diff --git a/python/dolma/cli/__main__.py b/python/dolma/cli/__main__.py
index 1300e13d..1e6a62dd 100644
--- a/python/dolma/cli/__main__.py
+++ b/python/dolma/cli/__main__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import multiprocessing
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import List, Optional
@@ -27,6 +28,14 @@
 
 
 def main(argv: Optional[List[str]] = None):
+    try:
+        # attempting to set start method to spawn in case it is not set
+        multiprocessing.set_start_method("spawn")
+    except RuntimeError:
+        # method already set, check if it is set to spawn
+        if multiprocessing.get_start_method() != "spawn":
+            raise RuntimeError("Multiprocessing start method must be set to spawn")
+
     parser = ArgumentParser(
         prog="dolma",
         usage="dolma [command] [options]",
diff --git a/scripts/make_wikipedia.py b/scripts/make_wikipedia.py
index f4422e2d..80b614a9 100644
--- a/scripts/make_wikipedia.py
+++ b/scripts/make_wikipedia.py
@@ -286,4 +286,7 @@ def main():
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
+    # setting multiprocessing start method to spawn
+    multiprocessing.set_start_method("spawn")
+
     main()