diff --git a/c/builtins.c b/c/builtins.c
index b736b7c..993d4bd 100644
--- a/c/builtins.c
+++ b/c/builtins.c
@@ -1224,6 +1224,12 @@ static Value bi_tcp_listen(Value *a, int n, Env *e) {
     if (fd < 0) return VAL_FALSE;
     int one = 1;
     setsockopt(fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, &one, sizeof(one));
+    /* SO_REUSEPORT lets N processes bind() the same port. Kernel hashes
+       incoming connections across the listening sockets so each accept()
+       returns a fresh client to whichever process is ready. Used by bend
+       to run multiple workers behind one port without an external
+       distributor. */
+    setsockopt(fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEPORT, &one, sizeof(one));
     struct sockaddr_in addr = {0};
     addr.sin_family = AF_INET;
     addr.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_ANY);