diff --git a/ansible/roles/designate/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles/designate/defaults/main.yml
index 616b53881f..9619a1689f 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/designate/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/designate/defaults/main.yml
@@ -289,6 +289,7 @@ designate_producer_workers: "{{ openstack_service_workers }}"
 designate_central_workers: "{{ openstack_service_workers }}"
 designate_sink_workers: "{{ openstack_service_workers }}"
 designate_mdns_workers: "{{ openstack_service_workers }}"
+designate_backend_bind9_workers: "{{ [ansible_facts.processor_vcpus, 32] | min }}"
 
 ####################
 # Kolla
diff --git a/ansible/roles/designate/templates/designate-backend-bind9.json.j2 b/ansible/roles/designate/templates/designate-backend-bind9.json.j2
index c1e0c0448c..49a786576c 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/designate/templates/designate-backend-bind9.json.j2
+++ b/ansible/roles/designate/templates/designate-backend-bind9.json.j2
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 {% set bind_file = 'bind/named.conf' if kolla_base_distro in ['ubuntu', 'debian'] else 'named.conf' %}
 
 {
-    "command": "/usr/sbin/{{ bind_cmd }} -g",
+    "command": "/usr/sbin/{{ bind_cmd }} -U {{ designate_backend_bind9_workers }} -g",
     "config_files": [
         {
             "source": "{{ container_config_directory }}/named.conf",
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/new-variable-designate-backend-bind9-workers-cfd4676196410c6a.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/new-variable-designate-backend-bind9-workers-cfd4676196410c6a.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..42d7ba1a62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/new-variable-designate-backend-bind9-workers-cfd4676196410c6a.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    Adds support for configuring a number of UDP workers for Designate's
+    bind9 backend via the ``designate_backend_bind9_workers`` variable.