diff --git a/modules/common/src/main/scala/docspell/common/Pools.scala b/modules/common/src/main/scala/docspell/common/Pools.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fd30b9fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/common/src/main/scala/docspell/common/Pools.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package docspell.common
+
+import cats.effect._
+import scala.concurrent.ExecutionContext
+
+/** Captures thread pools to use in an application.
+  */
+case class Pools(
+    connectEC: ExecutionContext,
+    httpClientEC: ExecutionContext,
+    blocker: Blocker,
+    restEC: ExecutionContext
+)
diff --git a/modules/common/src/main/scala/docspell/common/ThreadFactories.scala b/modules/common/src/main/scala/docspell/common/ThreadFactories.scala
index 57f225c5..e3e4cc9d 100644
--- a/modules/common/src/main/scala/docspell/common/ThreadFactories.scala
+++ b/modules/common/src/main/scala/docspell/common/ThreadFactories.scala
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicLong
 import java.util.concurrent.{Executors, ThreadFactory}
 import cats.effect._
 import scala.concurrent._
+import java.util.concurrent.ForkJoinPool
+import java.util.concurrent.ForkJoinPool.ForkJoinWorkerThreadFactory
+import java.util.concurrent.ForkJoinWorkerThread
 
 object ThreadFactories {
 
@@ -19,6 +22,18 @@ object ThreadFactories {
       }
     }
 
+  def ofNameFJ(prefix: String): ForkJoinWorkerThreadFactory =
+    new ForkJoinWorkerThreadFactory {
+      val tf      = ForkJoinPool.defaultForkJoinWorkerThreadFactory
+      val counter = new AtomicLong(0)
+
+      def newThread(pool: ForkJoinPool): ForkJoinWorkerThread = {
+        val t = tf.newThread(pool)
+        t.setName(s"$prefix-${counter.getAndIncrement()}")
+        t
+      }
+    }
+
   def executorResource[F[_]: Sync](
       c: => ExecutionContextExecutorService
   ): Resource[F, ExecutionContextExecutorService] =
@@ -38,4 +53,19 @@ object ThreadFactories {
     executorResource(
       ExecutionContext.fromExecutorService(Executors.newFixedThreadPool(n, tf))
     )
+
+  def workSteal[F[_]: Sync](
+      n: Int,
+      tf: ForkJoinWorkerThreadFactory
+  ): Resource[F, ExecutionContextExecutorService] =
+    executorResource(
+      ExecutionContext.fromExecutorService(
+        new ForkJoinPool(n, tf, null, true)
+      )
+    )
+
+  def workSteal[F[_]: Sync](
+      tf: ForkJoinWorkerThreadFactory
+  ): Resource[F, ExecutionContextExecutorService] =
+    workSteal[F](Runtime.getRuntime().availableProcessors() + 1, tf)
 }
diff --git a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/JoexServer.scala b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/JoexServer.scala
index c5966549..58884c9e 100644
--- a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/JoexServer.scala
+++ b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/JoexServer.scala
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package docspell.joex
 
 import cats.effect._
 import cats.effect.concurrent.Ref
+import docspell.common.Pools
 import docspell.joex.routes._
 import org.http4s.server.blaze.BlazeServerBuilder
 import org.http4s.implicits._
@@ -11,8 +12,6 @@ import org.http4s.HttpApp
 import org.http4s.server.middleware.Logger
 import org.http4s.server.Router
 
-import scala.concurrent.ExecutionContext
-
 object JoexServer {
 
   private case class App[F[_]](
@@ -23,15 +22,14 @@ object JoexServer {
 
   def stream[F[_]: ConcurrentEffect: ContextShift](
       cfg: Config,
-      connectEC: ExecutionContext,
-      clientEC: ExecutionContext,
-      blocker: Blocker
+      pools: Pools
   )(implicit T: Timer[F]): Stream[F, Nothing] = {
 
     val app = for {
       signal   <- Resource.liftF(SignallingRef[F, Boolean](false))
       exitCode <- Resource.liftF(Ref[F].of(ExitCode.Success))
-      joexApp  <- JoexAppImpl.create[F](cfg, signal, connectEC, clientEC, blocker)
+      joexApp <- JoexAppImpl
+        .create[F](cfg, signal, pools.connectEC, pools.httpClientEC, pools.blocker)
 
       httpApp = Router(
         "/api/info" -> InfoRoutes(),
@@ -46,7 +44,7 @@ object JoexServer {
     Stream
       .resource(app)
       .flatMap(app =>
-        BlazeServerBuilder[F]
+        BlazeServerBuilder[F](pools.restEC)
           .bindHttp(cfg.bind.port, cfg.bind.address)
           .withHttpApp(app.httpApp)
           .withoutBanner
diff --git a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/Main.scala b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/Main.scala
index e4f234b6..2a324a3d 100644
--- a/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/Main.scala
+++ b/modules/joex/src/main/scala/docspell/joex/Main.scala
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@ import cats.effect.{Blocker, ExitCode, IO, IOApp}
 import cats.implicits._
 
 import java.nio.file.{Files, Paths}
-import scala.concurrent.ExecutionContext
 
-import docspell.common.{Banner, ThreadFactories}
+import docspell.common.{Banner, Pools, ThreadFactories}
 import org.log4s._
 
 object Main extends IOApp {
@@ -16,6 +15,8 @@ object Main extends IOApp {
     ThreadFactories.cached[IO](ThreadFactories.ofName("docspell-joex-blocking"))
   val connectEC =
     ThreadFactories.fixed[IO](5, ThreadFactories.ofName("docspell-joex-dbconnect"))
+  val restserverEC =
+    ThreadFactories.workSteal[IO](ThreadFactories.ofNameFJ("docspell-joex-server"))
 
