diff --git a/scaler.go b/scaler.go
index 70b7547..0833edb 100644
--- a/scaler.go
+++ b/scaler.go
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ type Scaler[T, U any] struct {
 	// that are CPU bound and need to scale up more/less quickly.
 	WaitModifier DurationScaler
 
+	// Max is the maximum number of layer2 routines that will be spawned.
+	// If Max is set to 0, then there is no limit.
+	Max int
+
 	wScale *DurationScaler
 }
 
@@ -99,7 +103,15 @@ func (s Scaler[T, U]) Exec(ctx context.Context, in <-chan T) (<-chan U, error) {
 		ticker := time.NewTicker(s.Wait)
 		defer ticker.Stop()
 		step := 0
-		var stepMu sync.RWMutex
+
+		var max chan struct{}
+
+		if s.Max > 0 {
+			max = make(chan struct{}, s.Max)
+			if s.Max == 0 {
+				close(max) // no limit
+			}
+		}
 
 	scaleLoop:
 		for {
@@ -117,23 +129,40 @@ func (s Scaler[T, U]) Exec(ctx context.Context, in <-chan T) (<-chan U, error) {
 					case <-ctx.Done():
 						return
 					case <-ticker.C:
+						if s.Max != 0 {
+							select {
+							case <-ctx.Done():
+								return
+							case <-max: // start a new layer2 routine
+							default:
+								// wait for a layer2 routine to finish
+								continue l2loop
+							}
+						}
+
 						wgMu.Lock()
 						wg.Add(1)
 						wgMu.Unlock()
 
 						if !s.WaitModifier.inactive() {
-							stepMu.Lock()
 							step++
-							stepMu.Unlock()
 						}
 
 						go func() {
 							defer wg.Done()
+
+							if s.Max > 0 {
+								defer func() {
+									select {
+									case <-ctx.Done():
+									case max <- struct{}{}:
+									}
+								}()
+							}
+
 							if !s.WaitModifier.inactive() {
 								defer func() {
-									stepMu.Lock()
 									step--
-									stepMu.Unlock()
 								}()
 							}
 
@@ -144,11 +173,9 @@ func (s Scaler[T, U]) Exec(ctx context.Context, in <-chan T) (<-chan U, error) {
 					}
 				}
 
-				stepMu.RLock()
 				// Reset the ticker so that it does not immediately trip the
 				// case statement on loop.
 				ticker.Reset(s.wScale.scaledDuration(s.Wait, step))
-				stepMu.RUnlock()
 			}
 		}
 	}()