diff --git a/docker-compose/Makefile b/docker-compose/Makefile
index 5ff69d0eedb2025cb24641725efe549e67e4acd7..d85ff1df88d91db097bdd22b060cfc03b681a04f 100644
--- a/docker-compose/Makefile
+++ b/docker-compose/Makefile
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ pull: ## pull the images from the Docker hub
 build: ## rebuild images
 	# docker-compose does not support build dependencies, so manage those here
 	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE_ARGS) docker-compose -f lofar-device-base.yml -f networks.yml build --progress=plain
-	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE_ARGS) docker-compose $(COMPOSE_FILE_ARGS) build --progress=plain $(SERVICE)
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE_ARGS) docker-compose $(COMPOSE_FILE_ARGS) build --parallel --progress=plain $(SERVICE)
 
 build-nocache: ## rebuild images from scratch
 	# docker-compose does not support build dependencies, so manage those here