diff --git a/bitswap/server/server.go b/bitswap/server/server.go
index 2b45b324b..2cc3e2474 100644
--- a/bitswap/server/server.go
+++ b/bitswap/server/server.go
@@ -299,12 +299,7 @@ func (bs *Server) startWorkers(ctx context.Context) {
 	if bs.provideEnabled {
 		bs.waitWorkers.Add(1)
 		go bs.provideCollector(ctx)
-
-		// Spawn up multiple workers to handle incoming blocks
-		// consider increasing number if providing blocks bottlenecks
-		// file transfers
-		bs.waitWorkers.Add(1)
-		go bs.provideWorker(ctx)
+		bs.startProvideWorkers(ctx)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -501,48 +496,33 @@ func (bs *Server) provideCollector(ctx context.Context) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (bs *Server) provideWorker(ctx context.Context) {
-	limit := make(chan struct{}, provideWorkerMax)
-	defer func() {
-		// Wait until all limitGoProvide goroutines are done before declaring
-		// this worker as done.
-		for i := 0; i < provideWorkerMax; i++ {
-			limit <- struct{}{}
-		}
-		bs.waitWorkers.Done()
-	}()
-
-	limitedGoProvide := func(k cid.Cid, wid int) {
-		defer func() {
-			// replace token when done
-			<-limit
-		}()
-
-		log.Debugw("Bitswap.ProvideWorker.Start", "ID", wid, "cid", k)
-		defer log.Debugw("Bitswap.ProvideWorker.End", "ID", wid, "cid", k)
-
-		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, defaults.ProvideTimeout) // timeout ctx
-		defer cancel()
-
-		if err := bs.network.Provide(ctx, k); err != nil {
-			log.Warn(err)
-		}
-	}
+// startProvideWorkers starts provide worker goroutines that provide CID
+// supplied by provideCollector.
+//
+// If providing blocks bottlenecks file transfers then consider increasing
+// provideWorkerMax,
+func (bs *Server) startProvideWorkers(ctx context.Context) {
+	bs.waitWorkers.Add(provideWorkerMax)
+	for id := 0; id < provideWorkerMax; id++ {
+		go func(wid int) {
+			defer bs.waitWorkers.Done()
+
+			var runCount int
+			// Read bs.proviudeKeys until closed, when provideCollector exits.
+			for k := range bs.provideKeys {
+				runCount++
+				log.Debugw("Bitswap provider worker start", "ID", wid, "run", runCount, "cid", k)
+
+				ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, defaults.ProvideTimeout)
+				if err := bs.network.Provide(ctx, k); err != nil {
+					log.Warn(err)
+				}
+				cancel()
 
-	// worker spawner, reads from bs.provideKeys until it closes, spawning a
-	// _ratelimited_ number of workers to handle each key.
-	wid := 2
-	for k := range bs.provideKeys {
-		log.Debug("Bitswap.ProvideWorker.Loop")
-		select {
-		case limit <- struct{}{}:
-			go limitedGoProvide(k, wid)
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-			return
-		}
-		wid++
+				log.Debugw("Bitswap provider worker done", "ID", wid, "run", runCount, "cid", k)
+			}
+		}(id)
 	}
-	log.Debug("provideKeys channel closed")
 }
 
 func (bs *Server) ReceiveMessage(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID, incoming message.BitSwapMessage) {