diff --git a/docs/content/configuration/indexing-service.md b/docs/content/configuration/indexing-service.md
index a9c90bd6e9a..078e6c6ebd6 100644
--- a/docs/content/configuration/indexing-service.md
+++ b/docs/content/configuration/indexing-service.md
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ The following configs only apply if the overlord is running in remote mode:
 |`druid.indexer.runner.maxZnodeBytes`|The maximum size Znode in bytes that can be created in Zookeeper.|524288|
 |`druid.indexer.runner.taskCleanupTimeout`|How long to wait before failing a task after a middle manager is disconnected from Zookeeper.|PT15M|
 |`druid.indexer.runner.taskShutdownLinkTimeout`|How long to wait on a shutdown request to a middle manager before timing out|PT1M|
-|`druid.indexer.runner.pendingTasksRunnerNumThreads`|Number of threads to allocate pending-tasks to workers, must be at least 1.|3|
+|`druid.indexer.runner.pendingTasksRunnerNumThreads`|Number of threads to allocate pending-tasks to workers, must be at least 1.|1|
 
 There are additional configs for autoscaling (if it is enabled):
 
@@ -186,6 +186,8 @@ Workers are assigned tasks until capacity.
 |--------|-----------|-------|
 |`type`|`fillCapacity`.|required; must be `fillCapacity`|
 
+Note that, if `druid.indexer.runner.pendingTasksRunnerNumThreads` is set to n (> 1) then it means to fill n workers upto capacity simultaneously and then moving on.
+
 ##### Fill Capacity With Affinity
 
 An affinity config can be provided.
@@ -197,6 +199,8 @@ An affinity config can be provided.
 
 Tasks will try to be assigned to preferred workers. Fill capacity strategy is used if no preference for a datasource specified.
 
+Note that, if `druid.indexer.runner.pendingTasksRunnerNumThreads` is set to n (> 1) then it means to fill n preferred workers upto capacity simultaneously and then moving on.
+
 ##### Equal Distribution
 
 The workers with the least amount of tasks is assigned the task.
diff --git a/indexing-service/src/main/java/io/druid/indexing/overlord/RemoteTaskRunner.java b/indexing-service/src/main/java/io/druid/indexing/overlord/RemoteTaskRunner.java
index 1a05d8a59b3..8b8f6cceded 100644
--- a/indexing-service/src/main/java/io/druid/indexing/overlord/RemoteTaskRunner.java
+++ b/indexing-service/src/main/java/io/druid/indexing/overlord/RemoteTaskRunner.java
@@ -705,49 +705,46 @@ public class RemoteTaskRunner implements WorkerTaskRunner, TaskLogStreamer
       ZkWorker assignedWorker = null;
       Optional<ImmutableWorkerInfo> immutableZkWorker = null;
       try {
-        immutableZkWorker = strategy.findWorkerForTask(
-            config,
-            ImmutableMap.copyOf(
-                Maps.transformEntries(
-                    Maps.filterEntries(
-                        zkWorkers, new Predicate<Map.Entry<String, ZkWorker>>()
-                        {
-                          @Override
-                          public boolean apply(Map.Entry<String, ZkWorker> input)
+        synchronized (workersWithUnacknowledgedTask) {
+          immutableZkWorker = strategy.findWorkerForTask(
+              config,
+              ImmutableMap.copyOf(
+                  Maps.transformEntries(
+                      Maps.filterEntries(
+                          zkWorkers, new Predicate<Map.Entry<String, ZkWorker>>()
                           {
-                            return !lazyWorkers.containsKey(input.getKey()) &&
-                                   !workersWithUnacknowledgedTask.containsKey(input.getKey());
+                            @Override
+                            public boolean apply(Map.Entry<String, ZkWorker> input)
+                            {
+                              return !lazyWorkers.containsKey(input.getKey()) &&
+                                     !workersWithUnacknowledgedTask.containsKey(input.getKey());
+                            }
                           }
-                        }
-                    ),
-                    new Maps.EntryTransformer<String, ZkWorker, ImmutableWorkerInfo>()
-                    {
-                      @Override
-                      public ImmutableWorkerInfo transformEntry(
-                          String key, ZkWorker value
-                      )
+                      ),
+                      new Maps.EntryTransformer<String, ZkWorker, ImmutableWorkerInfo>()
                       {
-                        return value.toImmutable();
+                        @Override
+                        public ImmutableWorkerInfo transformEntry(
+                            String key, ZkWorker value
+                        )
+                        {
+                          return value.toImmutable();
+                        }
                       }
-                    }
-                )
-            ),
-            task
-        );
+                  )
+              ),
+              task
+          );
 
-        if (immutableZkWorker.isPresent()) {
-          if (workersWithUnacknowledgedTask.putIfAbsent(immutableZkWorker.get().getWorker().getHost(), task.getId())
-              == null) {
+          if (immutableZkWorker.isPresent() &&
+              workersWithUnacknowledgedTask.putIfAbsent(immutableZkWorker.get().getWorker().getHost(), task.getId())
+                == null) {
             assignedWorker = zkWorkers.get(immutableZkWorker.get().getWorker().getHost());
-            return announceTask(task, assignedWorker, taskRunnerWorkItem);
-          } else {
-            log.debug(
-                "Lost race to run task [%s] on worker [%s]. Workers to ack tasks are [%s].",
-                task.getId(),
-                immutableZkWorker.get().getWorker().getHost(),
-                workersWithUnacknowledgedTask
-            );
           }
+        }
+
+        if (assignedWorker != null) {
+          return announceTask(task, assignedWorker, taskRunnerWorkItem);
         } else {
           log.debug(
               "Unsuccessful task-assign attempt for task [%s] on workers [%s]. Workers to ack tasks are [%s].",
@@ -762,10 +759,6 @@ public class RemoteTaskRunner implements WorkerTaskRunner, TaskLogStreamer
       finally {
         if (assignedWorker != null) {
           workersWithUnacknowledgedTask.remove(assignedWorker.getWorker().getHost());
-        }
-
-        if(immutableZkWorker.isPresent()) {
-          //if this attempt lost the race to run the task then there might be another worker available to try on.
           //if this attempt won the race to run the task then other task might be able to use this worker now after task ack.
           runPendingTasks();
         }
diff --git a/indexing-service/src/main/java/io/druid/indexing/overlord/config/RemoteTaskRunnerConfig.java b/indexing-service/src/main/java/io/druid/indexing/overlord/config/RemoteTaskRunnerConfig.java
index e2321964bf8..c9e6df09776 100644
--- a/indexing-service/src/main/java/io/druid/indexing/overlord/config/RemoteTaskRunnerConfig.java
+++ b/indexing-service/src/main/java/io/druid/indexing/overlord/config/RemoteTaskRunnerConfig.java
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public class RemoteTaskRunnerConfig extends WorkerTaskRunnerConfig
 
   @JsonProperty
   @Min(1)
-  private int pendingTasksRunnerNumThreads = 3;
+  private int pendingTasksRunnerNumThreads = 1;
 
   public Period getTaskAssignmentTimeout()
   {