diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d065ff7..1186a61 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -545,8 +545,11 @@ Command Line Options
 * --loadavg-target (-g) LOADAVG
   * Specify load average target for dynamic worker threads.
     Threads will be started or stopped subject to the upper limit imposed
-    by thread-factor and thread-count until the load average is within
-    +/- 0.5 of LOADAVG.
+    by thread-factor, thread-min and thread-count until the load average
+    is within +/- 0.5 of LOADAVG.
+* --thread-min (-G) COUNT
+  * Specify minimum number of worker threads for scanning.
+    Ignored unless -g option is used to specify a target load.
 
 * --scan-mode (-m) MODE
   * Specify extent scanning algorithm.  Default mode is 0.
diff --git a/include/crucible/task.h b/include/crucible/task.h
index 755eae2..ed60181 100644
--- a/include/crucible/task.h
+++ b/include/crucible/task.h
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ namespace crucible {
 		// Blocks until the running thread count reaches this number
 		static void set_thread_count(size_t threads);
 
+		// Sets minimum thread count when load average tracking enabled
+		static void set_thread_min_count(size_t min_threads);
+
 		// Calls set_thread_count with default
 		static void set_thread_count();
 
diff --git a/lib/task.cc b/lib/task.cc
index 8a981e4..4bdaeec 100644
--- a/lib/task.cc
+++ b/lib/task.cc
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ namespace crucible {
 		condition_variable 			m_condvar;
 		list<shared_ptr<TaskState>>		m_queue;
 		size_t					m_thread_max;
+		size_t					m_thread_min = 0;
 		set<shared_ptr<TaskConsumer>>		m_threads;
 		shared_ptr<thread>			m_load_tracking_thread;
 		double					m_load_target = 0;
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ namespace crucible {
 		void start_threads_nolock();
 		void start_stop_threads();
 		void set_thread_count(size_t thread_max);
+		void set_thread_min_count(size_t thread_min);
 		void adjust_thread_count();
 		size_t calculate_thread_count_nolock();
 		void set_loadavg_target(double target);
@@ -269,7 +271,7 @@ namespace crucible {
 		m_thread_target = min(max(0.0, m_thread_target), double(m_configured_thread_max));
 
 		// Convert to integer but keep within range
-		const size_t rv = min(size_t(ceil(m_thread_target)), m_configured_thread_max);
+		const size_t rv = max(m_thread_min, min(size_t(ceil(m_thread_target)), m_configured_thread_max));
 
 		return rv;
 	}
@@ -306,6 +308,22 @@ namespace crucible {
 		s_tms->set_thread_count(thread_max);
 	}
 
+	void
+	TaskMasterState::set_thread_min_count(size_t thread_min)
+	{
+		unique_lock<mutex> lock(m_mutex);
+		m_thread_min = thread_min;
+		lock.unlock();
+		adjust_thread_count();
+		start_stop_threads();
+	}
+
+	void
+	TaskMaster::set_thread_min_count(size_t thread_min)
+	{
+		s_tms->set_thread_min_count(thread_min);
+	}
+
 	void
 	TaskMasterState::loadavg_thread_fn()
 	{
diff --git a/src/bees.cc b/src/bees.cc
index 2bf4914..08c3fd7 100644
--- a/src/bees.cc
+++ b/src/bees.cc
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ do_cmd_help(char *argv[])
 		"\t-h, --help\t\tShow this help\n"
 		"\t-c, --thread-count\tWorker thread count (default CPU count * factor)\n"
 		"\t-C, --thread-factor\tWorker thread factor (default " << BEES_DEFAULT_THREAD_FACTOR << ")\n"
+		"\t-G, --thread-min\t\tMinimum worker thread count with load average target (default 0)\n"
 		"\t-g, --loadavg-target\t\tTarget load average for worker threads (default is no target)\n"
 		"\t-m, --scan-mode\t\tScanning mode (0..2, default 0)\n"
 		"\t-t, --timestamps\tShow timestamps in log output (default)\n"
@@ -653,6 +654,7 @@ bees_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	bool chatter_prefix_timestamp = true;
 	double thread_factor = 0;
 	unsigned thread_count = 0;
+	unsigned thread_min = 0;
 	double load_target = 0;
 
 	// Parse options
@@ -661,18 +663,19 @@ bees_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		int option_index = 0;
 		static const struct option long_options[] = {
 			{ "thread-factor",  required_argument, NULL, 'C' },
+			{ "thread-min",     required_argument, NULL, 'G' },
 			{ "strip-paths",    no_argument,       NULL, 'P' },
 			{ "no-timestamps",  no_argument,       NULL, 'T' },
 			{ "thread-count",   required_argument, NULL, 'c' },
-			{ "help",           no_argument,       NULL, 'h' },
 			{ "loadavg-target", required_argument, NULL, 'g' },
+			{ "help",           no_argument,       NULL, 'h' },
 			{ "scan-mode", 	    required_argument, NULL, 'm' },
 			{ "absolute-paths", no_argument,       NULL, 'p' },
 			{ "timestamps",     no_argument,       NULL, 't' },
 			{ "verbose",        required_argument, NULL, 'v' },
 		};
 
-		c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "C:PTc:hg:m:ptv:", long_options, &option_index);
+		c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "C:G:PTc:hg:m:ptv:", long_options, &option_index);
 		if (-1 == c) {
 			break;
 		}
@@ -682,6 +685,9 @@ bees_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			case 'C':
 				thread_factor = stod(optarg);
 				break;
+			case 'G':
+				thread_min = stoul(optarg);
+				break;
 			case 'P':
 				crucible::set_relative_path(cwd);
 				break;
@@ -748,10 +754,12 @@ bees_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	if (load_target != 0) {
 		BEESLOGNOTICE("setting load average target to " << load_target);
+		BEESLOGNOTICE("setting worker thread pool minimum size to " << thread_min);
+		TaskMaster::set_thread_min_count(thread_min);
 	}
 	TaskMaster::set_loadavg_target(load_target);
 
-	BEESLOGNOTICE("setting worker thread pool maximum size to " << load_target);
+	BEESLOGNOTICE("setting worker thread pool maximum size to " << thread_count);
 	TaskMaster::set_thread_count(thread_count);
 
 	// Create a context and start crawlers