diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 707bd57a..7fad3541 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -87,9 +87,6 @@ ENV DATABASE_URL="postgresql://postgres@localhost:5432/sourcebot"
 ENV REDIS_URL="redis://localhost:6379"
 ENV SRC_TENANT_ENFORCEMENT_MODE=strict
 
-# @nocheckin: we likely want to have a better solution for the self host case
-ENV BACKEND_CORES_FACTOR="0.5" 
-
 ARG SOURCEBOT_VERSION=unknown
 ENV SOURCEBOT_VERSION=$SOURCEBOT_VERSION
 RUN echo "Sourcebot Version: $SOURCEBOT_VERSION"
diff --git a/entrypoint.sh b/entrypoint.sh
index c281843a..5d1d9f82 100644
--- a/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/entrypoint.sh
@@ -203,30 +203,5 @@ fi
 echo -e "\e[34m[Info] Running database migration...\e[0m"
 yarn workspace @sourcebot/db prisma:migrate:prod
 
-# Get total CPU cores
-TOTAL_CORES=$(nproc)
-echo -e "\e[34m[Info] Total CPU cores available: $TOTAL_CORES\e[0m"
-
-# Default to 50/50 split if BACKEND_CORES_FACTOR not set
-BACKEND_CORES_FACTOR=${BACKEND_CORES_FACTOR:-0.5}
-
-# Calculate number of cores for backend (rounded down)
-BACKEND_CORES=$(printf "%.0f" $(echo "$TOTAL_CORES * $BACKEND_CORES_FACTOR" | bc))
-
-# Ensure at least 1 core for each
-if [ $BACKEND_CORES -lt 1 ]; then
-    BACKEND_CORES=1
-fi
-if [ $BACKEND_CORES -ge $TOTAL_CORES ]; then
-    BACKEND_CORES=$(($TOTAL_CORES - 1))
-fi
-
-# Generate CPU lists
-export BACKEND_CPU_LIST=$(seq -s, 0 $(($BACKEND_CORES - 1)))
-export FRONTEND_CPU_LIST=$(seq -s, $BACKEND_CORES $(($TOTAL_CORES - 1)))
-
-echo -e "\e[34m[Info] Backend will use CPUs: $BACKEND_CPU_LIST\e[0m"
-echo -e "\e[34m[Info] Frontend will use CPUs: $FRONTEND_CPU_LIST\e[0m"
-
 # Run supervisord
 exec supervisord -c /etc/supervisor/conf.d/supervisord.conf
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/schemas/src/v3/connection.schema.ts b/packages/schemas/src/v3/connection.schema.ts
index de1a5c70..d92f7d24 100644
--- a/packages/schemas/src/v3/connection.schema.ts
+++ b/packages/schemas/src/v3/connection.schema.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ const schema = {
             "type": "string",
             "pattern": "^[\\w.-]+$"
           },
+          "default": [],
           "examples": [
             [
               "torvalds",
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ const schema = {
             "type": "string",
             "pattern": "^[\\w.-]+\\/[\\w.-]+$"
           },
+          "default": [],
           "description": "List of individual repositories to sync with. Expected to be formatted as '{orgName}/{repoName}' or '{userName}/{repoName}'."
         },
         "topics": {
@@ -88,6 +90,7 @@ const schema = {
             "type": "string"
           },
           "minItems": 1,
+          "default": [],
           "description": "List of repository topics to include when syncing. Only repositories that match at least one of the provided `topics` will be synced. If not specified, all repositories will be synced, unless explicitly defined in the `exclude` property. Glob patterns are supported.",
           "examples": [
             [
@@ -122,6 +125,7 @@ const schema = {
               "items": {
                 "type": "string"
               },
+              "default": [],
               "description": "List of repository topics to exclude when syncing. Repositories that match one of the provided `topics` will be excluded from syncing. Glob patterns are supported.",
               "examples": [
                 [
diff --git a/packages/schemas/src/v3/github.schema.ts b/packages/schemas/src/v3/github.schema.ts
index 412ea9d3..31ec3b87 100644
--- a/packages/schemas/src/v3/github.schema.ts
+++ b/packages/schemas/src/v3/github.schema.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ const schema = {
         "type": "string",
         "pattern": "^[\\w.-]+$"
       },
+      "default": [],
       "examples": [
         [
           "torvalds",
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ const schema = {
         "type": "string",
         "pattern": "^[\\w.-]+\\/[\\w.-]+$"
       },
+      "default": [],
       "description": "List of individual repositories to sync with. Expected to be formatted as '{orgName}/{repoName}' or '{userName}/{repoName}'."
     },
     "topics": {
@@ -84,6 +86,7 @@ const schema = {
         "type": "string"
       },
       "minItems": 1,
+      "default": [],
       "description": "List of repository topics to include when syncing. Only repositories that match at least one of the provided `topics` will be synced. If not specified, all repositories will be synced, unless explicitly defined in the `exclude` property. Glob patterns are supported.",
       "examples": [
         [
@@ -118,6 +121,7 @@ const schema = {
           "items": {
             "type": "string"
           },
+          "default": [],
           "description": "List of repository topics to exclude when syncing. Repositories that match one of the provided `topics` will be excluded from syncing. Glob patterns are supported.",
           "examples": [
             [
diff --git a/supervisord.conf b/supervisord.conf
index b2dcc53a..068076a7 100644
--- a/supervisord.conf
+++ b/supervisord.conf
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ logfile=/dev/null
 logfile_maxbytes=0
 
 [program:zoekt]
-command=taskset -c %(ENV_BACKEND_CPU_LIST)s ./prefix-output.sh zoekt-webserver -index %(ENV_DATA_CACHE_DIR)s/index -rpc
+command=./prefix-output.sh zoekt-webserver -index %(ENV_DATA_CACHE_DIR)s/index -rpc
 autostart=true
 autorestart=true
 startretries=3
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ stdout_logfile_maxbytes=0
 redirect_stderr=true
 
 [program:web]
-command=taskset -c %(ENV_FRONTEND_CPU_LIST)s ./prefix-output.sh node packages/web/server.js
+command=./prefix-output.sh node packages/web/server.js
 autostart=true
 autorestart=true
 startretries=3