diff --git a/config/config.md b/config/config.md
index 123eaf90a2..1b18565cc0 100644
--- a/config/config.md
+++ b/config/config.md
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 | `runtime` | -- | -- | The runtime options. |
 | `runtime.global_rt_size` | Integer | `8` | The number of threads to execute the runtime for global read operations. |
 | `runtime.compact_rt_size` | Integer | `4` | The number of threads to execute compact operations. |
-| `runtime.compact_rt_max_blocking_threads` | Integer | `4` | The maximum number of blocking threads for compact operations.<br/>Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 1). |
+| `runtime.compact_rt_max_blocking_threads` | Integer | `4` | The maximum number of blocking threads for compact operations.<br/>Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 2). |
 | `http` | -- | -- | The HTTP server options. |
 | `http.addr` | String | `127.0.0.1:4000` | The address to bind the HTTP server. |
 | `http.timeout` | String | `0s` | HTTP request timeout. Set to 0 to disable timeout.<br/>When Prometheus pending-row batching is enabled, a nonzero timeout less than or equal to the<br/>`prom_store.pending_rows_flush_interval` plus 1 second is adjusted to that value. |
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@
 | `runtime` | -- | -- | The runtime options. |
 | `runtime.global_rt_size` | Integer | `8` | The number of threads to execute the runtime for global read operations. |
 | `runtime.compact_rt_size` | Integer | `4` | The number of threads to execute compact operations. |
-| `runtime.compact_rt_max_blocking_threads` | Integer | `4` | The maximum number of blocking threads for compact operations.<br/>Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 1). |
+| `runtime.compact_rt_max_blocking_threads` | Integer | `4` | The maximum number of blocking threads for compact operations.<br/>Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 2). |
 | `http` | -- | -- | The HTTP server options. |
 | `http.addr` | String | `127.0.0.1:4000` | The address to bind the HTTP server. |
 | `http.timeout` | String | `0s` | HTTP request timeout. Set to 0 to disable timeout.<br/>When Prometheus pending-row batching is enabled, a nonzero timeout less than or equal to the<br/>`prom_store.pending_rows_flush_interval` plus 1 second is adjusted to that value. |
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@
 | `runtime` | -- | -- | The runtime options. |
 | `runtime.global_rt_size` | Integer | `8` | The number of threads to execute the runtime for global read operations. |
 | `runtime.compact_rt_size` | Integer | `4` | The number of threads to execute compact operations. |
-| `runtime.compact_rt_max_blocking_threads` | Integer | `4` | The maximum number of blocking threads for compact operations.<br/>Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 1). |
+| `runtime.compact_rt_max_blocking_threads` | Integer | `4` | The maximum number of blocking threads for compact operations.<br/>Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 2). |
 | `backend_tls` | -- | -- | TLS configuration for kv store backend (applicable for etcd, PostgreSQL, and MySQL backends)<br/>When using etcd, PostgreSQL, or MySQL as metadata store, you can configure TLS here<br/><br/>Note: if TLS is configured in both this section and the `store_addrs` connection string, the<br/>settings here will override the TLS settings in `store_addrs`. |
 | `backend_tls.mode` | String | `prefer` | TLS mode, refer to https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/libpq-ssl.html<br/>- "disable" - No TLS<br/>- "prefer" (default) - Try TLS, fallback to plain<br/>- "require" - Require TLS<br/>- "verify_ca" - Require TLS and verify CA<br/>- "verify_full" - Require TLS and verify hostname |
 | `backend_tls.cert_path` | String | `""` | Path to client certificate file (for client authentication)<br/>Like "/path/to/client.crt" |
@@ -509,8 +509,8 @@
 | `runtime` | -- | -- | The runtime options. |
 | `runtime.global_rt_size` | Integer | `8` | The number of threads to execute the runtime for global read operations. |
 | `runtime.compact_rt_size` | Integer | `4` | The number of threads to execute compact operations. |
-| `runtime.compact_rt_max_blocking_threads` | Integer | `4` | The maximum number of blocking threads for compact operations.<br/>Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 1). |
-| `runtime.query_rt_size` | Integer | `7` | The number of threads to execute datanode query operations.<br/>Defaults to max(num_cpus - 1, 1). |
+| `runtime.compact_rt_max_blocking_threads` | Integer | `4` | The maximum number of blocking threads for compact operations.<br/>Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 2). |
+| `runtime.query_rt_size` | Integer | `7` | The number of threads to execute datanode query operations.<br/>Defaults to max(num_cpus - 1, 2). |
 | `runtime.ingest_rt_size` | Integer | `8` | The number of threads to execute datanode ingestion operations. |
 | `meta_client` | -- | -- | The metasrv client options. |
 | `meta_client.metasrv_addrs` | Array | -- | The addresses of the metasrv. |
diff --git a/config/datanode.example.toml b/config/datanode.example.toml
index 1f1377d91c..5966405452 100644
--- a/config/datanode.example.toml
+++ b/config/datanode.example.toml
@@ -84,10 +84,10 @@ watch = false
 ## The number of threads to execute compact operations.
 #+ compact_rt_size = 4
 ## The maximum number of blocking threads for compact operations.
-## Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 1).
+## Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 2).
 #+ compact_rt_max_blocking_threads = 4
 ## The number of threads to execute datanode query operations.
-## Defaults to max(num_cpus - 1, 1).
+## Defaults to max(num_cpus - 1, 2).
 #+ query_rt_size = 7
 ## The number of threads to execute datanode ingestion operations.
 #+ ingest_rt_size = 8
diff --git a/config/frontend.example.toml b/config/frontend.example.toml
index 260984a4ab..ec1f9c89b4 100644
--- a/config/frontend.example.toml
+++ b/config/frontend.example.toml
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ default_column_prefix = "greptime"
 ## The number of threads to execute compact operations.
 #+ compact_rt_size = 4
 ## The maximum number of blocking threads for compact operations.
-## Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 1).
+## Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 2).
 #+ compact_rt_max_blocking_threads = 4
 
