diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 1c597c080..38987355f 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ type FolderConfiguration struct {
 	IgnorePerms     bool                        `xml:"ignorePerms,attr"`
 	Versioning      VersioningConfiguration     `xml:"versioning"`
 	LenientMtimes   bool                        `xml:"lenientMtimes"`
-	Copiers         int                         `xml:"copiers" default:"1"`   // This defines how many files are handled concurrently.
-	Pullers         int                         `xml:"pullers" default:"16"`  // Defines how many blocks are fetched at the same time, possibly between separate copier routines.
-	Finishers       int                         `xml:"finishers" default:"1"` // Most of the time, should be equal to the number of copiers. These are CPU bound due to hashing.
+	Copiers         int                         `xml:"copiers" default:"1"`  // This defines how many files are handled concurrently.
+	Pullers         int                         `xml:"pullers" default:"16"` // Defines how many blocks are fetched at the same time, possibly between separate copier routines.
+	Hashers         int                         `xml:"hashers" default:"0"`  // Less than one sets the value to the number of cores. These are CPU bound due to hashing.
 
 	Invalid string `xml:"-"` // Set at runtime when there is an error, not saved
 
@@ -358,9 +358,6 @@ func (cfg *Configuration) prepare(myID protocol.DeviceID) {
 		if cfg.Folders[i].Pullers == 0 {
 			cfg.Folders[i].Pullers = 16
 		}
-		if cfg.Folders[i].Finishers == 0 {
-			cfg.Folders[i].Finishers = 1
-		}
 		sort.Sort(FolderDeviceConfigurationList(cfg.Folders[i].Devices))
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/config/config_test.go b/internal/config/config_test.go
index a7d3b6b9e..e20946417 100644
--- a/internal/config/config_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/config_test.go
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ func TestDeviceConfig(t *testing.T) {
 				RescanIntervalS: 600,
 				Copiers:         1,
 				Pullers:         16,
-				Finishers:       1,
+				Hashers:         0,
 			},
 		}
 		expectedDevices := []DeviceConfiguration{
diff --git a/internal/model/model.go b/internal/model/model.go
index df85cab0c..cb396b6f7 100644
--- a/internal/model/model.go
+++ b/internal/model/model.go
@@ -190,7 +190,6 @@ func (m *Model) StartFolderRW(folder string) {
 		progressEmitter: m.progressEmitter,
 		copiers:         cfg.Copiers,
 		pullers:         cfg.Pullers,
-		finishers:       cfg.Finishers,
 		queue:           newJobQueue(),
 	}
 	m.folderRunners[folder] = p
@@ -1138,6 +1137,7 @@ func (m *Model) ScanFolderSub(folder, sub string) error {
 		TempLifetime: time.Duration(m.cfg.Options().KeepTemporariesH) * time.Hour,
 		CurrentFiler: cFiler{m, folder},
 		IgnorePerms:  folderCfg.IgnorePerms,
+		Hashers:      folderCfg.Hashers,
 	}
 
 	m.setState(folder, FolderScanning)
diff --git a/internal/model/puller.go b/internal/model/puller.go
index 0070d10c3..0bf2d0d54 100644
--- a/internal/model/puller.go
+++ b/internal/model/puller.go
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ type Puller struct {
 	progressEmitter *ProgressEmitter
 	copiers         int
 	pullers         int
-	finishers       int
 	queue           *jobQueue
 }
 
@@ -258,7 +257,7 @@ func (p *Puller) pullerIteration(ignores *ignore.Matcher) int {
 	var doneWg sync.WaitGroup
 
 	if debug {
-		l.Debugln(p, "c", p.copiers, "p", p.pullers, "f", p.finishers)
+		l.Debugln(p, "c", p.copiers, "p", p.pullers)
 	}
 
 	for i := 0; i < p.copiers; i++ {
@@ -279,14 +278,12 @@ func (p *Puller) pullerIteration(ignores *ignore.Matcher) int {
 		}()
 	}
 
-	for i := 0; i < p.finishers; i++ {
-		doneWg.Add(1)
-		// finisherRoutine finishes when finisherChan is closed
-		go func() {
-			p.finisherRoutine(finisherChan)
-			doneWg.Done()
-		}()
-	}
+	doneWg.Add(1)
+	// finisherRoutine finishes when finisherChan is closed
+	go func() {
+		p.finisherRoutine(finisherChan)
+		doneWg.Done()
+	}()
 
 	p.model.fmut.RLock()
 	folderFiles := p.model.folderFiles[p.folder]
diff --git a/internal/scanner/walk.go b/internal/scanner/walk.go
index cf9099bd3..624228883 100644
--- a/internal/scanner/walk.go
+++ b/internal/scanner/walk.go
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ type Walker struct {
 	// detected. Scanned files will get zero permission bits and the
 	// NoPermissionBits flag set.
 	IgnorePerms bool
+	// Number of routines to use for hashing
+	Hashers int
 }
 
 type TempNamer interface {
@@ -75,9 +77,14 @@ func (w *Walker) Walk() (chan protocol.FileInfo, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	workers := w.Hashers
+	if workers < 1 {
+		workers = runtime.NumCPU()
+	}
+
 	files := make(chan protocol.FileInfo)
 	hashedFiles := make(chan protocol.FileInfo)
-	newParallelHasher(w.Dir, w.BlockSize, runtime.NumCPU(), hashedFiles, files)
+	newParallelHasher(w.Dir, w.BlockSize, workers, hashedFiles, files)
 
 	go func() {
 		hashFiles := w.walkAndHashFiles(files)