diff --git a/include/common/defaults.h b/include/common/defaults.h
index b2c2583..cdc6665 100644
--- a/include/common/defaults.h
+++ b/include/common/defaults.h
@@ -22,6 +22,14 @@
 #ifndef _COMMON_DEFAULTS_H
 #define _COMMON_DEFAULTS_H
 
+/* MAX_PROCS defines the highest limit for the global "nbproc" value. It
+ * defaults to the number of bits in a long integer but may be lowered to save
+ * resources on embedded systems.
+ */
+#ifndef MAX_PROCS
+#define MAX_PROCS LONGBITS
+#endif
+
 /*
  * BUFSIZE defines the size of a read and write buffer. It is the maximum
  * amount of bytes which can be stored by the proxy for each stream. However,
diff --git a/include/types/global.h b/include/types/global.h
index 178b2c1..b26553b 100644
--- a/include/types/global.h
+++ b/include/types/global.h
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@
 	struct vars   vars;         /* list of variables for the process scope. */
 #ifdef USE_CPU_AFFINITY
 	struct {
-		unsigned long proc[LONGBITS];             /* list of CPU masks for the 32/64 first processes */
-		unsigned long thread[LONGBITS][MAX_THREADS]; /* list of CPU masks for the 32/64 first threads per process */
+		unsigned long proc[MAX_PROCS];             /* list of CPU masks for the 32/64 first processes */
+		unsigned long thread[MAX_PROCS][MAX_THREADS]; /* list of CPU masks for the 32/64 first threads per process */
 	} cpu_map;
 #endif
 };
diff --git a/include/types/listener.h b/include/types/listener.h
index df0dd36..9c0ebde 100644
--- a/include/types/listener.h
+++ b/include/types/listener.h
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@
 	int is_ssl;                /* SSL is required for these listeners */
 	int generate_certs;        /* 1 if generate-certificates option is set, else 0 */
 	unsigned long bind_proc;   /* bitmask of processes allowed to use these listeners */
-	unsigned long bind_thread[LONGBITS]; /* bitmask of threads (per processes) allowed to use these listeners */
+	unsigned long bind_thread[MAX_PROCS]; /* bitmask of threads (per processes) allowed to use these listeners */
 	struct {                   /* UNIX socket permissions */
 		uid_t uid;         /* -1 to leave unchanged */
 		gid_t gid;         /* -1 to leave unchanged */