diff --git a/homeassistant/runner.py b/homeassistant/runner.py
index 26e7bab7616..b397f9438f2 100644
--- a/homeassistant/runner.py
+++ b/homeassistant/runner.py
@@ -11,6 +11,18 @@ from homeassistant import bootstrap
 from homeassistant.core import callback
 from homeassistant.helpers.frame import warn_use
 
+#
+# Python 3.8 has significantly less workers by default
+# than Python 3.7.  In order to be consistent between
+# supported versions, we need to set max_workers.
+#
+# In most cases the workers are not I/O bound, as they
+# are sleeping/blocking waiting for data from integrations
+# updating so this number should be higher than the default
+# use case.
+#
+MAX_EXECUTOR_WORKERS = 64
+
 
 @dataclasses.dataclass
 class RuntimeConfig:
@@ -57,7 +69,9 @@ class HassEventLoopPolicy(PolicyBase):  # type: ignore
         if self.debug:
             loop.set_debug(True)
 
-        executor = ThreadPoolExecutor(thread_name_prefix="SyncWorker")
+        executor = ThreadPoolExecutor(
+            thread_name_prefix="SyncWorker", max_workers=MAX_EXECUTOR_WORKERS
+        )
         loop.set_default_executor(executor)
         loop.set_default_executor = warn_use(  # type: ignore
             loop.set_default_executor, "sets default executor on the event loop"