diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/command.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/command.py
index 2a3a3afaca..4e9e8d657e 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/command.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/command.py
@@ -173,6 +173,12 @@ class CommandsSync:
         """
         command.cooker.reset()
 
+    def getCpuCount(self, command, params):
+        """
+        Get the CPU count on the bitbake server
+        """
+        return bb.utils.cpu_count()
+
 
 class CommandsAsync:
     """
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/utils.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/utils.py
index a26635a19a..d7cefb245f 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/utils.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/utils.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import errno
 import logging
 import bb
 import bb.msg
+import multiprocessing
 from commands import getstatusoutput
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 
@@ -862,3 +863,6 @@ def contains(variable, checkvalues, truevalue, falsevalue, d):
     if checkvalues.issubset(val): 
         return truevalue
     return falsevalue
+
+def cpu_count():
+    return multiprocessing.cpu_count()