diff --git a/src/cluster.jl b/src/cluster.jl
index d2cbe55e63270..3fd3d63108297 100644
--- a/src/cluster.jl
+++ b/src/cluster.jl
@@ -1331,7 +1331,10 @@ function process_opts(opts)
     end
 
     # Propagate --threads to workers
-    exeflags = opts.nthreads > 0 ? `--threads=$(opts.nthreads)` : ``
+    threads = opts.nthreads > 0 ? `--threads=$(opts.nthreads)` : ``
+    gcthreads = opts.ngcthreads > 0 ? `--gcthreads=$(opts.ngcthreads)` : ``
+
+    exeflags = `$threads $gcthreads`
 
     # add processors
     if opts.nprocs > 0