diff --git a/dandi/cli/cmd_organize.py b/dandi/cli/cmd_organize.py
index cca3589a5..a45765ec6 100644
--- a/dandi/cli/cmd_organize.py
+++ b/dandi/cli/cmd_organize.py
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
     ),
 )
 @click.argument("paths", nargs=-1, type=click.Path(exists=True))
+@click.option("-J", "--jobs", type=int, help="Number of jobs during organization")
 @devel_debug_option()
 @map_to_click_exceptions
 def organize(
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ def organize(
     devel_debug=False,
     update_external_file_paths=False,
     media_files_mode=None,
+    jobs=None,
 ):
     """(Re)organize files according to the metadata.
 
@@ -115,4 +117,5 @@ def organize(
         update_external_file_paths=update_external_file_paths,
         media_files_mode=media_files_mode,
         required_fields=required_fields,
+        jobs=jobs,
     )
diff --git a/dandi/organize.py b/dandi/organize.py
index 84010336d..2edab94d9 100644
--- a/dandi/organize.py
+++ b/dandi/organize.py
@@ -721,8 +721,10 @@ def organize(
     update_external_file_paths=False,
     media_files_mode=None,
     required_fields=None,
+    jobs=None,
 ):
     in_place = False  # If we deduce that we are organizing in-place
+    jobs = jobs or -1
 
     # will come handy when dry becomes proper separate option
     def dry_print(msg):
@@ -812,12 +814,12 @@ def _get_metadata(path):
             meta["path"] = path
             return meta
 
-        if not devel_debug:
+        if not devel_debug and jobs != 1:  # Do not use joblib at all if number_of_jobs=1
             # Note: It is Python (pynwb) intensive, not IO, so ATM there is little
             # to no benefit from Parallel without using multiproc!  But that would
             # complicate progress bar indication... TODO
             metadata = list(
-                Parallel(n_jobs=-1, verbose=10)(
+                Parallel(n_jobs=jobs, verbose=10)(
                     delayed(_get_metadata)(path) for path in paths
                 )
             )
diff --git a/dandi/tests/test_organize.py b/dandi/tests/test_organize.py
index 804b992ad..bc3d91de5 100644
--- a/dandi/tests/test_organize.py
+++ b/dandi/tests/test_organize.py
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ def c() -> Any:  # shortcut
 
 @pytest.mark.integration
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("mode", no_move_modes)
-def test_organize_nwb_test_data(nwb_test_data: Path, tmp_path: Path, mode: str) -> None:
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("jobs", (1, -1))
+def test_organize_nwb_test_data(nwb_test_data: Path, tmp_path: Path, mode: str, jobs: int) -> None:
     outdir = tmp_path / "organized"
 
     relative = False
@@ -152,7 +153,7 @@ def test_organize_nwb_test_data(nwb_test_data: Path, tmp_path: Path, mode: str)
 
     input_files = nwb_test_data / "v2.0.1"
 
-    cmd = ["-d", str(outdir), "--files-mode", mode, str(input_files)]
+    cmd = ["-d", str(outdir), "--files-mode", mode, str(input_files), "--jobs", str(jobs)]
     r = CliRunner().invoke(organize, cmd)
 
     # with @map_to_click_exceptions we loose original str of message somehow