diff --git a/src/test/test.cpp b/src/test/test.cpp
index 01189eb803..8c6e9d328f 100644
--- a/src/test/test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/test.cpp
@@ -185,6 +185,9 @@ getTestConfig(int instanceNumber, Config::TestDbMode mode)
         thisConfig.REPORT_METRICS = gTestMetrics;
         // disable maintenance
         thisConfig.AUTOMATIC_MAINTENANCE_COUNT = 0;
+        // only spin up a small number of worker threads
+        thisConfig.WORKER_THREADS = 2;
+        thisConfig.QUORUM_INTERSECTION_CHECKER = false;
     }
     return *cfgs[instanceNumber];
 }