diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index 7fb800c420..7e834ffd61 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -360,8 +360,8 @@ jobs:
     - run: rustup target add wasm32-wasi
     - name: Install Rust
       run: rustup update stable && rustup default stable
-    - run: cargo bench
-    - run: cargo bench --features uffd
+    - run: cargo test --benches --release
+    - run: cargo test --benches --release --features uffd
 
   # Verify that cranelift's code generation is deterministic
   meta_determinist_check:
diff --git a/benches/instantiation.rs b/benches/instantiation.rs
index 2e919c4d87..8ad3d2da22 100644
--- a/benches/instantiation.rs
+++ b/benches/instantiation.rs
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ fn bench_parallel(c: &mut Criterion, path: &Path) {
             (engine, pre)
         });
 
-        for threads in 1..=num_cpus::get_physical() {
+        for threads in 1..=num_cpus::get_physical().min(16) {
             let name = format!(
                 "{}: with {} thread{}",
                 path.file_name().unwrap().to_str().unwrap(),