diff --git a/libraries/display-plugins/src/display-plugins/OpenGLDisplayPlugin.h b/libraries/display-plugins/src/display-plugins/OpenGLDisplayPlugin.h
index 5eebd92fba..a8d7847c09 100644
--- a/libraries/display-plugins/src/display-plugins/OpenGLDisplayPlugin.h
+++ b/libraries/display-plugins/src/display-plugins/OpenGLDisplayPlugin.h
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ public:
     void setVsyncEnabled(bool vsyncEnabled) { _vsyncEnabled = vsyncEnabled; }
     bool isVsyncEnabled() const { return _vsyncEnabled; }
     // Three threads, one for rendering, one for texture transfers, one reserved for the GL driver
-    int getRequiredThreadCount() const override { return 3; }
+    // Drop to one reserved for better other-task performance in desktop
+    int getRequiredThreadCount() const override { return 1; }
 
     virtual std::function<void(gpu::Batch&, const gpu::TexturePointer&)> getHUDOperator() override;
     void copyTextureToQuickFramebuffer(NetworkTexturePointer source,
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.h b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.h
index d442c365ae..0805623b76 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.h
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.h
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ public:
 
     virtual StencilMaskMode getStencilMaskMode() const override { return StencilMaskMode::MESH; }
     virtual StencilMaskMeshOperator getStencilMaskMeshOperator() override;
+    // Attempt to reserve two threads.
+    int getRequiredThreadCount() const override { return 2; }
 
 protected:
     void customizeContext() override;