diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_fw.yml b/.github/workflows/build_fw.yml
index 2523ccefb..f816c69a8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_fw.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_fw.yml
@@ -73,11 +73,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Test ${{ matrix.target }}
         env:
           FLAVOR: ${{ matrix.target }}
+          CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL: 4
         run: |
           echo "Running commit tests"
           ./tools/commit-tests.sh
 
-
   build:
     name: Run builds
     needs: test
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build ${{ matrix.target }}
         env:
           FLAVOR: ${{ matrix.target }}
+          CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL: 4
         run: |
           echo "Running firmware build"
           ./tools/build-gh.sh
diff --git a/.github/workflows/linux_cpn.yml b/.github/workflows/linux_cpn.yml
index 9f2aed97f..7b94df47a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/linux_cpn.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/linux_cpn.yml
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build
         working-directory: ${{github.workspace}}
         shell: bash
+        env:
+          CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL: 4
         run: |
           mkdir output && mkdir logs && \
           tools/build-companion.sh "$(pwd)" "$(pwd)/output/" 2>&1 | tee logs/build-main.log
diff --git a/.github/workflows/macosx_cpn.yml b/.github/workflows/macosx_cpn.yml
index 28fcfd61d..c553fe766 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/macosx_cpn.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/macosx_cpn.yml
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build
         working-directory: ${{github.workspace}}
         shell: bash
+        env:
+          CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL: 3
         run: |
           mkdir output && mkdir logs && \
           tools/build-companion.sh "$(pwd)" "$(pwd)/output/" 2>&1 | tee logs/build-main.log
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
index 2c838b27f..060054150 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           FLAVOR: ${{ matrix.target }}
           EDGETX_VERSION_SUFFIX: nightly
+          CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL: 4
         run: ./tools/build-gh.sh
 
       - name: Package firmware ${{ matrix.target }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/win_cpn-64.yml b/.github/workflows/win_cpn-64.yml
index d571aa8b0..cce40805a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/win_cpn-64.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/win_cpn-64.yml
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ jobs:
         uses: ilammy/msvc-dev-cmd@v1
 
       - name: Build
+        env:
+          CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL: 4
         run: |
           mkdir output && mkdir logs && \
           CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH="$QT_ROOT_DIR;$SDL2_ROOT" \
diff --git a/tools/build-common.sh b/tools/build-common.sh
index 25f124ff6..69f07e57b 100644
--- a/tools/build-common.sh
+++ b/tools/build-common.sh
@@ -167,3 +167,44 @@ get_target_build_options() {
             ;;
     esac
 }
+
+# Determine parallel job limit based on environment
+determine_max_jobs() {
+  if [[ -n ${CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL} ]]; then
+    MAX_JOBS=${CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL}
+  elif [ -n "$GITHUB_ACTIONS" ]; then
+    # Limit jobs in GitHub Actions to n-1 to avoid resource contention
+    if [ "$(uname)" = "Darwin" ]; then
+      MAX_JOBS=2  # macOS runners have 3 cores
+    else
+      MAX_JOBS=3  # Linux and Windows runners have 4 cores
+    fi
+  else
+    MAX_JOBS=""  # Let CMake/build system decide
+  fi
+  export MAX_JOBS
+}
+
+# Helper function to run cmake build with appropriate parallelism
+cmake_build_parallel() {
+  local args=()
+  local native_flags=""
+  
+  # Separate cmake args from native flags (anything after --)
+  for arg in "$@"; do
+    if [[ "$arg" == "--" ]]; then
+      # Capture everything after -- as native flags
+      shift
+      native_flags="-- $*"
+      break
+    fi
+    args+=("$arg")
+    shift
+  done
+  
+  if [[ -n ${MAX_JOBS} ]]; then
+    cmake --build "${args[@]}" --parallel ${MAX_JOBS} ${native_flags}
+  else
+    cmake --build "${args[@]}" --parallel ${native_flags}
+  fi
+}
diff --git a/tools/build-companion.sh b/tools/build-companion.sh
index 2a082dbbe..230249a5e 100755
--- a/tools/build-companion.sh
+++ b/tools/build-companion.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ if [[ -z ${OUTDIR} ]]; then
   OUTDIR="$(pwd)/output"
 fi
 
+# Determine parallel jobs
+determine_max_jobs
+
 # Create a master log file for the entire build process
 MASTER_LOG="build-summary.log"
 
@@ -48,10 +51,6 @@ if [[ -z ${EDGETX_VERSION_SUFFIX} ]]; then
   fi
 fi
 
-if [ "$(uname)" = "Linux" ] && [ -n "$GITHUB_ACTIONS" ]; then
-  MAX_JOBS=3
-fi
-
 rm -rf build && mkdir build && cd build
 
 # Function to output error logs (works in both GitHub Actions and terminal)
@@ -97,7 +96,7 @@ run_pipeline() {
     local log_file="${2:-/dev/null}"
     local context="$3"
     local show_details="${4:-false}"
-    local cmake_opts="--parallel ${MAX_JOBS} ${QUIET_FLAGS}"
+    local cmake_opts="${QUIET_FLAGS}"
 
