diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index f07ffb7ceb..df4e73e671 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ jobs:
             - cabal-{{ .Environment.HIE_CACHE }}-{{ arch }}-{{ .Environment.CIRCLE_JOB }}
       - run:
           name: Build
-          command: nix-shell -j4 --run "cabal new-update && (cabal new-build -j1 --enable-tests || cabal new-build -j1 --enable-tests) "
+          command: nix-shell -j2 --run "cabal new-update && (cabal new-build -j1 --enable-tests || cabal new-build -j1 --enable-tests) "
           no_output_timeout: 30m
       - save_cache:
           key: cabal-{{ .Environment.HIE_CACHE }}-{{ arch }}-{{ .Environment.CIRCLE_JOB }}