diff --git a/include/haproxy/defaults.h b/include/haproxy/defaults.h
index ef393dcb3..ae4def1ff 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/defaults.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/defaults.h
@@ -30,6 +30,23 @@
 #define MAX_PROCS LONGBITS
 #endif
 
+/* MAX_THREADS defines the highest limit for the global nbthread value. It
+ * defaults to the number of bits in a long integer when threads are enabled
+ * but may be lowered to save resources on embedded systems.
+*/
+#ifndef USE_THREAD
+/* threads disabled, 1 thread max */
+#define MAX_THREADS 1
+#define MAX_THREADS_MASK 1
+
+#else
+/* threads enabled, max_threads defaults to long bits */
+#ifndef MAX_THREADS
+#define MAX_THREADS LONGBITS
+#endif
+#define MAX_THREADS_MASK (~0UL >> (LONGBITS - MAX_THREADS))
+#endif
+
 /*
  * BUFSIZE defines the size of a read and write buffer. It is the maximum
  * amount of bytes which can be stored by the proxy for each stream. However,
diff --git a/include/haproxy/global-t.h b/include/haproxy/global-t.h
index bee8de7a9..9cf30fa7d 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/global-t.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/global-t.h
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 #include <haproxy/buf-t.h>
 #include <haproxy/freq_ctr-t.h>
 #include <haproxy/list-t.h>
-#include <haproxy/thread-t.h>
 #include <haproxy/api-t.h>
 #include <haproxy/vars-t.h>
 
diff --git a/include/haproxy/thread-t.h b/include/haproxy/thread-t.h
index d54ec8446..20c84ded0 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/thread-t.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/thread-t.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #endif
 #include <time.h>
 
+#include <haproxy/defaults.h>
 
 /* Note: this file mainly contains 3 sections:
  *   - one used solely when USE_THREAD is *not* set
@@ -40,8 +41,6 @@
 /********************** THREADS DISABLED ************************/
 
 #define THREAD_LOCAL  /* empty */
-#define MAX_THREADS 1
-#define MAX_THREADS_MASK 1
 
 /* These macros allow to make some struct fields or local variables optional */
 #define __decl_thread(decl)
@@ -56,12 +55,6 @@
 
 #define THREAD_LOCAL __thread
 
-#ifndef MAX_THREADS
-#define MAX_THREADS LONGBITS
-#endif
-
-#define MAX_THREADS_MASK (~0UL >> (LONGBITS - MAX_THREADS))
-
 #define __decl_thread(decl) decl
 
 /* declare a self-initializing spinlock */
diff --git a/src/activity.c b/src/activity.c
index 17eb13c1a..5ef38c969 100644
--- a/src/activity.c
+++ b/src/activity.c
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 #include <haproxy/cli.h>
 #include <haproxy/stream_interface.h>
 #include <haproxy/tools.h>
-#include <haproxy/thread-t.h>
 #include <haproxy/activity-t.h>
 #include <haproxy/freq_ctr.h>