diff --git a/conda_smithy/templates/run_docker_build.sh.tmpl b/conda_smithy/templates/run_docker_build.sh.tmpl
index 474d71fd9..a17783867 100644
--- a/conda_smithy/templates/run_docker_build.sh.tmpl
+++ b/conda_smithy/templates/run_docker_build.sh.tmpl
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ export UPLOAD_PACKAGES="${UPLOAD_PACKAGES:-True}"
            -e UPLOAD_ON_BRANCH \
            -e CI \
            -e FEEDSTOCK_NAME \
+           -e CPU_COUNT \
 {%- for secret in secrets %}
            -e {{ secret }} \
 {%- endfor %}
diff --git a/news/pass-cpu-count-to-docker.rst b/news/pass-cpu-count-to-docker.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3a21d4833
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/pass-cpu-count-to-docker.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+**Added:**
+
+* Pass ``CPU_COUNT`` from the host environment to the docker build.
+  (Convenient when building locally.)
+
+**Changed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Deprecated:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Removed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Fixed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Security:**
+
+* <news item>
+