     case "$pipeline_type" in
         "plugin")
@@ -106,25 +105,25 @@ run_pipeline() {
                 output_error_log "$log_file" "$context (Configuration)"
                 return 1
             fi
-            if ! execute_with_output "🔧 Native config" "cmake --build . --target native-configure ${cmake_opts}" "$log_file" "$show_details"; then
+            if ! execute_with_output "🔧 Native config" "cmake_build_parallel . --target native-configure ${cmake_opts}" "$log_file" "$show_details"; then
                 output_error_log "$log_file" "$context (Native Configure)"
                 return 1
             fi
-            if ! execute_with_output "📦 Building lib" "cmake --build native --target libsimulator ${cmake_opts}" "$log_file" "$show_details"; then
+            if ! execute_with_output "📦 Building lib" "cmake_build_parallel native --target libsimulator ${cmake_opts}" "$log_file" "$show_details"; then
                 output_error_log "$log_file" "$context (Library Build)"
                 return 1
             fi
             ;;
         "final")
-            if ! execute_with_output "🔧 Final config" "cmake --build . --target native-configure ${cmake_opts}" "$log_file" "$show_details"; then
+            if ! execute_with_output "🔧 Final config" "cmake_build_parallel . --target native-configure ${cmake_opts}" "$log_file" "$show_details"; then
                 output_error_log "$log_file" "Final Configuration"
                 return 1
             fi
-            if ! execute_with_output "📦 Building companion" "cmake --build native --target companion ${cmake_opts}" "$log_file" "$show_details"; then
+            if ! execute_with_output "📦 Building companion" "cmake_build_parallel native --target companion ${cmake_opts}" "$log_file" "$show_details"; then
                 output_error_log "$log_file" "$context (Companion Build)"
                 return 1
             fi
-            if ! execute_with_output "📦 Packaging" "cmake --build native --target ${PACKAGE_TARGET}" "$log_file" "true"; then
+            if ! execute_with_output "📦 Packaging" "cmake_build_parallel native --target ${PACKAGE_TARGET}" "$log_file" "true"; then
                 output_error_log "$log_file" "Final Packaging"
                 return 1
             fi
diff --git a/tools/build-gh.sh b/tools/build-gh.sh
index ff1f58e42..262d6809c 100755
--- a/tools/build-gh.sh
+++ b/tools/build-gh.sh
@@ -1,16 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-# Stops on first error, echo on
+# Stop on first error, echo on
 set -e
 set -x
 
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
 . "$SCRIPT_DIR/build-common.sh" 
 
-
-# If no build target, exit
-#: "${FLAVOR:=ALL}"
-
 for i in "$@"
 do
 case $i in
@@ -58,6 +54,9 @@ COMMON_OPTIONS+=${EXTRA_OPTIONS}" "
 
 : "${FIRMARE_TARGET:="firmware-size"}"
 
+# Determine parallel jobs
+determine_max_jobs
+
 # workaround for GH repo owner
 git config --global --add safe.directory "$(pwd)"
 
@@ -81,8 +80,9 @@ do
     fi
 
     cmake ${BUILD_OPTIONS} "${SRCDIR}"
-    cmake --build . --target arm-none-eabi-configure --parallel ${MAX_JOBS}
-    cmake --build arm-none-eabi --target ${FIRMARE_TARGET} --parallel ${MAX_JOBS}
+    
+    cmake_build_parallel  . --target arm-none-eabi-configure
+    cmake_build_parallel arm-none-eabi --target ${FIRMARE_TARGET}
 
     rm -f CMakeCache.txt arm-none-eabi/CMakeCache.txt
 
diff --git a/tools/commit-tests.sh b/tools/commit-tests.sh
index c5ce23576..0d2e7802d 100755
--- a/tools/commit-tests.sh
+++ b/tools/commit-tests.sh
@@ -1,38 +1,15 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-# Stops on first error, echo on
+# Stop on first error, echo on
 set -e
 set -x
 
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
 . "$SCRIPT_DIR/build-common.sh" 
 
-# Allow variable core usage
-# default uses all cpu cores
-#
-if [ -f /usr/bin/nproc ]; then
-    num_cpus=$(nproc)
-elif [ -f /usr/sbin/sysctl ]; then
-    num_cpus=$(sysctl -n hw.logicalcpu)
-else
-    num_cpus=2
-fi
-: "${CORES:=$num_cpus}"
-
-# If no build target, exit
-#: "${FLAVOR:=ALL}"
-
 for i in "$@"
 do
 case $i in
-    --jobs=*)
-      CORES="${i#*=}"
-      shift
-      ;;
-    -j*)
-      CORES="${i#*j}"
-      shift
-      ;;
     -Wno-error)
       WERROR=0
       shift
@@ -57,10 +34,13 @@ if (( $WERROR )); then COMMON_OPTIONS+=" -DWARNINGS_AS_ERRORS=YES "; fi
 
 : ${EXTRA_OPTIONS:="$EXTRA_OPTIONS"}
 
-COMMON_OPTIONS+=${EXTRA_OPTIONS}
+COMMON_OPTIONS+=${EXTRA_OPTIONS}" "
 
 : ${FIRMARE_TARGET:="firmware-size"}
 
+# Determine parallel jobs
+determine_max_jobs
+
 # wipe build directory clean
 rm -rf build && mkdir -p build && cd build
 
@@ -79,12 +59,12 @@ do
 
     cmake ${BUILD_OPTIONS} "${SRCDIR}"
 
-    cmake --build . --target arm-none-eabi-configure
-    cmake --build arm-none-eabi -j"${CORES}" --target ${FIRMARE_TARGET}
+    cmake_build_parallel . --target arm-none-eabi-configure
+    cmake_build_parallel arm-none-eabi --target ${FIRMARE_TARGET}
 
-    cmake --build . --target native-configure
-    cmake --build native -j"${CORES}" --target libsimulator
-    cmake --build native -j"${CORES}" --target tests-radio
+    cmake_build_parallel . --target native-configure
+    cmake_build_parallel native --target libsimulator
+    cmake_build_parallel native --target tests-radio
 
     rm -f CMakeCache.txt native/CMakeCache.txt arm-none-eabi/CMakeCache.txt
 done