diff --git a/guix/build-system/haskell.scm b/guix/build-system/haskell.scm
index 1ec11c71d8..ab93c9601c 100644
--- a/guix/build-system/haskell.scm
+++ b/guix/build-system/haskell.scm
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ (define* (haskell-build store name inputs
                         (haddock-flags ''())
                         (tests? #t)
                         (test-target "test")
+                        (parallel-build? #t)
                         (configure-flags ''())
                         (phases '(@ (guix build haskell-build-system)
                                     %standard-phases))
@@ -138,6 +139,7 @@ (define builder
                       #:system ,system
                       #:test-target ,test-target
                       #:tests? ,tests?
+                      #:parallel-build? ,parallel-build?
                       #:haddock? ,haddock?
                       #:phases ,phases
                       #:outputs %outputs
diff --git a/guix/build/haskell-build-system.scm b/guix/build/haskell-build-system.scm
index 91f62138d0..5fd0c7dbfe 100644
--- a/guix/build/haskell-build-system.scm
+++ b/guix/build/haskell-build-system.scm
@@ -121,9 +121,12 @@ (define* (configure #:key outputs inputs tests? (configure-flags '())
     (setenv "GHC_PACKAGE_PATH" ghc-path)
     #t))
 
-(define* (build #:rest empty)
+(define* (build #:key parallel-build? #:allow-other-keys)
   "Build a given Haskell package."
-  (run-setuphs "build" '()))
+  (run-setuphs "build"
+               (if parallel-build?
+                   `(,(string-append "--ghc-option=-j" (number->string (parallel-job-count))))
+                   '())))
 
 (define* (install #:rest empty)
   "Install a given Haskell package."