diff --git a/include/haproxy/receiver-t.h b/include/haproxy/receiver-t.h
index b83fe1ac0..4372d4697 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/receiver-t.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/receiver-t.h
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ struct rx_settings {
 	char *interface;                  /* interface name or NULL */
 	const struct netns_entry *netns;  /* network namespace of the listener*/
 	unsigned int options;             /* receiver options (RX_O_*) */
-	uint shards;                      /* number of shards */
+	int shards;                       /* number of shards, 0=not set yet, -1="by-thread" */
 };
 
 /* This describes a receiver with all its characteristics (address, options, etc) */
diff --git a/src/cfgparse.c b/src/cfgparse.c
index 4272c3df1..aba342d6d 100644
--- a/src/cfgparse.c
+++ b/src/cfgparse.c
@@ -2972,6 +2972,10 @@ init_proxies_list_stage1:
 				shards = bind_conf->settings.shards;
 				todo = thread_set_count(&bind_conf->thread_set);
 
+				/* special values: -1 = "by-thread" */
+				if (shards == -1)
+					shards = todo;
+
 				/* no more shards than total threads */
 				if (shards > todo)
 					shards = todo;
diff --git a/src/listener.c b/src/listener.c
index 2e373a361..ce7f56993 100644
--- a/src/listener.c
+++ b/src/listener.c
@@ -1865,7 +1865,7 @@ static int bind_parse_shards(char **args, int cur_arg, struct proxy *px, struct
 	}
 
 	if (strcmp(args[cur_arg + 1], "by-thread") == 0) {
-		val = MAX_THREADS; /* will be trimmed later anyway */
+		val = -1; /* -1 = "by-thread", will be fixed in check_config_validity() */
 	} else {
 		val = atol(args[cur_arg + 1]);
 		if (val < 1 || val > MAX_THREADS) {