diff --git a/src/mito2/src/read/seq_scan.rs b/src/mito2/src/read/seq_scan.rs
index 5281055b37..984faab350 100644
--- a/src/mito2/src/read/seq_scan.rs
+++ b/src/mito2/src/read/seq_scan.rs
@@ -134,8 +134,9 @@ impl SeqScan {
     /// Builds a stream for the query.
     pub async fn build_stream(&self) -> Result<SendableRecordBatchStream> {
         let start = Instant::now();
+        let use_parallel = self.use_parallel_reader();
         // Scans all memtables and SSTs. Builds a merge reader to merge results.
-        let mut reader = if self.parallelism > 1 {
+        let mut reader = if use_parallel {
             self.build_parallel_reader().await?
         } else {
             self.build_reader().await?
@@ -155,7 +156,10 @@ impl SeqScan {
                 yield batch;
             }
 
-            debug!("Seq scan finished, region_id: {:?}, metrics: {:?}", mapper.metadata().region_id, metrics);
+            debug!(
+                "Seq scan finished, region_id: {:?}, metrics: {:?}, use_parallel: {}",
+                mapper.metadata().region_id, metrics, use_parallel
+            );
             // Update metrics.
             READ_STAGE_ELAPSED.with_label_values(&["total"]).observe(metrics.scan_cost.as_secs_f64());
         };
@@ -211,8 +215,6 @@ impl SeqScan {
 
     /// Builds a [BoxedBatchReader] that can scan memtables and SSTs in parallel.
     async fn build_parallel_reader(&self) -> Result<BoxedBatchReader> {
-        debug!("Build parallel reader, parallelism: {}", self.parallelism);
-
         assert!(self.parallelism > 1);
         let semaphore = Arc::new(Semaphore::new(self.parallelism));
 
@@ -261,6 +263,11 @@ impl SeqScan {
         Ok(Box::new(builder.build().await?))
     }
 
+    /// Returns whether to use a parallel reader.
+    fn use_parallel_reader(&self) -> bool {
+        self.parallelism > 1 && (self.files.len() + self.memtables.len()) > 1
+    }
+
     /// Scan the input source in another task.
     fn scan_source_in_background(mut input: Source, semaphore: Arc<Semaphore>) -> BoxedBatchStream {
         let (sender, receiver) = mpsc::channel(64);