diff --git a/build_image b/build_image
index d06e1440a7..76ddc32f4f 100755
--- a/build_image
+++ b/build_image
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ DEFINE_integer build_attempt 1 \
   "The build attempt for this image build."
 DEFINE_boolean fast "${DEFAULT_FAST}" \
   "Use the parallel_emerge wrapper script."
-DEFINE_integer jobs -1 \
+DEFINE_integer jobs "${NUM_JOBS}" \
   "How many packages to build in parallel at maximum."
 DEFINE_boolean replace ${FLAGS_FALSE} \
   "Overwrite existing output, if any."
diff --git a/build_packages b/build_packages
index 1304dc4dd1..ed9e383a54 100755
--- a/build_packages
+++ b/build_packages
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ DEFINE_string accept_licenses "" \
   "Licenses to append to the accept list."
 DEFINE_boolean fast "${DEFAULT_FAST}" \
   "Use the parallel_emerge wrapper script."
-DEFINE_integer jobs -1 \
+DEFINE_integer jobs "${NUM_JOBS}" \
   "How many packages to build in parallel at maximum."
 DEFINE_boolean norebuild "${FLAGS_FALSE}" \
   "Don't automatically rebuild dependencies."
diff --git a/sdk_lib/make_chroot.sh b/sdk_lib/make_chroot.sh
index c517993ec3..722f8ad79b 100755
--- a/sdk_lib/make_chroot.sh
+++ b/sdk_lib/make_chroot.sh
@@ -40,9 +40,10 @@ DEFINE_boolean getbinpkg $FLAGS_TRUE \
   "Download binary packages from remote repository."
 DEFINE_boolean delete $FLAGS_FALSE "Delete an existing chroot."
 DEFINE_boolean replace $FLAGS_FALSE "Overwrite existing chroot, if any."
-DEFINE_integer jobs -1 "How many packages to build in parallel at maximum."
 DEFINE_boolean fast "${DEFAULT_FAST}" \
   "Use the parallel_emerge wrapper script."
+DEFINE_integer jobs "${NUM_JOBS}" \
+  "How many packages to build in parallel at maximum."
 DEFINE_string stage3_date "20130130" \
   "Use the stage3 with the given date."
 DEFINE_string stage3_path "" \
diff --git a/setup_board b/setup_board
index 601341d819..5c6e5dad38 100755
--- a/setup_board
+++ b/setup_board
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ DEFINE_string board_overlay "" \
   "Location of the board overlay."
 DEFINE_boolean fast "${DEFAULT_FAST}" \
   "Use the parallel_emerge wrapper script."
-DEFINE_integer jobs -1 \
+DEFINE_integer jobs "${NUM_JOBS}" \
   "How many packages to build in parallel at maximum."
 DEFINE_boolean latest_toolchain $FLAGS_FALSE \
   "Use the latest ebuild for all toolchain packages (gcc, binutils, libc, \
diff --git a/update_chroot b/update_chroot
index 4d203bcdd4..bebe61399c 100755
--- a/update_chroot
+++ b/update_chroot
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ show_help_if_requested "$@"
 # not needed for the typical developer workflow.
 DEFINE_boolean fast ${DEFAULT_FAST} \
   "Use the parallel_emerge wrapper script."
-DEFINE_integer jobs -1 \
+DEFINE_integer jobs "${NUM_JOBS}" \
   "How many packages to build in parallel at maximum."
 DEFINE_boolean skip_toolchain_update $FLAGS_FALSE \
   "Don't update the toolchains."