diff --git a/docs/meson.build b/docs/meson.build
index c3e9fb0584..a8d893681e 100644
--- a/docs/meson.build
+++ b/docs/meson.build
@@ -4,24 +4,12 @@ sphinx_build = find_program(fs.parent(python.full_path()) / 'sphinx-build',
 # Check if tools are available to build documentation.
 build_docs = false
 if sphinx_build.found()
-  SPHINX_ARGS = ['env', 'CONFDIR=' + qemu_confdir, sphinx_build, '-q']
+  SPHINX_ARGS = ['env', 'CONFDIR=' + qemu_confdir, sphinx_build, '-q', '-j', 'auto']
   # If we're making warnings fatal, apply this to Sphinx runs as well
   if get_option('werror')
     SPHINX_ARGS += [ '-W', '-Dkerneldoc_werror=1' ]
   endif
 
-  sphinx_version = run_command(SPHINX_ARGS + ['--version'],
-                               check: true).stdout().split()[1]
-  if sphinx_version.version_compare('>=1.7.0')
-    SPHINX_ARGS += ['-j', 'auto']
-  else
-    nproc = find_program('nproc')
-    if nproc.found()
-      jobs = run_command(nproc, check: true).stdout()
-      SPHINX_ARGS += ['-j', jobs]
-    endif
-  endif
-
   # This is a bit awkward but works: create a trivial document and
   # try to run it with our configuration file (which enforces a
   # version requirement). This will fail if sphinx-build is too old.