diff --git a/bird/parser.go b/bird/parser.go
index 4a80b27..0b58e8d 100644
--- a/bird/parser.go
+++ b/bird/parser.go
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 )
 
-const workerPoolSize = 8
+// WorkerPoolSize is the number of go routines used to parse routing tables concurrently
+var WorkerPoolSize = 8
 
 var (
 	ParserConf ParserConfig
@@ -225,9 +226,9 @@ func startRouteWorkers(jobs chan blockJob) chan blockParsed {
 	out := make(chan blockParsed)
 
 	wg := &sync.WaitGroup{}
-	wg.Add(workerPoolSize)
+	wg.Add(WorkerPoolSize)
 	go func() {
-		for i := 0; i < workerPoolSize; i++ {
+		for i := 0; i < WorkerPoolSize; i++ {
 			go workerForRouteBlockParsing(jobs, out, wg)
 		}
 		wg.Wait()
diff --git a/birdwatcher.go b/birdwatcher.go
index 71eb24b..d210d14 100644
--- a/birdwatcher.go
+++ b/birdwatcher.go
@@ -107,9 +107,12 @@ func PrintServiceInfo(conf *Config, birdConf bird.BirdConfig) {
 
 func main() {
 	bird6 := flag.Bool("6", false, "Use bird6 instead of bird")
+	workerPoolSize := flag.Int("worker-pool-size", 8, "Number of go routines used to parse routing tables concurrently")
 	configfile := flag.String("config", "./etc/ecix/birdwatcher.conf", "Configuration file location")
 	flag.Parse()
 
+	bird.WorkerPoolSize = *workerPoolSize
+
 	endpoints.VERSION = VERSION
 	bird.InstallRateLimitReset()
 	// Load configurations