diff --git a/cmd/mal/mal.go b/cmd/mal/mal.go
index 2df445cc..87336b12 100644
--- a/cmd/mal/mal.go
+++ b/cmd/mal/mal.go
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ var (
 	outputFlag                string
 	profileFlag               bool
 	quantityIncreasesRiskFlag bool
+	scannersFlag              int
 	statsFlag                 bool
 	thirdPartyFlag            bool
 	verboseFlag               bool
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ func showError(err error) {
 	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%s %s\n", emoji, err.Error())
 }
 
-//nolint:cyclop // ignore complexity of 40
+//nolint:cyclop,gocognit // ignore complexity of 40,100
 func main() {
 	returnCode := ExitOK
 	defer func() { os.Exit(returnCode) }()
@@ -249,9 +250,14 @@ func main() {
 				concurrency = 1
 			}
 
+			maxScanners := scannersFlag
+			if maxScanners > concurrency {
+				maxScanners = concurrency
+			}
+
 			var pool *malcontent.ScannerPool
 			if mc.ScannerPool == nil {
-				pool, err = malcontent.NewScannerPool(yrs, concurrency)
+				pool, err = malcontent.NewScannerPool(yrs, maxScanners)
 				if err != nil {
 					returnCode = ExitInvalidRules
 				}
@@ -264,6 +270,7 @@ func main() {
 				IgnoreSelf:            ignoreSelfFlag,
 				IgnoreTags:            ignoreTags,
 				IncludeDataFiles:      includeDataFiles,
+				MaxScanners:           maxScanners,
 				MinFileRisk:           minFileRisk,
 				MinRisk:               minRisk,
 				OCI:                   ociFlag,
@@ -372,6 +379,12 @@ func main() {
 				Usage:       "Increase file risk score based on behavior quantity",
 				Destination: &quantityIncreasesRiskFlag,
 			},
+			&cli.IntFlag{
+				Name:        "scanners",
+				Value:       runtime.NumCPU(),
+				Usage:       "Number of scanners to create",
+				Destination: &scannersFlag,
+			},
 			&cli.BoolFlag{
 				Name:        "stats",
 				Aliases:     []string{"s"},
diff --git a/pkg/action/scan.go b/pkg/action/scan.go
index a9bbda6b..b6affa74 100644
--- a/pkg/action/scan.go
+++ b/pkg/action/scan.go
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func scanSinglePath(ctx context.Context, c malcontent.Config, path string, ruleF
 
 	var pool *malcontent.ScannerPool
 	if c.ScannerPool == nil {
-		pool, err = malcontent.NewScannerPool(yrs, c.Concurrency)
+		pool, err = malcontent.NewScannerPool(yrs, c.MaxScanners)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create scanner pool: %w", err)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/malcontent/malcontent.go b/pkg/malcontent/malcontent.go
index e0798ee3..ff0633f1 100644
--- a/pkg/malcontent/malcontent.go
+++ b/pkg/malcontent/malcontent.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
-	"time"
 
 	yarax "github.com/VirusTotal/yara-x/go"
 	orderedmap "github.com/wk8/go-ordered-map/v2"
@@ -34,6 +33,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	IgnoreSelf            bool
 	IgnoreTags            []string
 	IncludeDataFiles      bool
+	MaxScanners           int
 	MinFileRisk           int
 	MinRisk               int
 	OCI                   bool
@@ -175,23 +175,17 @@ func NewScannerPool(rules *yarax.Rules, maxScanners int) (*ScannerPool, error) {
 		available:   make(chan *yarax.Scanner, maxScanners),
 		maxScanners: int32(maxScanners),
 		scanners:    make([]*yarax.Scanner, 0, maxScanners),
+		closed:      atomic.Bool{},
 	}
 
-	pool.closed.Store(false)
-
-	// Create a subset of the maximum number of scanners to avoid contention
-	initialScanners := maxScanners/2 + 1
-	for i := 0; i < initialScanners; i++ {
-		scanner, err := pool.createScanner()
-		if err != nil {
-			pool.Cleanup()
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create initial scanner: %w", err)
-		}
-		pool.scanners = append(pool.scanners, scanner)
-		pool.available <- scanner
-		atomic.AddInt32(&pool.currentCount, 1)
+	scanner := yarax.NewScanner(rules)
+	if scanner == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create scanner")
 	}
 
+	pool.available <- scanner
+	atomic.AddInt32(&pool.currentCount, 1)
+
 	return pool, nil
 }
 
@@ -236,39 +230,27 @@ func (p *ScannerPool) Get() (*yarax.Scanner, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("scanner pool is closed")
 	}
 
