diff --git a/zero/src/bin/leader.rs b/zero/src/bin/leader.rs
index abf19bde3..728f6bb0e 100644
--- a/zero/src/bin/leader.rs
+++ b/zero/src/bin/leader.rs
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
 
     let runtime = Arc::new(Runtime::from_config(&args.paladin, register()).await?);
     let prover_config: ProverConfig = args.prover_config.into();
+    if prover_config.block_pool_size == 0 {
+        panic!("block-pool-size must be greater than 0");
+    }
 
     // If not in test_only mode and running in emulation mode, we'll need to
     // initialize the prover state here.
diff --git a/zero/src/prover.rs b/zero/src/prover.rs
index 794c61878..02360e0f7 100644
--- a/zero/src/prover.rs
+++ b/zero/src/prover.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ use crate::ops;
 //
 // While proving a block interval, we will output proofs corresponding to block
 // batches as soon as they are generated.
-const DEFAULT_PARALLEL_BLOCK_PROVING_PERMIT_POOL_SIZE: usize = 16;
 static PARALLEL_BLOCK_PROVING_PERMIT_POOL: Semaphore = Semaphore::const_new(0);
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
@@ -243,14 +242,7 @@ pub async fn prove(
         std::result::Result<std::result::Result<u64, anyhow::Error>, anyhow::Error>,
     > = JoinSet::new();
 
-    if prover_config.block_pool_size > 0 {
-        PARALLEL_BLOCK_PROVING_PERMIT_POOL.add_permits(prover_config.block_pool_size);
-    } else {
-        anyhow::bail!(
-            "block_pool_size should be greater than 0, value passed from cli is {}",
-            prover_config.block_pool_size
-        );
-    }
+    PARALLEL_BLOCK_PROVING_PERMIT_POOL.add_permits(prover_config.block_pool_size);
 
     while let Some((block_prover_input, is_last_block)) = block_receiver.recv().await {
         block_counter += 1;
diff --git a/zero/src/prover/cli.rs b/zero/src/prover/cli.rs
index 94ca03ed4..a6cdaebf9 100644
--- a/zero/src/prover/cli.rs
+++ b/zero/src/prover/cli.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ pub struct CliProverConfig {
     /// generate one proof file.
     #[arg(long, default_value_t = 8)]
     block_batch_size: usize,
-    /// The maximum number of block proving tasks that can run in parallel.
+    /// The maximum number of block proving tasks that can run in parallel. Must
+    /// be greater than zero.
     #[arg(long, default_value_t = 16)]
     block_pool_size: usize,
 }