diff --git a/docs/source/pythonapi/deplete.rst b/docs/source/pythonapi/deplete.rst
index d4a0f128f..383268f8b 100644
--- a/docs/source/pythonapi/deplete.rst
+++ b/docs/source/pythonapi/deplete.rst
@@ -166,6 +166,12 @@ with :func:`cram.CRAM48` being the default.
 
    :type: bool
 
+.. data:: pool.NUM_PROCESSES
+
+   Number of worker processes used for depletion calculations, which rely on the
+   :class:`multiprocessing.pool.Pool` class. If set to ``None`` (default), the
+   number returned by :func:`os.cpu_count` is used.
+
 The following classes are used to help the :class:`openmc.deplete.Operator`
 compute quantities like effective fission yields, reaction rates, and
 total system energy.
diff --git a/openmc/deplete/pool.py b/openmc/deplete/pool.py
index 8360ef602..a3d37f79f 100644
--- a/openmc/deplete/pool.py
+++ b/openmc/deplete/pool.py
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ from multiprocessing import Pool
 # multiprocessing routines during depletion
 USE_MULTIPROCESSING = True
 
+# Allow user to override the number of worker processes to use for depletion
+# calculations
+NUM_PROCESSES = None
+
 
 def deplete(func, chain, x, rates, dt, matrix_func=None):
     """Deplete materials using given reaction rates for a specified time
@@ -58,7 +62,7 @@ def deplete(func, chain, x, rates, dt, matrix_func=None):
     inputs = zip(matrices, x, repeat(dt))
 
     if USE_MULTIPROCESSING:
-        with Pool() as pool:
+        with Pool(NUM_PROCESSES) as pool:
             x_result = list(pool.starmap(func, inputs))
     else:
         x_result = list(starmap(func, inputs))