+	// Retrieve an existing scanner
+	// If none are available, create up to the maximum number of scanners
 	select {
 	case scanner := <-p.available:
-		if scanner == nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("received nil scanner from pool")
-		}
 		return scanner, nil
-	case <-time.After(100 * time.Millisecond):
-	}
-
-	// Create a new scanner if we aren't already running the maximum number
-	p.mu.Lock()
-	current := atomic.LoadInt32(&p.currentCount)
-	if current < p.maxScanners {
-		scanner, err := p.createScanner()
-		if err != nil {
+	default:
+		p.mu.Lock()
+		if atomic.LoadInt32(&p.currentCount) < p.maxScanners {
+			scanner, err := p.createScanner()
+			if err != nil {
+				p.mu.Unlock()
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("create scanner: %w", err)
+			}
+			p.scanners = append(p.scanners, scanner)
+			atomic.AddInt32(&p.currentCount, 1)
 			p.mu.Unlock()
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("create scanner: %w", err)
+			return scanner, nil
 		}
-		p.scanners = append(p.scanners, scanner)
-		atomic.AddInt32(&p.currentCount, 1)
 		p.mu.Unlock()
-		return scanner, nil
-	}
-	p.mu.Unlock()
 
-	select {
-	case scanner := <-p.available:
-		if scanner == nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("received nil scanner from pool")
-		}
-		return scanner, nil
-	case <-time.After(10 * time.Second):
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("timeout waiting for available scanner")
+		return <-p.available, nil
 	}
 }
 
@@ -277,20 +259,7 @@ func (p *ScannerPool) Put(scanner *yarax.Scanner) {
 	if scanner == nil || p.closed.Load() {
 		return
 	}
-
-	select {
-	case p.available <- scanner:
-	default:
-		p.mu.Lock()
-		defer func() {
-			p.mu.Unlock()
-			if atomic.LoadInt32(&p.currentCount) > p.maxScanners/2 {
-				runtime.GC()
-			}
-		}()
-		scanner.Destroy()
-		atomic.AddInt32(&p.currentCount, -1)
-	}
+	p.available <- scanner
 }
 
 // Cleanup destroys all scanners in the pool.
diff --git a/pkg/refresh/action.go b/pkg/refresh/action.go
index 6fcca755..6859bc16 100644
--- a/pkg/refresh/action.go
+++ b/pkg/refresh/action.go
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ func actionRefresh(ctx context.Context) ([]TestData, error) {
 		c := &malcontent.Config{
 			Concurrency:           runtime.NumCPU(),
 			IgnoreSelf:            false,
+			MaxScanners:           runtime.NumCPU(),
 			MinFileRisk:           0,
 			MinRisk:               0,
 			OCI:                   false,
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ func actionRefresh(ctx context.Context) ([]TestData, error) {
 
 		var pool *malcontent.ScannerPool
 		if c.ScannerPool == nil {
-			pool, err = malcontent.NewScannerPool(yrs, c.Concurrency)
+			pool, err = malcontent.NewScannerPool(yrs, c.MaxScanners)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/refresh/diff.go b/pkg/refresh/diff.go
index a2e91d59..13a4ef52 100644
--- a/pkg/refresh/diff.go
+++ b/pkg/refresh/diff.go
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ func diffRefresh(ctx context.Context, rc Config) ([]TestData, error) {
 			Concurrency:           runtime.NumCPU(),
 			FileRiskChange:        td.riskChange,
 			FileRiskIncrease:      td.riskIncrease,
+			MaxScanners:           runtime.NumCPU(),
 			MinFileRisk:           minFileRisk,
 			MinRisk:               minRisk,
 			QuantityIncreasesRisk: true,
@@ -207,7 +208,7 @@ func diffRefresh(ctx context.Context, rc Config) ([]TestData, error) {
 
 		var pool *malcontent.ScannerPool
 		if c.ScannerPool == nil {
-			pool, err = malcontent.NewScannerPool(yrs, c.Concurrency)
+			pool, err = malcontent.NewScannerPool(yrs, c.MaxScanners)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/refresh/refresh.go b/pkg/refresh/refresh.go
index 2aa13bcf..ce4c8716 100644
--- a/pkg/refresh/refresh.go
+++ b/pkg/refresh/refresh.go
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ func newConfig(rc Config) *malcontent.Config {
 	return &malcontent.Config{
 		Concurrency:           runtime.NumCPU(),
 		IgnoreTags:            []string{"harmless"},
+		MaxScanners:           runtime.NumCPU(),
 		MinFileRisk:           1,
 		MinRisk:               1,
 		QuantityIncreasesRisk: true,