num_cpus: Option<usize>,
+    worker_threads: Option<usize>,
 }
 
 fn main() {
@@ -96,13 +96,13 @@ fn main() {
 
     log::info!("Starting Telemetry Shard version: {}", VERSION);
 
-    let num_cpus_to_use = opts.num_cpus
+    let worker_threads = opts.worker_threads
         .and_then(|n| if n == 0 { None } else { Some(n) })
         .unwrap_or_else(|| num_cpus::get());
 
     tokio::runtime::Builder::new_multi_thread()
         .enable_all()
-        .worker_threads(num_cpus_to_use)
+        .worker_threads(worker_threads)
         .build()
         .unwrap()
         .block_on(async {
diff --git a/backend/test_utils/src/workspace/start_server.rs b/backend/test_utils/src/workspace/start_server.rs
index a51d0ed..7630bda 100644
--- a/backend/test_utils/src/workspace/start_server.rs
+++ b/backend/test_utils/src/workspace/start_server.rs
@@ -20,14 +20,14 @@ use crate::server::{self, Command, Server};
 /// Additional options to pass to the core command.
 pub struct CoreOpts {
     pub feed_timeout: Option<u64>,
-    pub num_cpus: Option<usize>,
+    pub worker_threads: Option<usize>,
 }
 
 impl Default for CoreOpts {
     fn default() -> Self {
         Self {
             feed_timeout: None,
-            num_cpus: None
+            worker_threads: None
         }
     }
 }
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ pub struct ShardOpts {
     pub max_nodes_per_connection: Option<usize>,
     pub max_node_data_per_second: Option<usize>,
     pub node_block_seconds: Option<u64>,
-    pub num_cpus: Option<usize>,
+    pub worker_threads: Option<usize>,
 }
 
 impl Default for ShardOpts {
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ impl Default for ShardOpts {
             max_nodes_per_connection: None,
             max_node_data_per_second: None,
             node_block_seconds: None,
-            num_cpus: None
+            worker_threads: None
         }
     }
 }
@@ -120,9 +120,9 @@ pub async fn start_server(
             .arg("--node-block-seconds")
             .arg(val.to_string());
     }
-    if let Some(val) = shard_opts.num_cpus {
+    if let Some(val) = shard_opts.worker_threads {
         shard_command = shard_command
-            .arg("--num-cpus")
+            .arg("--worker-threads")
             .arg(val.to_string());
     }
 
@@ -138,8 +138,8 @@ pub async fn start_server(
     if let Some(val) = core_opts.feed_timeout {
         core_command = core_command.arg("--feed-timeout").arg(val.to_string());
     }
-    if let Some(val) = core_opts.num_cpus {
-        core_command = core_command.arg("--num-cpus").arg(val.to_string());
+    if let Some(val) = core_opts.worker_threads {
+        core_command = core_command.arg("--worker-threads").arg(val.to_string());
     }
 
     // Star the server