diff --git a/backend/open_webui/__init__.py b/backend/open_webui/__init__.py
index d85be48da..0c70cb63a 100644
--- a/backend/open_webui/__init__.py
+++ b/backend/open_webui/__init__.py
@@ -73,8 +73,15 @@ def serve(
             os.environ["LD_LIBRARY_PATH"] = ":".join(LD_LIBRARY_PATH)
 
     import open_webui.main  # we need set environment variables before importing main
+    from open_webui.env import UVICORN_WORKERS  # Import the workers setting
 
-    uvicorn.run(open_webui.main.app, host=host, port=port, forwarded_allow_ips="*")
+    uvicorn.run(
+        open_webui.main.app, 
+        host=host, 
+        port=port, 
+        forwarded_allow_ips="*",
+        workers=UVICORN_WORKERS
+    )
 
 
 @app.command()
diff --git a/backend/open_webui/env.py b/backend/open_webui/env.py
index e3819fdc5..49aee4457 100644
--- a/backend/open_webui/env.py
+++ b/backend/open_webui/env.py
@@ -326,6 +326,20 @@ REDIS_URL = os.environ.get("REDIS_URL", "")
 REDIS_SENTINEL_HOSTS = os.environ.get("REDIS_SENTINEL_HOSTS", "")
 REDIS_SENTINEL_PORT = os.environ.get("REDIS_SENTINEL_PORT", "26379")
 
+####################################
+# UVICORN WORKERS
+####################################
+
+# Number of uvicorn worker processes for handling requests
+UVICORN_WORKERS = os.environ.get("UVICORN_WORKERS", "1")
+try:
+    UVICORN_WORKERS = int(UVICORN_WORKERS)
+    if UVICORN_WORKERS < 1:
+        UVICORN_WORKERS = 1
+except ValueError:
+    UVICORN_WORKERS = 1
+    log.info(f"Invalid UVICORN_WORKERS value, defaulting to {UVICORN_WORKERS}")
+
 ####################################
 # WEBUI_AUTH (Required for security)
 ####################################
diff --git a/backend/start.sh b/backend/start.sh
index 671c22ff7..b9a30fd3d 100755
--- a/backend/start.sh
+++ b/backend/start.sh
@@ -65,4 +65,4 @@ if [ -n "$SPACE_ID" ]; then
   export WEBUI_URL=${SPACE_HOST}
 fi
 
-WEBUI_SECRET_KEY="$WEBUI_SECRET_KEY" exec uvicorn open_webui.main:app --host "$HOST" --port "$PORT" --forwarded-allow-ips '*'
+WEBUI_SECRET_KEY="$WEBUI_SECRET_KEY" exec uvicorn open_webui.main:app --host "$HOST" --port "$PORT" --forwarded-allow-ips '*' --workers "${UVICORN_WORKERS:-1}"
diff --git a/backend/start_windows.bat b/backend/start_windows.bat
index 19f6f123c..661ecc494 100644
--- a/backend/start_windows.bat
+++ b/backend/start_windows.bat
@@ -41,5 +41,6 @@ IF "%WEBUI_SECRET_KEY%%WEBUI_JWT_SECRET_KEY%" == " " (
 
 :: Execute uvicorn
 SET "WEBUI_SECRET_KEY=%WEBUI_SECRET_KEY%"
-uvicorn open_webui.main:app --host "%HOST%" --port "%PORT%" --forwarded-allow-ips '*' --ws auto
+IF "%UVICORN_WORKERS%"=="" SET UVICORN_WORKERS=1
+uvicorn open_webui.main:app --host "%HOST%" --port "%PORT%" --forwarded-allow-ips '*' --workers %UVICORN_WORKERS% --ws auto
 :: For ssl user uvicorn open_webui.main:app --host "%HOST%" --port "%PORT%" --forwarded-allow-ips '*' --ssl-keyfile "key.pem" --ssl-certfile "cert.pem" --ws auto