diff --git a/daft/runners/ray_runner.py b/daft/runners/ray_runner.py
index a7dd27f355..a0aa7dc31e 100644
--- a/daft/runners/ray_runner.py
+++ b/daft/runners/ray_runner.py
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import threading
+import time
 import uuid
 from collections import defaultdict
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from datetime import datetime
 from queue import Queue
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Iterable, Iterator
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Generator, Iterable, Iterator
 
 import pyarrow as pa
 from loguru import logger
@@ -368,6 +369,28 @@ def get_meta(partition: Table) -> PartitionMetadata:
     return PartitionMetadata.from_table(partition)
 
 
+def _ray_num_cpus_provider(ttl_seconds: int = 1) -> Generator[int, None, None]:
+    """Helper that gets the number of CPUs from Ray
+
+    Used as a generator as it provides a guard against calling ray.cluster_resources()
+    more than once per `ttl_seconds`.
+
+    Example:
+    >>> p = _ray_num_cpus_provider()
+    >>> next(p)
+    """
+    last_checked_time = time.time()
+    last_num_cpus_queried = int(ray.cluster_resources()["CPU"])
+    while True:
+        currtime = time.time()
+        if currtime - last_checked_time < ttl_seconds:
+            yield last_num_cpus_queried
+        else:
+            last_checked_time = currtime
+            last_num_cpus_queried = int(ray.cluster_resources()["CPU"])
+            yield last_num_cpus_queried
+
+
 class Scheduler:
     def __init__(self, max_task_backlog: int | None) -> None:
         """
@@ -434,15 +457,11 @@ def _run_plan(
         # Get executable tasks from plan scheduler.
         tasks = plan_scheduler.to_partition_tasks(psets, is_ray_runner=True)
 
-        # Note: For autoscaling clusters, we will probably want to query cores dynamically.
-        # Keep in mind this call takes about 0.3ms.
-        cores = int(ray.cluster_resources()["CPU"]) - self.reserved_cores
-
-        max_inflight_tasks = cores + self.max_task_backlog
-
         inflight_tasks: dict[str, PartitionTask[ray.ObjectRef]] = dict()
         inflight_ref_to_task: dict[ray.ObjectRef, str] = dict()
 
+        num_cpus_provider = _ray_num_cpus_provider()
+
         start = datetime.now()
         profile_filename = (
             f"profile_RayRunner.run()_"
@@ -456,6 +475,8 @@ def _run_plan(
                     while True:  # Loop: Dispatch (get tasks -> batch dispatch).
                         tasks_to_dispatch: list[PartitionTask] = []
 
+                        cores: int = next(num_cpus_provider) - self.reserved_cores
+                        max_inflight_tasks = cores + self.max_task_backlog
                         dispatches_allowed = max_inflight_tasks - len(inflight_tasks)
                         dispatches_allowed = min(cores, dispatches_allowed)