diff --git a/.github/workflows/emu-deps-linux.yml b/.github/workflows/emu-deps-linux.yml
index 73834c62..bb24ed70 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/emu-deps-linux.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/emu-deps-linux.yml
@@ -85,4 +85,4 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         export CMAKE_GENERATOR="Unix Makefiles"
         sudo chmod 777 ./${{env.THIRD_PARTY_BASE_DIR}}/common/linux/premake/premake5
-        ./${{env.THIRD_PARTY_BASE_DIR}}/common/linux/premake/premake5 --file=premake5-deps.lua --64-build --32-build --all-ext --all-build --verbose --clean --os=linux gmake2
+        ./${{env.THIRD_PARTY_BASE_DIR}}/common/linux/premake/premake5 --file=premake5-deps.lua --64-build --32-build --all-ext --all-build --j=2 --verbose --clean --os=linux gmake2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/emu-deps-win.yml b/.github/workflows/emu-deps-win.yml
index e45b9390..10ddffca 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/emu-deps-win.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/emu-deps-win.yml
@@ -79,4 +79,4 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: ${{ github.workspace }}
       run: |
         set "CMAKE_GENERATOR=Visual Studio 17 2022"
-        "${{env.THIRD_PARTY_BASE_DIR}}\common\win\premake\premake5.exe" --file=premake5-deps.lua --64-build --32-build --all-ext --all-build --verbose --clean --os=windows vs2022
+        "${{env.THIRD_PARTY_BASE_DIR}}\common\win\premake\premake5.exe" --file=premake5-deps.lua --64-build --32-build --all-ext --all-build --j=2 --verbose --clean --os=windows vs2022
diff --git a/premake5-deps.lua b/premake5-deps.lua
index 2800ce4d..b4bff7d9 100644
--- a/premake5-deps.lua
+++ b/premake5-deps.lua
@@ -84,6 +84,11 @@ newoption {
     trigger = "all-build",
     description = "Build all deps",
 }
+newoption {
+    category = "build",
+    trigger = "j",
+    description = "Parallel build jobs, by default the max possible",
+}
 newoption {
     category = "build",
     trigger = "32-build",
@@ -142,6 +147,10 @@ local function merge_list(src, dest)
 end
 
 
+if _OPTIONS['j'] and not string.match(_OPTIONS['j'], '^[1-9]+$') then
+    error("Invalid argument for --j")
+end
+
 
 -- common defs
 ---------
@@ -325,7 +334,11 @@ local function cmake_build(dep_folder, is_32, extra_cmd_defs, c_flags_init, cxx_
     end
 
     -- build with cmake
-    local ok = os.execute(mycmake .. ' --build "' .. build_dir .. '" --config Release --parallel' .. verbose_build_str)
+    local parallel_str = ' --parallel'
+    if _OPTIONS['j'] then
+        parallel_str = parallel_str .. ' ' .. _OPTIONS['j']
+    end
+    local ok = os.execute(mycmake .. ' --build "' .. build_dir .. '" --config Release' .. parallel_str .. verbose_build_str)
     if not ok then
         error("failed to build")
         return