diff --git a/pollen/private/preheat-cache.rkt b/pollen/private/preheat-cache.rkt
index 569b593..3c984bd 100644
--- a/pollen/private/preheat-cache.rkt
+++ b/pollen/private/preheat-cache.rkt
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@
                                                     markup-source?
                                                     markdown-source?
                                                     pagetree-source?))])
-                        (proc path))
+                              (proc path))
                #:unless (path-cached? path))
-      (path->complete-path path)))
+              (path->complete-path path)))
 
   (cond
     [(null? uncached-paths)
@@ -40,22 +40,24 @@
     [wants-parallel-setup
      
      (define job-count
-       (match wants-parallel-setup
-         [#true (processor-count)]
-         [(? exact-positive-integer? count) count]
-         [_ (raise-argument-error 'preheat-cache "exact positive integer" wants-parallel-setup)]))    
+       (min
+        (length uncached-paths)
+        (match wants-parallel-setup
+          [#true (processor-count)]
+          [(? exact-positive-integer? count) count]
+          [_ (raise-argument-error 'preheat-cache "exact positive integer" wants-parallel-setup)])))    
 
      (define worker-evts
        (for/list ([wpidx (in-range job-count)])
-         (define wp
-           (place ch
-                  (let loop ()
-                    (define path (place-channel-put/get ch (list 'want-job)))
-                    (place-channel-put ch (list 'job-finished path 
-                                                (with-handlers ([exn:fail? (λ (e) #f)])
-                                                  (path->hash path))))
-                    (loop))))
-         (handle-evt wp (λ (val) (list* wpidx wp val)))))
+                 (define wp
+                   (place ch
+                          (let loop ()
+                            (define path (place-channel-put/get ch (list 'want-job)))
+                            (place-channel-put ch (list 'job-finished path 
+                                                        (with-handlers ([exn:fail? (λ (e) #f)])
+                                                          (path->hash path))))
+                            (loop))))
+                 (handle-evt wp (λ (val) (list* wpidx wp val)))))
   
      (let loop ([paths uncached-paths][actives null])
        (unless (and (null? paths) (null? actives))
@@ -73,7 +75,7 @@
                 (message (format "caching failed on job ~a: ~a" (add1 wpidx) (find-relative-path starting-dir path))))
             (loop paths (remq wpidx actives))])))]
     [else (for ([path (in-list uncached-paths)])
-            (message (format "caching: ~a" (find-relative-path starting-dir path)))
-            (match (with-handlers ([exn:fail? (λ (e) #f)]) (path->hash path))
-              [#false (message (format "caching failed: ~a" (find-relative-path starting-dir path)))]
-              [result (cache-ref! (paths->key path) (λ () result))]))]))
\ No newline at end of file
+               (message (format "caching: ~a" (find-relative-path starting-dir path)))
+               (match (with-handlers ([exn:fail? (λ (e) #f)]) (path->hash path))
+                 [#false (message (format "caching failed: ~a" (find-relative-path starting-dir path)))]
+                 [result (cache-ref! (paths->key path) (λ () result))]))]))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pollen/private/ts.rktd b/pollen/private/ts.rktd
index 5951c38..cddf5eb 100644
--- a/pollen/private/ts.rktd
+++ b/pollen/private/ts.rktd
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1572998291
+1573004144
diff --git a/pollen/render.rkt b/pollen/render.rkt
index b8c0733..a25e602 100644
--- a/pollen/render.rkt
+++ b/pollen/render.rkt
@@ -67,10 +67,12 @@
            [_ (loop (cdr paths) acc)])))
      
      (define job-count
-       (match wants-parallel-render
-         [#true (processor-count)]
-         [(? exact-positive-integer? count) count]
-         [_ (raise-argument-error 'render-batch "exact positive integer" wants-parallel-render)]))
+       (min
+        (length source-paths)
+        (match wants-parallel-render
+          [#true (processor-count)]
+          [(? exact-positive-integer? count) count]
+          [_ (raise-argument-error 'render-batch "exact positive integer" wants-parallel-render)])))
      
      ;; initialize the workers
      (define worker-evts
@@ -93,11 +95,14 @@
      (define poly-target (current-poly-target))
 
      ;; `locks` and `blocks` are (listof (cons/c evt? path?))
+     (define starting-source-paths (sort source-paths string<? #:key path->string))
      (define crashed-jobs
-       (let loop ([source-paths (sort source-paths string<? #:key path->string)]
+       (let loop ([source-paths starting-source-paths]
                   [locks-in null]
                   [blocks-in null]
-                  [crashed-jobs null])
+                  ;; `completed-jobs` is (listof (cons/c path? boolean?))
+                  [completed-jobs null]
+                  [completed-job-count 0])
          ;; try to unblock blocked workers
          (define-values (locks blocks)
            (for/fold ([locks locks-in]
@@ -109,20 +114,21 @@
                 (values locks (cons block blocks))]
                [else
                 (place-channel-put wp 'lock-approved)
-                (values (cons block locks) blocks)])))               
-         ;; no source paths means all jobs have been assigned
-         ;; no locks means no jobs are in progress
-         ;; therefore we must be done (other than crashed jobs)
+                (values (cons block locks) blocks)])))  
          (cond
-           [(and (null? source-paths) (null? locks)) crashed-jobs]
+           [(eq? completed-job-count (length starting-source-paths))
+            ;; crashed jobs are completed jobs that weren't finished
+            (for/list ([(path finished?) (in-dict completed-jobs)]
+                       #:unless finished?)
+                      path)]
            [else
             (match (apply sync worker-evts)
               [(list wpidx wp 'wants-job)
                (match source-paths
-                 [(? null?) (loop null locks blocks crashed-jobs)]
+                 [(? null?) (loop null locks blocks completed-jobs completed-job-count)]
                  [(cons path rest)
                   (place-channel-put wp (cons path poly-target))
-                  (loop rest locks blocks crashed-jobs)])]
+                  (loop rest locks blocks completed-jobs completed-job-count)])]
               [(list wpidx wp (and (or 'finished-job 'crashed-job) tag) path ms)
                (match tag
                  ['finished-job
@@ -141,11 +147,10 @@
                        [#false locks]
                        [lock (remove lock locks)])
                      blocks
-                     (match tag
-                       ['crashed-job (cons path crashed-jobs)]
-                       [_ crashed-jobs]))]
+                     (cons (cons path (eq? tag 'finished-job)) completed-jobs)
+                     (add1 completed-job-count))]
               [(list wpidx wp 'wants-lock path)
-               (loop source-paths locks (append blocks (list (cons wp path))) crashed-jobs)])])))
+               (loop source-paths locks (append blocks (list (cons wp path))) completed-jobs completed-job-count)])])))
      ;; second bite at the apple for crashed jobs.
      ;; 1) many crashes that arise in parallel rendering are
      ;; a result of concurrency issues (e.g. shared files not being readable at the right moment).