diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a2866f9438..3b4a5852ad 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -368,6 +368,15 @@ if (BUILD_TESTS)
   include(CTest)
   enable_testing()
   message(STATUS "Unit tests are enabled")
+
+  set (TEST_JOB_COUNT "" CACHE STRING "Override number of parallel jobs to use while running tests")
+  if (TEST_JOB_COUNT)
+    message(STATUS "Running tests with ${TEST_JOB_COUNT} jobs")
+  endif()
+  if (CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS "3.29")
+    execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE OUTPUT_VARIABLE TEST_JOB_COUNT)
+  endif()
+  set(TEST_JOB_FLAG "-j${TEST_JOB_COUNT}")
 endif()
 
 add_subdirectory(FEXHeaderUtils/)
diff --git a/FEXCore/unittests/APITests/CMakeLists.txt b/FEXCore/unittests/APITests/CMakeLists.txt
index 85f86cc76d..52ffd05098 100644
--- a/FEXCore/unittests/APITests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/FEXCore/unittests/APITests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,12 +10,9 @@ foreach(TEST ${TESTS})
   catch_discover_tests(FEXCore_Tests_${TEST_NAME} TEST_SUFFIX ".${TEST_NAME}.FEXCore_Tests")
 endforeach()
 
-execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
-
 add_custom_target(
   fexcore_apitests
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*.FEXCore_Tests$$")
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*.FEXCore_Tests$$")
 
diff --git a/FEXCore/unittests/Emitter/CMakeLists.txt b/FEXCore/unittests/Emitter/CMakeLists.txt
index 2937245568..408c4b5fb0 100644
--- a/FEXCore/unittests/Emitter/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/FEXCore/unittests/Emitter/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,14 +11,11 @@ if (COMPILE_VIXL_DISASSEMBLER)
     catch_discover_tests(Emitter_${TEST_NAME} TEST_SUFFIX ".${TEST_NAME}.Emitter")
   endforeach()
 
-  execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-  string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
-
   add_custom_target(
     emitter_tests
     WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/"
     USES_TERMINAL
-    COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*.Emitter$$")
+    COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*.Emitter$$")
 else()
   message(AUTHOR_WARNING "Tests are enabled but vixl disassembler is not. Emitter tests won't be built.")
 endif()
diff --git a/Source/Tools/LinuxEmulation/CMakeLists.txt b/Source/Tools/LinuxEmulation/CMakeLists.txt
index 9ff006d6a1..3076a31586 100644
--- a/Source/Tools/LinuxEmulation/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Source/Tools/LinuxEmulation/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -162,11 +162,8 @@ foreach(Index RANGE 0 ${ARG_COUNT} 2)
   set_property(TEST ${TEST_NAME_ARCH}_aarch64 APPEND PROPERTY DEPENDS "${HEADER}")
 endforeach()
 
-execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
-
 add_custom_target(
   struct_verifier
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "Test_verify*")
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "Test_verify*")
diff --git a/unittests/32Bit_ASM/CMakeLists.txt b/unittests/32Bit_ASM/CMakeLists.txt
index 77af112250..26366f1468 100644
--- a/unittests/32Bit_ASM/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittests/32Bit_ASM/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -110,13 +110,10 @@ endforeach()
 add_custom_target(32bit_asm_files ALL
   DEPENDS "${ASM_DEPENDS}")
 
-execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
-
 add_custom_target(
   32bit_asm_tests
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
   DEPENDS 32bit_asm_files
   DEPENDS "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/Bin/TestHarnessRunner"
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*32Bit\.*.asm$$")
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*32Bit\.*.asm$$")
diff --git a/unittests/APITests/CMakeLists.txt b/unittests/APITests/CMakeLists.txt
index 47cfbdd819..4a56cd5b30 100644
--- a/unittests/APITests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittests/APITests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -14,14 +14,11 @@ foreach(API_TEST ${TESTS})
     TEST_SUFFIX ".${API_TEST}.APITest")
 endforeach()
 
-execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
-
 add_custom_target(
   api_tests
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*.APITest")
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*.APITest")
 
 foreach(API_TEST ${TESTS})
   add_dependencies(api_tests ${API_TEST})
diff --git a/unittests/ASM/CMakeLists.txt b/unittests/ASM/CMakeLists.txt
index 056e500d6b..b78073e1c8 100644
--- a/unittests/ASM/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittests/ASM/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -117,16 +117,13 @@ endforeach()
 add_custom_target(asm_files ALL
   DEPENDS "${ASM_DEPENDS}")
 
-execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
-
 add_custom_target(
   64bit_asm_tests
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
   DEPENDS asm_files
   DEPENDS "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/Bin/TestHarnessRunner"
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*64Bit\.*.asm$$")
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*64Bit\.*.asm$$")
 
 add_custom_target(
   asm_tests
@@ -135,4 +132,4 @@ add_custom_target(
   DEPENDS asm_files
   DEPENDS 32bit_asm_files
   DEPENDS "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/Bin/TestHarnessRunner"
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*.asm$$")
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*.asm$$")
diff --git a/unittests/FEXLinuxTests/CMakeLists.txt b/unittests/FEXLinuxTests/CMakeLists.txt
index 1986a7ba46..ecc041df24 100644
--- a/unittests/FEXLinuxTests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittests/FEXLinuxTests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -97,15 +97,12 @@ if(TEST thunk_testlib.64.jit.flt)
   set_property(TEST "thunk_testlib.64.jit.flt" PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT "LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/lib")
 endif()
 
-execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
-
 # Only emulated
 add_custom_target(
   fex_linux_tests
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "30" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*\.jit\.flt$$"
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "30" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*\.jit\.flt$$"
   DEPENDS FEXLinuxTests FEXLinuxTests_32 FEXLoader
   )
 
