diff --git a/doc/src/changelog.md b/doc/src/changelog.md
index e936f37..4ae63d6 100644
--- a/doc/src/changelog.md
+++ b/doc/src/changelog.md
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 
 ## Upcoming
 
+**Features**:
+
+- `garden exec` can now run commands in parallel using the `-j# | --jobs=#` option.
+([#43](https://github.com/garden-rs/garden/issues/43))
+
 **Packaging**:
 
 - Garden's Nix flake was improved and using Garden with Nix home-manager was documented.
@@ -21,7 +26,7 @@
 
 **Features**:
 
-- `garden cmd` and custom commands now have a `--jobs=# | -j#` option for
+- `garden cmd` and custom commands now have a `-j# | --jobs=#` option for
 [running commands in parallel](https://garden-rs.gitlab.io/commands.html#parallel-execution).
 Use `-j0 | --jobs=0` to use all available cores.
 ([#43](https://github.com/garden-rs/garden/issues/43))
diff --git a/src/cmds/exec.rs b/src/cmds/exec.rs
index fcf5bfc..805a701 100644
--- a/src/cmds/exec.rs
+++ b/src/cmds/exec.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
+use std::sync::atomic;
+
 use anyhow::Result;
 use clap::{Parser, ValueHint};
+use rayon::prelude::*;
 
 use crate::{cmd, constants, errors, model, query};
 
@@ -13,6 +16,9 @@ pub struct ExecOptions {
     /// Perform a trial run without executing any commands
     #[arg(long, short = 'N', short_alias = 'n')]
     dry_run: bool,
+    /// Run commands in parallel using the specified number of jobs.
+    #[arg(long = "jobs", short = 'j', value_name = "JOBS")]
+    num_jobs: Option<usize>,
     /// Be quiet
     #[arg(short, long)]
     quiet: bool,
@@ -80,33 +86,57 @@ fn exec(app_context: &model::ApplicationContext, exec_options: &ExecOptions) ->
     //
     // If the names resolve to trees, each tree is processed independently
     // with no garden context.
+    cmd::initialize_threads_option(exec_options.num_jobs)?;
 
     // Resolve the tree query into a vector of tree contexts.
     let config = app_context.get_root_config_mut();
     let contexts = query::resolve_trees(app_context, config, None, query);
     let pattern = glob::Pattern::new(tree_pattern).unwrap_or_default();
-    let mut exit_status: i32 = 0;
+    let exit_status = atomic::AtomicI32::new(errors::EX_OK);
 
     // Loop over each context, evaluate the tree environment,
     // and run the command.
-    for context in &contexts {
-        if !is_valid_context(app_context, &pattern, context) {
-            continue;
-        }
-        // Run the command in the current context.
-        if let Err(errors::GardenError::ExitStatus(status)) = cmd::exec_in_context(
-            app_context,
-            config,
-            context,
-            quiet,
-            verbose,
-            dry_run,
-            command,
-        ) {
-            exit_status = status;
+    if exec_options.num_jobs.is_some() {
+        contexts.par_iter().for_each(|context| {
+            let app_context_clone = app_context.clone();
+            let app_context = &app_context_clone;
+            if !is_valid_context(app_context, &pattern, context) {
+                return;
+            }
+            // Run the command in the current context.
+            if let Err(errors::GardenError::ExitStatus(status)) = cmd::exec_in_context(
+                app_context,
+                app_context.get_root_config(),
+                context,
+                quiet,
+                verbose,
+                dry_run,
+                command,
+            ) {
+                exit_status.store(status, atomic::Ordering::Relaxed);
+            }
+        });
+    } else {
+        for context in &contexts {
+            if !is_valid_context(app_context, &pattern, context) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            // Run the command in the current context.
+            if let Err(errors::GardenError::ExitStatus(status)) = cmd::exec_in_context(
+                app_context,
+                config,
+                context,
+                quiet,
+                verbose,
+                dry_run,
+                command,
+            ) {
+                exit_status.store(status, atomic::Ordering::Relaxed);
+            }
         }
     }
 
     // Return the last non-zero exit status.
-    cmd::result_from_exit_status(exit_status).map_err(|err| err.into())
+    cmd::result_from_exit_status(exit_status.load(atomic::Ordering::SeqCst))
+        .map_err(|err| err.into())
 }