diff --git a/scripts/build-packages.sh b/scripts/build-packages.sh
index 44aa978..09fcf0a 100755
--- a/scripts/build-packages.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-packages.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ declare_env BUILD_PACKAGES_LIST
 require_env BUILD_RT
 require_env CLEAN_PACKAGES
 require_env BUILD_ISO
+declare_env BUILD_PACKAGES_PARALLEL_JOBS
 
 load_build_env
 
@@ -30,6 +31,11 @@ if $BUILD_RT || $BUILD_ISO; then
     build_types+=",rt"
 fi
 
+declare -a parallel_args
+if [[ -n "$BUILD_PACKAGES_PARALLEL_JOBS" && "$BUILD_PACKAGES_PARALLEL_JOBS" -gt 1 ]] ; then
+    parallel_args=("--parallel" "$BUILD_PACKAGES_PARALLEL_JOBS")
+fi
+
 count=0
 success=0
 # Build all packages a few times
@@ -51,7 +57,7 @@ while [[ $count -lt $BUILD_PACKAGES_ITERATIONS ]] ; do
     fi
 
     # buld'em
-    if stx_docker_cmd $DRY_RUN_ARG $VEBOSE_ARG "build-pkgs ${extra_args[*]} -b $build_types" ; then
+    if stx_docker_cmd $DRY_RUN_ARG $VEBOSE_ARG "build-pkgs ${parallel_args[*]} ${extra_args[*]} -b $build_types" ; then
         success=1
     else
         success=0
diff --git a/scripts/templates/build.conf.example.in b/scripts/templates/build.conf.example.in
index f5aa3d2..ad2443e 100644
--- a/scripts/templates/build.conf.example.in
+++ b/scripts/templates/build.conf.example.in
@@ -154,3 +154,7 @@ JENKINS_API_CREDENTIALS_ID="jenkins-api"
 # Makes some operations faster
 PARALLEL_CMD="parallel"
 PARALLEL_CMD_JOBS="12"
+
+# How many chroots & build-pkgs jobs to run in parallel
+# Default: 1
+#BUILD_PACKAGES_PARALLEL_JOBS=