--- a/misc.py
+++ b/misc.py
@@ -390,18 +390,18 @@ def _nextIdleSlave(nReserved):
     def _nextslave(builder, available_slaves):
         if len(available_slaves) <= nReserved:
             return None
         return sorted(available_slaves, _recentSort(builder))[-1]
     return _nextslave
 
 # Globals for mergeRequests
 nomergeBuilders = set()
-# Default to max of 3 merged requests.
-builderMergeLimits = collections.defaultdict(lambda: 3)
+# Default to max of 8 merged requests.
+builderMergeLimits = collections.defaultdict(lambda: 8)
 # For tracking state in mergeRequests below
 _mergeCount = 0
 _mergeId = None
 
 
 def mergeRequests(builder, req1, req2):
     """
     Returns True if req1 and req2 are mergeable requests, False otherwise.