@@ -114,7 +111,7 @@ add_custom_target(
   fex_linux_tests_host
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "30" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*\.host\.flt$$"
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "30" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*\.host\.flt$$"
   DEPENDS FEXLinuxTests FEXLinuxTests_32
   )
 
@@ -123,6 +120,6 @@ add_custom_target(
   fex_linux_tests_all
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "30" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*\.flt$$"
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "30" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*\.flt$$"
   DEPENDS FEXLinuxTests FEXLinuxTests_32 FEXLoader
   )
diff --git a/unittests/InstructionCountCI/CMakeLists.txt b/unittests/InstructionCountCI/CMakeLists.txt
index 6c7afd123c..666dd1efc4 100644
--- a/unittests/InstructionCountCI/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittests/InstructionCountCI/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -49,18 +49,15 @@ endforeach()
 add_custom_target(instcountci_test_files ALL
   DEPENDS "${JSON_DEPENDS}")
 
-execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
-
 add_custom_target(
   instcountci_tests
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
   DEPENDS instcountci_test_files
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "InstCountCI/\.*.instcountci$$")
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "InstCountCI/\.*.instcountci$$")
 
 add_custom_target(
   instcountci_update_tests
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "InstCountCI/\.*new_numbers$$")
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "InstCountCI/\.*new_numbers$$")
diff --git a/unittests/POSIX/CMakeLists.txt b/unittests/POSIX/CMakeLists.txt
index eb49924f91..eac0bc6da4 100644
--- a/unittests/POSIX/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittests/POSIX/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,11 +23,8 @@ foreach(POSIX_TEST ${POSIX_TESTS})
 
 endforeach()
 
-execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
-
 add_custom_target(
   posix_tests
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*.posix")
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*.posix")
diff --git a/unittests/ThunkFunctionalTests/CMakeLists.txt b/unittests/ThunkFunctionalTests/CMakeLists.txt
index 24d0047e09..8e10ea3eb3 100644
--- a/unittests/ThunkFunctionalTests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittests/ThunkFunctionalTests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -32,26 +32,23 @@ endfunction()
 AddTest("/usr/bin/glxinfo" "GLThunks.json")
 AddTest("/usr/bin/vulkaninfo" "VulkanThunks.json")
 
-execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
-
 add_custom_target(
   thunk_functional_tests_nothunks
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "ThunkFunctionalTest-NoThunks-\.*"
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "ThunkFunctionalTest-NoThunks-\.*"
   DEPENDS "${FUNCTIONAL_DEPENDS}")
 
 add_custom_target(
   thunk_functional_tests_thunks
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "ThunkFunctionalTest-Thunks-\.*"
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "ThunkFunctionalTest-Thunks-\.*"
   DEPENDS "${FUNCTIONAL_DEPENDS}")
 
 add_custom_target(
   thunk_functional_tests
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "ThunkFunctionalTest\.*"
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "ThunkFunctionalTest\.*"
   DEPENDS "${FUNCTIONAL_DEPENDS}")
diff --git a/unittests/ThunkLibs/CMakeLists.txt b/unittests/ThunkLibs/CMakeLists.txt
index 8618eaa662..77b17f32d5 100644
--- a/unittests/ThunkLibs/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittests/ThunkLibs/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,12 +4,9 @@ target_link_libraries(thunkgentest PRIVATE fmt::fmt)
 target_link_libraries(thunkgentest PRIVATE thunkgenlib)
 catch_discover_tests(thunkgentest TEST_SUFFIX ".ThunkGen")
 
-execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
-
 add_custom_target(
   thunkgen_tests
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*.ThunkGen")
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*.ThunkGen")
 add_dependencies(thunkgen_tests thunkgentest)
diff --git a/unittests/gcc-target-tests-32/CMakeLists.txt b/unittests/gcc-target-tests-32/CMakeLists.txt
index 7ee2ec8b4a..f520c70037 100644
--- a/unittests/gcc-target-tests-32/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittests/gcc-target-tests-32/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,11 +23,8 @@ foreach(TEST ${TESTS})
 
 endforeach()
 
-execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
-
 add_custom_target(
   gcc_target_tests_32
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "20" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*.gcc-target-32$$")
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "20" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*.gcc-target-32$$")
diff --git a/unittests/gcc-target-tests-64/CMakeLists.txt b/unittests/gcc-target-tests-64/CMakeLists.txt
index 76f26a24b0..bb49082fab 100644
--- a/unittests/gcc-target-tests-64/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittests/gcc-target-tests-64/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,11 +23,8 @@ foreach(TEST ${TESTS})
 
 endforeach()
 
-execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
-
 add_custom_target(
   gcc_target_tests_64
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "20" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*.gcc-target-64$$")
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "20" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*.gcc-target-64$$")
diff --git a/unittests/gvisor-tests/CMakeLists.txt b/unittests/gvisor-tests/CMakeLists.txt
index cd826b0872..af72a1cf16 100644
--- a/unittests/gvisor-tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittests/gvisor-tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@ foreach(TEST ${TESTS})
 
 endforeach()
 
-execute_process(COMMAND "nproc" OUTPUT_VARIABLE CORES)
-string(STRIP ${CORES} CORES)
 set(RM_DIR_COMMAND "rm $ENV{ROOTFS}/tmp 2> /dev/null || true")
 
 add_custom_target(
@@ -33,4 +31,4 @@ add_custom_target(
   WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
   USES_TERMINAL
   COMMAND "sh" "-c" "${RM_DIR_COMMAND}"
-  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" "-j${CORES}" "-R" "\.*.gvisor$$")
+  COMMAND "ctest" "--output-on-failure" "--timeout" "302" ${TEST_JOB_FLAG} "-R" "\.*.gvisor$$")