diff --git a/surefire-providers/surefire-testng/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/surefire/testng/conf/TestNGMapConfigurator.java b/surefire-providers/surefire-testng/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/surefire/testng/conf/TestNGMapConfigurator.java
index 186110d691..874e7f1f3c 100755
--- a/surefire-providers/surefire-testng/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/surefire/testng/conf/TestNGMapConfigurator.java
+++ b/surefire-providers/surefire-testng/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/surefire/testng/conf/TestNGMapConfigurator.java
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 import org.testng.TestNG;
 import org.testng.xml.XmlSuite;
 
-import static java.lang.Integer.parseInt;
 import static org.apache.maven.surefire.api.booter.ProviderParameterNames.PARALLEL_PROP;
 import static org.apache.maven.surefire.api.booter.ProviderParameterNames.THREADCOUNT_PROP;
 import static org.apache.maven.surefire.testng.conf.AbstractDirectConfigurator.loadListenerClasses;
@@ -68,9 +67,18 @@ public void configure( XmlSuite suite, Map<String, String> options )
     protected void configureThreadCount( XmlSuite suite, Map<String, String> options )
         throws TestSetFailedException
     {
-        String threadCountAsString = options.get( THREADCOUNT_PROP );
-        int threadCount = threadCountAsString == null ? 1 : parseInt( threadCountAsString );
-        suite.setThreadCount( threadCount );
+        String threadCount = options.get( THREADCOUNT_PROP );
+        if ( threadCount != null )
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                suite.setThreadCount( Integer.parseInt( threadCount ) );
+            }
+            catch ( NumberFormatException e )
+            {
+                throw new TestSetFailedException( "Non-integer TestNG [threadcount] setting: " + threadCount, e );
+            }
+        }
     }
     
     protected void configureParallel( XmlSuite suite, Map<String, String> options )