diff --git a/src/tests/ftest/control/daos_system_query.yaml b/src/tests/ftest/control/daos_system_query.yaml
index 9b1a343c11d7..3cf313475b96 100644
--- a/src/tests/ftest/control/daos_system_query.yaml
+++ b/src/tests/ftest/control/daos_system_query.yaml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ server_config:
   engines:
     0:
       pinned_numa_node: 0
+      targets: 4
       nr_xs_helpers: 1
       fabric_iface_port: 31416
       log_file: daos_server0.log
diff --git a/src/tests/ftest/control/dmg_pool_query_test.yaml b/src/tests/ftest/control/dmg_pool_query_test.yaml
index 3cf5b7bd137c..6a95fdce1fda 100644
--- a/src/tests/ftest/control/dmg_pool_query_test.yaml
+++ b/src/tests/ftest/control/dmg_pool_query_test.yaml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ server_config:
   engines_per_host: 1
   engines:
     0:
-      targets: 8
+      targets: 4
       storage: auto
   system_ram_reserved: 64
 pool:
diff --git a/src/tests/ftest/pool/query_attribute.yaml b/src/tests/ftest/pool/query_attribute.yaml
index d91f36ac52fe..7222fedd84cf 100644
--- a/src/tests/ftest/pool/query_attribute.yaml
+++ b/src/tests/ftest/pool/query_attribute.yaml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ server_config:
   engines_per_host: 1
   engines:
     0:
-      targets: 8
+      targets: 4
       nr_xs_helpers: 0
       storage:
         0:
diff --git a/src/tests/ftest/telemetry/dkey_akey_enum_punch.yaml b/src/tests/ftest/telemetry/dkey_akey_enum_punch.yaml
index acd2fa472df3..f28a32a17332 100644
--- a/src/tests/ftest/telemetry/dkey_akey_enum_punch.yaml
+++ b/src/tests/ftest/telemetry/dkey_akey_enum_punch.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ server_config:
   engines_per_host: 1
   engines:
     0:
-      targets: 8
+      targets: 4
       nr_xs_helpers: 0
       storage:
         0: