diff --git a/pkg/cvo/sync_worker.go b/pkg/cvo/sync_worker.go
index 96e0f165e..639c3d1d8 100644
--- a/pkg/cvo/sync_worker.go
+++ b/pkg/cvo/sync_worker.go
@@ -463,9 +463,9 @@ func (w *SyncWorker) apply(ctx context.Context, payloadUpdate *payload.Update, w
 	graph := payload.NewTaskGraph(tasks)
 	graph.Split(payload.SplitOnJobs)
 	if work.State == payload.InitializingPayload {
-		// get the payload out via brute force
-		maxWorkers = len(tasks)
 		graph.Parallelize(payload.FlattenByNumberAndComponent)
+		// get the payload out via brute force
+		maxWorkers = len(graph.Nodes)
 	} else {
 		graph.Parallelize(payload.ByNumberAndComponent)
 	}