diff --git a/runTests.py b/runTests.py
index 4c1b029a32d..e80e1e25db4 100755
--- a/runTests.py
+++ b/runTests.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 winsfx = ".exe"
 testsfx = "_test.cpp"
 debug = False
+batchSize = 25
 
 def usage():
     sys.stdout.write('usage: %s <path/test/dir(/files)>\n' % sys.argv[0])
@@ -72,10 +73,21 @@ def makeTests( dirname, filenames, j ):
         target = mungeName(target)
         targets.append(target)
     if (len(targets) > 0):
-        command = 'make -j%d %s' % (j,' '.join(targets))
         if (debug):
-            print(command)
-        doCommand(command)
+            print('# targets: %d' % len(targets))
+        startIdx = 0
+        endIdx = batchSize
+        while (startIdx < len(targets)):
+            command = 'make -j%d %s' % (j,' '.join(targets[startIdx:endIdx]))
+            if (debug):
+                print('start %d, end %d' % (startIdx,endIdx))
+                print(command)
+            doCommand(command)
+            startIdx = endIdx
+            endIdx = startIdx + batchSize
+            if (endIdx > len(targets)):
+                endIdx = len(targets)
+         
 
 def runTest(name):
     executable = mungeName(name).replace("/",os.sep)