   def run(args: List[String]) = {
     args match {
@@ -52,19 +53,14 @@ object Main extends IOApp {
       cec <- connectEC
       bec <- blockingEC
       blocker = Blocker.liftExecutorService(bec)
-    } yield Pools(cec, bec, blocker)
+      rec <- restserverEC
+    } yield Pools(cec, bec, blocker, rec)
     pools.use(p =>
       JoexServer
-        .stream[IO](cfg, p.connectEC, p.clientEC, p.blocker)
+        .stream[IO](cfg, p)
         .compile
         .drain
         .as(ExitCode.Success)
     )
   }
-
-  case class Pools(
-      connectEC: ExecutionContext,
-      clientEC: ExecutionContext,
-      blocker: Blocker
-  )
 }
diff --git a/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/Main.scala b/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/Main.scala
index 99ed9bb3..eceeba3e 100644
--- a/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/Main.scala
+++ b/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/Main.scala
@@ -3,10 +3,9 @@ package docspell.restserver
 import cats.effect._
 import cats.implicits._
 
-import scala.concurrent.ExecutionContext
 import java.nio.file.{Files, Paths}
 
-import docspell.common.{Banner, ThreadFactories}
+import docspell.common.{Banner, Pools, ThreadFactories}
 import org.log4s._
 
 object Main extends IOApp {
@@ -16,6 +15,8 @@ object Main extends IOApp {
     ThreadFactories.cached[IO](ThreadFactories.ofName("docspell-restserver-blocking"))
   val connectEC =
     ThreadFactories.fixed[IO](5, ThreadFactories.ofName("docspell-dbconnect"))
+  val restserverEC =
+    ThreadFactories.workSteal[IO](ThreadFactories.ofNameFJ("docspell-restserver"))
 
   def run(args: List[String]) = {
     args match {
@@ -51,21 +52,16 @@ object Main extends IOApp {
       cec <- connectEC
       bec <- blockingEC
       blocker = Blocker.liftExecutorService(bec)
-    } yield Pools(cec, bec, blocker)
+      rec <- restserverEC
+    } yield Pools(cec, bec, blocker, rec)
 
     logger.info(s"\n${banner.render("***>")}")
     pools.use(p =>
       RestServer
-        .stream[IO](cfg, p.connectEC, p.clientEC, p.blocker)
+        .stream[IO](cfg, p)
         .compile
         .drain
         .as(ExitCode.Success)
     )
   }
-
-  case class Pools(
-      connectEC: ExecutionContext,
-      clientEC: ExecutionContext,
-      blocker: Blocker
-  )
 }
diff --git a/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/RestServer.scala b/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/RestServer.scala
index 53ee45e3..2abbf53d 100644
--- a/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/RestServer.scala
+++ b/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/RestServer.scala
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package docspell.restserver
 
 import cats.effect._
 import cats.data.{Kleisli, OptionT}
+import docspell.common.Pools
 import docspell.backend.auth.AuthToken
 import docspell.restserver.routes._
 import docspell.restserver.webapp._
@@ -13,20 +14,17 @@ import org.http4s.server.Router
 import org.http4s.server.blaze.BlazeServerBuilder
 import org.http4s.server.middleware.Logger
 
-import scala.concurrent.ExecutionContext
-
 object RestServer {
 
   def stream[F[_]: ConcurrentEffect](
       cfg: Config,
-      connectEC: ExecutionContext,
-      httpClientEc: ExecutionContext,
-      blocker: Blocker
+      pools: Pools
   )(implicit T: Timer[F], CS: ContextShift[F]): Stream[F, Nothing] = {
 
-    val templates = TemplateRoutes[F](blocker, cfg)
+    val templates = TemplateRoutes[F](pools.blocker, cfg)
     val app = for {
-      restApp <- RestAppImpl.create[F](cfg, connectEC, httpClientEc, blocker)
+      restApp <- RestAppImpl
+        .create[F](cfg, pools.connectEC, pools.httpClientEC, pools.blocker)
       httpApp = Router(
         "/api/info"     -> routes.InfoRoutes(),
         "/api/v1/open/" -> openRoutes(cfg, restApp),
@@ -34,7 +32,7 @@ object RestServer {
           securedRoutes(cfg, restApp, token)
         },
         "/api/doc"    -> templates.doc,
-        "/app/assets" -> WebjarRoutes.appRoutes[F](blocker),
+        "/app/assets" -> WebjarRoutes.appRoutes[F](pools.blocker),
         "/app"        -> templates.app,
         "/"           -> redirectTo("/app")
       ).orNotFound
@@ -46,7 +44,7 @@ object RestServer {
     Stream
       .resource(app)
       .flatMap(httpApp =>
-        BlazeServerBuilder[F]
+        BlazeServerBuilder[F](pools.restEC)
           .bindHttp(cfg.bind.port, cfg.bind.address)
           .withHttpApp(httpApp)
           .withoutBanner
diff --git a/project/Dependencies.scala b/project/Dependencies.scala
index aff9894a..7a38ea5e 100644
--- a/project/Dependencies.scala
+++ b/project/Dependencies.scala
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ object Dependencies {
   val FlywayVersion = "6.4.0"
   val Fs2Version = "2.3.0"
   val H2Version = "1.4.200"
-  val Http4sVersion = "0.21.3"
+  val Http4sVersion = "0.21.4"
   val Icu4jVersion = "67.1"
   val JsoupVersion = "1.13.1"
   val KindProjectorVersion = "0.10.3"