 ## The HTTP server options.
diff --git a/config/metasrv.example.toml b/config/metasrv.example.toml
index f607211d63..6017bfcc49 100644
--- a/config/metasrv.example.toml
+++ b/config/metasrv.example.toml
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ node_max_idle_time = "24hours"
 ## The number of threads to execute compact operations.
 #+ compact_rt_size = 4
 ## The maximum number of blocking threads for compact operations.
-## Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 1).
+## Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 2).
 #+ compact_rt_max_blocking_threads = 4
 
 ## TLS configuration for kv store backend (applicable for etcd, PostgreSQL, and MySQL backends)
diff --git a/config/standalone.example.toml b/config/standalone.example.toml
index 068025e2a2..5ada605b92 100644
--- a/config/standalone.example.toml
+++ b/config/standalone.example.toml
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ max_concurrent_queries = 0
 ## The number of threads to execute compact operations.
 #+ compact_rt_size = 4
 ## The maximum number of blocking threads for compact operations.
-## Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 1).
+## Defaults to max(num_cpus / 2, 2).
 #+ compact_rt_max_blocking_threads = 4
 
 ## The HTTP server options.
diff --git a/src/cmd/src/datanode/builder.rs b/src/cmd/src/datanode/builder.rs
index afabcb85f1..3dfa03e52e 100644
--- a/src/cmd/src/datanode/builder.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/src/datanode/builder.rs
@@ -61,9 +61,6 @@ impl InstanceBuilder {
     }
 
     async fn init(opts: &mut DatanodeOptions, plugins: &mut Plugins) -> Result<Vec<WorkerGuard>> {
-        common_runtime::init_global_runtimes(&opts.runtime);
-        common_runtime::init_datanode_runtimes(&opts.runtime);
-
         let dn_opts = &mut opts.component;
         let guard = common_telemetry::init_global_logging(
             APP_NAME,
@@ -73,6 +70,9 @@ impl InstanceBuilder {
             None,
         );
 
