diff --git a/programs/util.c b/programs/util.c
index 3fd4cd17..9b040504 100644
--- a/programs/util.c
+++ b/programs/util.c
@@ -1212,12 +1212,17 @@ int UTIL_countPhysicalCores(void)
                 /* fall back on the sysconf value */
                 goto failed;
         }   }
-        if (siblings && cpu_cores) {
+        if (siblings && cpu_cores && siblings > cpu_cores) {
             ratio = siblings / cpu_cores;
         }
+
+        if (ratio && numPhysicalCores > ratio) {
+            numPhysicalCores = numPhysicalCores / ratio;
+        }
+
 failed:
         fclose(cpuinfo);
-        return numPhysicalCores = numPhysicalCores / ratio;
+        return numPhysicalCores;
     }
 }