diff --git a/benchs/run_benchs.ml b/benchs/run_benchs.ml
index a4ab4dce..a7c5c1d1 100644
--- a/benchs/run_benchs.ml
+++ b/benchs/run_benchs.ml
@@ -1010,7 +1010,7 @@ module Thread = struct
       ]
 
   let fib_pool_ ~size n =
-    let module P = CCPool.Make(struct let max_size = size end) in
+    let module P = CCPool.Make(struct let min_size = 0 let max_size = size end) in
     let open P.Fut.Infix in
     let rec fib n =
       if n<=1 then P.Fut.return 1
@@ -1037,7 +1037,7 @@ module Thread = struct
       ]
 
   let bench_sequence ~size n =
-    let module P = CCPool.Make(struct let max_size = size end) in
+    let module P = CCPool.Make(struct let min_size = 0 let max_size = size end) in
     let id_ x = Thread.delay 0.0001; x in
     let mk_list() = CCList.init n (P.Fut.make1 id_) in
     let mk_sequence () =
diff --git a/src/threads/CCPool.ml b/src/threads/CCPool.ml
index f4aca08e..86ea2bf5 100644
--- a/src/threads/CCPool.ml
+++ b/src/threads/CCPool.ml
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ type +'a state =
   | Failed of exn
 
 module type PARAM = sig
+  val min_size : int
+  (** Minimum number of threads in the pool *)
+
   val max_size : int
   (** Maximum number of threads in the pool *)
 end
@@ -16,7 +19,7 @@ end
 exception Stopped
 
 (*$inject
-  module P = Make(struct let max_size = 30 end)
+  module P = Make(struct let min_size = 0 let max_size = 30 end)
   module Fut = P.Fut
   open Fut.Infix
 *)
@@ -33,8 +36,10 @@ module Make(P : PARAM) = struct
     mutable stop : bool;  (* indicate that threads should stop *)
     mutable exn_handler: (exn -> unit);
     mutex : Mutex.t;
+    cond : Condition.t;
     jobs : job Queue.t;  (* waiting jobs *)
-    mutable cur_size : int;  (* total number of threads *)
+    mutable cur_size : int; (* total number of threads *)
+    mutable cur_idle : int; (* number of idle threads *)
   } (** Dynamic, growable thread pool *)
 
   let nop_ _ = ()
@@ -43,7 +48,9 @@ module Make(P : PARAM) = struct
   let pool = {
     stop = false;
     exn_handler = nop_;
+    cond = Condition.create();
     cur_size = 0;
+    cur_idle = 0;
     jobs = Queue.create ();
     mutex = Mutex.create ();
   }
@@ -60,20 +67,27 @@ module Make(P : PARAM) = struct
       Mutex.unlock t.mutex;
       raise e
 
+  let incr_size_ p = p.cur_size <- p.cur_size + 1
+  let decr_size_ p = p.cur_size <- p.cur_size - 1
+
   (* next thing a thread should do *)
   type command =
     | Process of job
+    | Wait (* wait on condition *)
     | Die (* thread has no work to do *)
 
   (* thread: seek what to do next (including dying).
      Assumes the pool is locked. *)
   let get_next_ pool =
-    if pool.stop || Queue.is_empty pool.jobs then (
+    if pool.stop
+    || (Queue.is_empty pool.jobs && pool.cur_size > P.min_size) then (
       (* die: the thread would be idle otherwise  *)
       assert (pool.cur_size > 0);
-      pool.cur_size <- pool.cur_size - 1;
+      decr_size_ pool;
       Die
-    ) else (
+    )
+    else if Queue.is_empty pool.jobs then Wait
+    else (
       let job = Queue.pop pool.jobs in
       Process job
     )
@@ -86,6 +100,8 @@ module Make(P : PARAM) = struct
   (* run a command *)
   and run_cmd = function
     | Die -> ()
+    | Wait ->
+        with_lock_ pool (fun p -> Condition.wait p.cond p.mutex)
     | Process (Job1 (f, x)) ->
         begin try ignore (f x) with e -> pool.exn_handler e end; serve pool
     | Process (Job2 (f, x, y)) ->
@@ -95,10 +111,15 @@ module Make(P : PARAM) = struct
     | Process (Job4 (f, x, y, z, w)) ->
         begin try ignore (f x y z w) with e -> pool.exn_handler e end; serve pool
 
-  (* heuristic criterion for starting a new thread. *)
-  let should_start_thread p = p.cur_size < P.max_size
+  (* create a new worker thread *)
+  let launch_worker_ pool = ignore (Thread.create serve pool)
 
-  let incr_size_ p = p.cur_size <- p.cur_size +1
+  (* launch the minimum required number of threads *)
+  let () =
+    for _i = 1 to P.min_size do launch_worker_ pool done
+
+  (* heuristic criterion for starting a new thread. *)
+  let can_start_thread_ p = p.cur_size < P.max_size
 
   let run_job job =
     (* acquire lock and push job in queue, or start thread directly
@@ -106,19 +127,21 @@ module Make(P : PARAM) = struct
     with_lock_ pool
       (fun pool ->
         if pool.stop then raise Stopped;
-        if Queue.is_empty pool.jobs && should_start_thread pool
+        if Queue.is_empty pool.jobs && can_start_thread_ pool && pool.cur_idle = 0
         then (
-          pool.cur_size <- pool.cur_size + 1;
-          (* create the thread now, on [job], as it will not
-             break order *)
+          (* create the thread now, on [job], as it will not break order of
+             jobs. We do not want to wait for the busy threads to do our task
+             if we are allowed to spawn a new thread. *)
+          incr_size_ pool;
           ignore (Thread.create run_cmd (Process job))
         ) else (
-          assert (pool.cur_size > 0);
+          (* cannot start thread, push and wait for some worker to pick it up *)
           Queue.push job pool.jobs;
-          (* might want to process in the background *)
-          if should_start_thread pool then (
+          Condition.signal pool.cond; (* wake up *)
+          (* might want to process in the background, if all threads are busy *)
+          if pool.cur_idle = 0 && can_start_thread_ pool then (
             incr_size_ pool;
-            ignore (Thread.create serve pool);
+            launch_worker_ pool;
           )
         ))
 
@@ -142,6 +165,9 @@ module Make(P : PARAM) = struct
         p.stop <- true;
         Queue.clear p.jobs)
 
+  (* stop threads if pool is GC'd *)
+  let () = Gc.finalise (fun _ -> stop ()) pool
+
   (** {6 Futures} *)
   module Fut = struct
     type 'a handler = 'a state -> unit
diff --git a/src/threads/CCPool.mli b/src/threads/CCPool.mli
index 7f4ff9a8..e00acc5e 100644
--- a/src/threads/CCPool.mli
+++ b/src/threads/CCPool.mli
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ type +'a state =
   | Failed of exn
 
 module type PARAM = sig
+  val min_size : int
+  (** Minimum number of threads in the pool *)
+
   val max_size : int
   (** Maximum number of threads in the pool *)
 end