+        common_runtime::init_global_runtimes(&opts.runtime);
+        common_runtime::init_datanode_runtimes(&opts.runtime);
+
         crate::options::flush_dropped_plugin_warnings();
         log_versions(verbose_version(), short_version(), APP_NAME);
         maybe_activate_heap_profile(&dn_opts.memory);
diff --git a/src/cmd/src/flownode.rs b/src/cmd/src/flownode.rs
index ee071875c3..eccfaa63b0 100644
--- a/src/cmd/src/flownode.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/src/flownode.rs
@@ -248,8 +248,6 @@ impl StartCommand {
     }
 
     async fn build(&self, opts: FlownodeOptions) -> Result<Instance> {
-        common_runtime::init_global_runtimes(&opts.runtime);
-
         let guard = common_telemetry::init_global_logging(
             APP_NAME,
             &opts.component.logging,
@@ -258,6 +256,8 @@ impl StartCommand {
             None,
         );
 
+        common_runtime::init_global_runtimes(&opts.runtime);
+
         crate::options::flush_dropped_plugin_warnings();
         log_versions(verbose_version(), short_version(), APP_NAME);
         maybe_activate_heap_profile(&opts.component.memory);
diff --git a/src/cmd/src/frontend.rs b/src/cmd/src/frontend.rs
index 9d5d0bab1e..e3737088e8 100644
--- a/src/cmd/src/frontend.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/src/frontend.rs
@@ -330,8 +330,6 @@ impl StartCommand {
     }
 
     async fn build(&self, opts: FrontendOptions) -> Result<Instance> {
-        common_runtime::init_global_runtimes(&opts.runtime);
-
         let guard = common_telemetry::init_global_logging(
             APP_NAME,
             &opts.component.logging,
@@ -340,6 +338,8 @@ impl StartCommand {
             Some(&opts.component.slow_query),
         );
 
+        common_runtime::init_global_runtimes(&opts.runtime);
+
         crate::options::flush_dropped_plugin_warnings();
         log_versions(verbose_version(), short_version(), APP_NAME);
         maybe_activate_heap_profile(&opts.component.memory);
diff --git a/src/cmd/src/metasrv.rs b/src/cmd/src/metasrv.rs
index 791efeb6e8..369f5c428d 100644
--- a/src/cmd/src/metasrv.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/src/metasrv.rs
@@ -318,8 +318,6 @@ impl StartCommand {
     }
 
     pub async fn build(&self, opts: MetasrvOptions) -> Result<Instance> {
-        common_runtime::init_global_runtimes(&opts.runtime);
-
         let guard = common_telemetry::init_global_logging(
             APP_NAME,
             &opts.component.logging,
@@ -328,6 +326,8 @@ impl StartCommand {
             None,
         );
 
+        common_runtime::init_global_runtimes(&opts.runtime);
+
         crate::options::flush_dropped_plugin_warnings();
         log_versions(verbose_version(), short_version(), APP_NAME);
         maybe_activate_heap_profile(&opts.component.memory);
diff --git a/src/cmd/src/standalone.rs b/src/cmd/src/standalone.rs
index 9f8155b9cc..2ffcc5e729 100644
--- a/src/cmd/src/standalone.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/src/standalone.rs
@@ -395,8 +395,6 @@ impl StartCommand {
     #[allow(clippy::diverging_sub_expression)]
     /// Build GreptimeDB instance with the loaded options.
     pub async fn build(&self, opts: GreptimeOptions<StandaloneOptions>) -> Result<Instance> {
-        common_runtime::init_global_runtimes(&opts.runtime);
-
         let guard = common_telemetry::init_global_logging(
             APP_NAME,
             &opts.component.logging,
@@ -405,6 +403,8 @@ impl StartCommand {
             Some(&opts.component.slow_query),
         );
 
