diff --git a/sqlmesh/core/config/loader.py b/sqlmesh/core/config/loader.py
index 75915800e6..2d202cb276 100644
--- a/sqlmesh/core/config/loader.py
+++ b/sqlmesh/core/config/loader.py
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ def load_config_from_paths(
                 dbt_profile_name=kwargs.pop("profile", None),
                 dbt_target_name=kwargs.pop("target", None),
                 variables=variables,
+                threads=kwargs.pop("threads", None),
             )
             if type(dbt_python_config) != config_type:
                 dbt_python_config = convert_config_type(dbt_python_config, config_type)
diff --git a/sqlmesh/dbt/loader.py b/sqlmesh/dbt/loader.py
index eb117a3e40..39973776a8 100644
--- a/sqlmesh/dbt/loader.py
+++ b/sqlmesh/dbt/loader.py
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ def sqlmesh_config(
     dbt_profile_name: t.Optional[str] = None,
     dbt_target_name: t.Optional[str] = None,
     variables: t.Optional[t.Dict[str, t.Any]] = None,
+    threads: t.Optional[int] = None,
     register_comments: t.Optional[bool] = None,
     **kwargs: t.Any,
 ) -> Config:
@@ -67,6 +68,10 @@ def sqlmesh_config(
     if not issubclass(loader, DbtLoader):
         raise ConfigError("The loader must be a DbtLoader.")
 
+    if threads is not None:
+        # the to_sqlmesh() function on TargetConfig maps self.threads -> concurrent_tasks
+        profile.target.threads = threads
+
     return Config(
         loader=loader,
         model_defaults=model_defaults,
diff --git a/sqlmesh_dbt/cli.py b/sqlmesh_dbt/cli.py
index 83230de3fd..ec11e7730e 100644
--- a/sqlmesh_dbt/cli.py
+++ b/sqlmesh_dbt/cli.py
@@ -8,11 +8,13 @@
 import functools
 
 
-def _get_dbt_operations(ctx: click.Context, vars: t.Optional[t.Dict[str, t.Any]]) -> DbtOperations:
+def _get_dbt_operations(
+    ctx: click.Context, vars: t.Optional[t.Dict[str, t.Any]], threads: t.Optional[int] = None
+) -> DbtOperations:
     if not isinstance(ctx.obj, functools.partial):
         raise ValueError(f"Unexpected click context object: {type(ctx.obj)}")
 
-    dbt_operations = ctx.obj(vars=vars)
+    dbt_operations = ctx.obj(vars=vars, threads=threads)
 
     if not isinstance(dbt_operations, DbtOperations):
         raise ValueError(f"Unexpected dbt operations type: {type(dbt_operations)}")
@@ -128,16 +130,22 @@ def dbt(
 @click.option(
     "--empty/--no-empty", default=False, help="If specified, limit input refs and sources"
 )
+@click.option(
+    "--threads",
+    type=int,
+    help="Specify number of threads to use while executing models. Overrides settings in profiles.yml.",
+)
 @vars_option
 @click.pass_context
 def run(
     ctx: click.Context,
     vars: t.Optional[t.Dict[str, t.Any]],
+    threads: t.Optional[int],
     env: t.Optional[str] = None,
     **kwargs: t.Any,
 ) -> None:
     """Compile SQL and execute against the current target database."""
-    _get_dbt_operations(ctx, vars).run(environment=env, **kwargs)
+    _get_dbt_operations(ctx, vars, threads).run(environment=env, **kwargs)
 
 
 @dbt.command(name="list")
diff --git a/sqlmesh_dbt/operations.py b/sqlmesh_dbt/operations.py
index 6e8b452b28..cb1ac217cc 100644
--- a/sqlmesh_dbt/operations.py
+++ b/sqlmesh_dbt/operations.py
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@ def create(
     profile: t.Optional[str] = None,
     target: t.Optional[str] = None,
     vars: t.Optional[t.Dict[str, t.Any]] = None,
+    threads: t.Optional[int] = None,
     debug: bool = False,
 ) -> DbtOperations:
     with Progress(transient=True) as progress:
@@ -265,7 +266,9 @@ def create(
 
         sqlmesh_context = Context(
             paths=[project_dir],
-            config_loader_kwargs=dict(profile=profile, target=target, variables=vars),
+            config_loader_kwargs=dict(
+                profile=profile, target=target, variables=vars, threads=threads
+            ),
             load=True,
             # DbtSelector selects based on dbt model fqn's rather than SQLMesh model names
             selector=DbtSelector,
diff --git a/tests/dbt/cli/test_operations.py b/tests/dbt/cli/test_operations.py
index b23c87882a..139336297c 100644
--- a/tests/dbt/cli/test_operations.py
+++ b/tests/dbt/cli/test_operations.py
@@ -333,3 +333,33 @@ def test_run_option_full_refresh_with_selector(jaffle_shop_duckdb: Path):
     assert not plan.empty_backfill
     assert not plan.skip_backfill
     assert plan.models_to_backfill == set(['"jaffle_shop"."main"."stg_customers"'])
+
+
+def test_create_sets_concurrent_tasks_based_on_threads(create_empty_project: EmptyProjectCreator):
+    project_dir, _ = create_empty_project(project_name="test")
+
+    # add a postgres target because duckdb overrides to concurrent_tasks=1 regardless of what gets specified
+    profiles_yml_file = project_dir / "profiles.yml"
+    profiles_yml = yaml.load(profiles_yml_file)
+    profiles_yml["test"]["outputs"]["postgres"] = {
+        "type": "postgres",
+        "host": "localhost",
+        "port": 5432,
+        "user": "postgres",
+        "password": "postgres",
+        "dbname": "test",
+        "schema": "test",
+    }
+    profiles_yml_file.write_text(yaml.dump(profiles_yml))
+
+    operations = create(project_dir=project_dir, target="postgres")
+
+    assert operations.context.concurrent_tasks == 1  # 1 is the default
+
+    operations = create(project_dir=project_dir, threads=16, target="postgres")
+
+    assert operations.context.concurrent_tasks == 16
+    assert all(
+        g.connection and g.connection.concurrent_tasks == 16
+        for g in operations.context.config.gateways.values()
+    )
diff --git a/tests/dbt/cli/test_run.py b/tests/dbt/cli/test_run.py
index 755553bb57..4fdb7a0cdb 100644
--- a/tests/dbt/cli/test_run.py
+++ b/tests/dbt/cli/test_run.py
@@ -83,3 +83,11 @@ def test_run_with_changes_and_full_refresh(
         ("foo", "bar", "changed"),
         ("baz", "bing", "changed"),
     ]
+
+
+def test_run_with_threads(jaffle_shop_duckdb: Path, invoke_cli: t.Callable[..., Result]):
+    result = invoke_cli(["run", "--threads", "4"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    assert not result.exception
+
+    assert "Model batches executed" in result.output