diff --git a/src/Analyser/Parallel/ParallelAnalysisNodeExtractor.php b/src/Analyser/Parallel/ParallelAnalysisNodeExtractor.php
index 430ac85d..06863e30 100644
--- a/src/Analyser/Parallel/ParallelAnalysisNodeExtractor.php
+++ b/src/Analyser/Parallel/ParallelAnalysisNodeExtractor.php
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 use function array_search;
 use function array_sum;
 use function arsort;
+use function ceil;
 use function count;
 use function dirname;
 use function explode;
@@ -36,9 +37,11 @@
 use function is_array;
 use function is_dir;
 use function is_string;
+use function max;
 use function min;
 use function mkdir;
 use function proc_close;
+use function reset;
 use function rmdir;
 use function serialize;
 use function sprintf;
@@ -363,12 +366,20 @@ private function buildWorkerBuckets(array $files, int $workerCount): array
 
         arsort($fileSizes);
 
+        // The largest file cannot be split, so a worker whose byte share is
+        // below it would only add a process boot without finishing sooner.
+        $totalSize   = array_sum($fileSizes);
+        $largestSize = reset($fileSizes);
+        if ($largestSize > 0) {
+            $workerCount = max(1, min($workerCount, (int) ceil($totalSize / $largestSize)));
+        }
+
         $buckets     = array_fill(0, $workerCount, []);
         $bucketSizes = array_fill(0, $workerCount, 0);
 
         // The largest files fill one worker up to an even byte share first, so
         // only that worker pays their AST peaks; the rest are balanced by LPT.
-        $share = array_sum($fileSizes) / $workerCount;
+        $share = $totalSize / $workerCount;
 
         foreach ($fileSizes as $file => $fileSize) {
             $minIdx = $bucketSizes[0] < $share
diff --git a/tests/Analyser/Parallel/ParallelAnalysisNodeExtractorTest.php b/tests/Analyser/Parallel/ParallelAnalysisNodeExtractorTest.php
index 65667c9e..54990a20 100644
--- a/tests/Analyser/Parallel/ParallelAnalysisNodeExtractorTest.php
+++ b/tests/Analyser/Parallel/ParallelAnalysisNodeExtractorTest.php
@@ -314,6 +314,54 @@ public function finish(): void
         $this->assertSame($files, $progress->files);
     }
 
+    public function testExtractSpawnsNoMoreWorkersThanTheLargestFileShareAllows(): void
+    {
+        $dir   = $this->makeTemporaryDirectory('structarmed-parallel-test');
+        $files = [$dir . '/Large.php'];
+
+        // larger than the three small files together: two byte shares fit the
+        // files, so a third and fourth worker would only add a process boot
+        file_put_contents($files[0], <<<'PHP'
+<?php
+
+namespace App;
+
+final class Large
+{
+    public function first(): string
+    {
+        return 'first';
+    }
+
+    public function second(): string
+    {
+        return 'second';
+    }
+}
+PHP);
+
+        for ($index = 0; $index < 3; ++$index) {
+            $file = sprintf('%s/Small%d.php', $dir, $index);
+            file_put_contents($file, sprintf('<?php namespace App; final class Small%d {}', $index));
+
+            $files[] = $file;
+        }
+
+        $GLOBALS['mock_tracked_tempnam_files'] = [];
+
+        try {
+            $extractionResult = (new ParallelAnalysisNodeExtractor($dir, [], [], 4))->extract($files);
+            $tempnamFiles     = $GLOBALS['mock_tracked_tempnam_files'];
+        } finally {
+            $GLOBALS['mock_tracked_tempnam_files'] = [];
+        }
+
+        $this->assertCount(4, $extractionResult->classNodes);
+        // input, output and stderr file per worker
+        $this->assertIsArray($tempnamFiles);
+        $this->assertCount(6, $tempnamFiles);
+    }
+
     public function testExtractBuffersProgressLineSplitAcrossReads(): void
     {
         // Simulates a worker whose progress lines reach the coordinator in pieces: index 10 arrives as "1" then