+        common_runtime::init_global_runtimes(&opts.runtime);
+
         crate::options::flush_dropped_plugin_warnings();
         log_versions(verbose_version(), short_version(), APP_NAME);
         maybe_activate_heap_profile(&opts.component.memory);
diff --git a/src/common/runtime/src/global.rs b/src/common/runtime/src/global.rs
index e28eaf61d1..827832fca2 100644
--- a/src/common/runtime/src/global.rs
+++ b/src/common/runtime/src/global.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ use crate::{Builder, JoinHandle, Runtime};
 const GLOBAL_WORKERS: usize = 8;
 const COMPACT_WORKERS: usize = 4;
 const HB_WORKERS: usize = 2;
+/// The minimum number of worker threads for runtimes sized by CPU count.
+/// A single-threaded runtime can easily deadlock in async code.
+const MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS: usize = 2;
 
 /// The options for the global runtimes.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
@@ -44,19 +47,25 @@ pub struct RuntimeOptions {
     pub ingest_rt_size: usize,
 }
 
-impl Default for RuntimeOptions {
-    fn default() -> Self {
-        let cpus = num_cpus::get();
+impl RuntimeOptions {
+    fn with_num_cpus(cpus: usize) -> Self {
+        let cpus = usize::max(cpus, MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS);
         Self {
             global_rt_size: cpus,
-            compact_rt_size: usize::max(cpus / 2, 1),
-            compact_rt_max_blocking_threads: usize::max(cpus / 2, 1),
-            query_rt_size: usize::max(cpus.saturating_sub(1), 1),
+            compact_rt_size: usize::max(cpus / 2, MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS),
+            compact_rt_max_blocking_threads: usize::max(cpus / 2, MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS),
+            query_rt_size: usize::max(cpus.saturating_sub(1), MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS),
             ingest_rt_size: cpus,
         }
     }
 }
 
+impl Default for RuntimeOptions {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self::with_num_cpus(num_cpus::get())
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn create_runtime(runtime_name: &str, thread_name: &str, worker_threads: usize) -> Runtime {
     info!(
         "Creating runtime with runtime_name: {runtime_name}, thread_name: {thread_name}, work_threads: {worker_threads}."
@@ -287,18 +296,56 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_datanode_runtime_options_default() {
         let options = RuntimeOptions::default();
-        let cpus = num_cpus::get();
+        let cpus = usize::max(num_cpus::get(), MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS);
 
         assert_eq!(cpus, options.global_rt_size);
-        assert_eq!(usize::max(cpus / 2, 1), options.compact_rt_size);
         assert_eq!(
-            usize::max(cpus / 2, 1),
+            usize::max(cpus / 2, MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS),
+            options.compact_rt_size
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            usize::max(cpus / 2, MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS),
             options.compact_rt_max_blocking_threads
         );
-        assert_eq!(usize::max(cpus.saturating_sub(1), 1), options.query_rt_size);
+        assert_eq!(
+            usize::max(cpus.saturating_sub(1), MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS),
+            options.query_rt_size
+        );
         assert_eq!(cpus, options.ingest_rt_size);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_runtime_options_min_threads() {
+        for cpus in [0, 1, 2] {
+            let options = RuntimeOptions::with_num_cpus(cpus);
+            assert!(
+                options.global_rt_size >= MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS,
+                "global_rt_size {} < {MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS} with {cpus} cpus",
+                options.global_rt_size
+            );
+            assert!(
+                options.compact_rt_size >= MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS,
+                "compact_rt_size {} < {MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS} with {cpus} cpus",
+                options.compact_rt_size
+            );
+            assert!(
+                options.compact_rt_max_blocking_threads >= MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS,
+                "compact_rt_max_blocking_threads {} < {MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS} with {cpus} cpus",
+                options.compact_rt_max_blocking_threads
+            );
+            assert!(
+                options.query_rt_size >= MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS,
+                "query_rt_size {} < {MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS} with {cpus} cpus",
+                options.query_rt_size
+            );
+            assert!(
+                options.ingest_rt_size >= MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS,
+                "ingest_rt_size {} < {MIN_RUNTIME_THREADS} with {cpus} cpus",
+                options.ingest_rt_size
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_datanode_runtimes_fallback_to_global_runtime() {
         let runtimes = GlobalRuntimes::new(