diff --git a/src/cli/args.rs b/src/cli/args.rs
index 05b522c6..42b9d1b7 100644
--- a/src/cli/args.rs
+++ b/src/cli/args.rs
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ pub struct CliArgs {
     #[arg(short = 'p', long = "password", global = true)]
     pub password: Option<OsString>,
 
+    /// cocurrent working threads
+    #[arg(short = 't', long, global = true)]
+    pub threads: Option<usize>,
+
     // Ouch and claps subcommands
     #[command(subcommand)]
     pub cmd: Subcommand,
@@ -138,6 +142,7 @@ mod tests {
             format: None,
             // This is usually replaced in assertion tests
             password: None,
+            threads: None,
             cmd: Subcommand::Decompress {
                 // Put a crazy value here so no test can assert it unintentionally
                 files: vec!["\x00\x11\x22".into()],
diff --git a/src/cli/mod.rs b/src/cli/mod.rs
index ce6b5d59..4144e53e 100644
--- a/src/cli/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cli/mod.rs
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@ impl CliArgs {
 
         set_accessible(args.accessible);
 
+        if let Some(threads) = args.threads {
+            rayon::ThreadPoolBuilder::new()
+                .num_threads(threads)
+                .build_global()
+                .unwrap();
+        }
+
         let (Subcommand::Compress { files, .. }
         | Subcommand::Decompress { files, .. }
         | Subcommand::List { archives: files, .. }) = &mut args.cmd;