diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index 8789fcde1c..caac8805b1 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ static const uint32_t MAX_CONCURRENT_RESOURCE_DOWNLOADS = 4;
 // For processing on QThreadPool, we target a number of threads after reserving some
 // based on how many are being consumed by the application and the display plugin.  However,
 // we will never drop below the 'min' value
-static const int MIN_PROCESSING_THREAD_POOL_SIZE = 1;
+static const int MIN_PROCESSING_THREAD_POOL_SIZE = 2;
 
 static const QString SNAPSHOT_EXTENSION = ".jpg";
 static const QString JPG_EXTENSION = ".jpg";
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/libraries/display-plugins/src/display-plugins/hmd/HmdDisplayPlugin.h b/libraries/display-plugins/src/display-plugins/hmd/HmdDisplayPlugin.h
index 5317ec54da..36810681ad 100644
--- a/libraries/display-plugins/src/display-plugins/hmd/HmdDisplayPlugin.h
+++ b/libraries/display-plugins/src/display-plugins/hmd/HmdDisplayPlugin.h
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ public:
     void updateVisionSqueezeParameters(float visionSqueezeX, float visionSqueezeY, float visionSqueezeTransition,
                                        int visionSqueezePerEye, float visionSqueezeGroundPlaneY,
                                        float visionSqueezeSpotlightSize);
+    // Attempt to reserve two threads.
+    int getRequiredThreadCount() const override { return 2; }
 
 signals:
     void hmdMountedChanged();