diff --git a/backend/fluksio/flow/nodes/wren.py b/backend/fluksio/flow/nodes/wren.py
index 1f9e2c7..2048508 100644
--- a/backend/fluksio/flow/nodes/wren.py
+++ b/backend/fluksio/flow/nodes/wren.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from collections.abc import Iterable
 from typing import Any
 
 from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, Field
+from threadpoolctl import threadpool_limits
 
 from fluksio.flow.messages import DType, MessageSpec
 from fluksio.flow.nodes.base import Node
@@ -306,7 +307,11 @@ class WrenNode(Node):
         wren = _wren()
         specs = {spec.port: spec for spec in self.output_ports}
         house = self._house(wren, specs, presence, outdoor, dark)
-        calls, confidence = wren.act(prompt, house)
+        # One BLAS thread answers in about half the time for a model this
+        # small. Scoped to the call, so numpy elsewhere in the process keeps
+        # its threads.
+        with threadpool_limits(1):
+            calls, confidence = wren.act(prompt, house)
         confidence = round(float(confidence), 3)
         write = self.cfg.apply and confidence >= self.cfg.min_confidence
         writes: dict[str, Any] = {}
diff --git a/backend/pyproject.toml b/backend/pyproject.toml
index 18d7911..8e26983 100644
--- a/backend/pyproject.toml
+++ b/backend/pyproject.toml
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ dependencies = [
     # The `mlp` node, which is registered at boot. Kept out of the extras
     # because a data-science environment has it already.
     "numpy>=2.2.6",
+    # The `wren` node runs its model on one BLAS thread, which answers in about
+    # half the time. Scoped to the call: OPENBLAS_NUM_THREADS would bind every
+    # other numpy call in the engine too, and only counts before numpy loads.
+    "threadpoolctl>=3.5",
     # The `inject` node's cron. Imported where it is used, behind a message
     # that cannot fire while this line is here.
     "croniter>=1.3.0",
@@ -164,6 +168,11 @@ ignore_missing_imports = true
 module = ["wren"]
 ignore_missing_imports = true
 
+# What scopes the `wren` node's BLAS threads to its call; it ships no types.
+[[tool.mypy.overrides]]
+module = ["threadpoolctl"]
+ignore_missing_imports = true
+
 
 [tool.ruff]
 target-version = "py312"
diff --git a/backend/tests/flow/test_wren.py b/backend/tests/flow/test_wren.py
index 2f3fff3..44c048b 100644
--- a/backend/tests/flow/test_wren.py
+++ b/backend/tests/flow/test_wren.py
@@ -143,3 +143,25 @@ def test_nothing_is_written_unless_applied_and_sure(fake_wren, params, confidenc
             }
         ]
     }
+
+
+def test_the_model_runs_on_one_blas_thread(fake_wren, monkeypatch):
+    """About twice as fast for a model this small; numpy is loaded by `mlp`."""
+    from threadpoolctl import threadpool_info
+
+    threads: list[int] = []
+    act = fake_wren.act
+
+    def counted(command: str, house: Any) -> tuple[list[Any], float]:
+        threads.extend(
+            pool["num_threads"]
+            for pool in threadpool_info()
+            if pool["user_api"] == "blas"
+        )
+        return act(command, house)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(fake_wren, "act", counted)
+    _node(("kitchen_lamp", DType.BOOL)).execute({"house.command": "lights on"})
+
+    assert threads
+    assert set(threads) == {1}
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 10e0f43..be2104a 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -946,6 +946,7 @@ dependencies = [
     { name = "rich" },
     { name = "sqlmodel" },
     { name = "textual" },
+    { name = "threadpoolctl" },
     { name = "uv" },
     { name = "websockets" },
 ]
@@ -998,6 +999,7 @@ requires-dist = [
     { name = "sentry-sdk", extras = ["fastapi"], marker = "extra == 'server'", specifier = ">=2.20.0" },
     { name = "sqlmodel", specifier = ">=0.0.21,<1.0.0" },
     { name = "textual", specifier = ">=1.0" },
+    { name = "threadpoolctl", specifier = ">=3.5" },
     { name = "uv", specifier = ">=0.5" },
     { name = "websockets", specifier = ">=14" },
 ]
@@ -2840,6 +2842,15 @@ wheels = [
     { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/fb/be/35261223d9416a0751cdff1c7b4a6f881387218a12d439fe22fefebc8c04/textual-8.2.8-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:267375fd402dc8d981457212efa71f0e3365fd17bba144ba9bb3ed7563cb374a", size = 731418, upload-time = "2026-06-30T06:51:26.364Z" },
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "threadpoolctl"
+version = "3.7.0"
+source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
+sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/00/dc/6c58154c1c65f758ea979e7139cb76993a9cfc662d14e9be3c4a667cfb77/threadpoolctl-3.7.0.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:61348cfb77d53b9242e0017029244b559b810c142ced65b4e21eeca1843959a7", size = 31961, upload-time = "2026-09-15T15:46:20.263Z" }
+wheels = [
+    { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/43/3f/f88a53f60a472b46f4023f56d204dd7de33d34c5d2acbfa0d70a674e639e/threadpoolctl-3.7.0-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:cd8b60b5641b45c67bbf73c64c843235fc2d8a480c87389f52f5dbee893b86be", size = 26362, upload-time = "2026-09-15T15:46:19.168Z" },
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "typer"
 version = "0.21.1"