diff --git a/vllm/distributed/kv_transfer/kv_connector/v1/nixl_connector.py b/vllm/distributed/kv_transfer/kv_connector/v1/nixl_connector.py
index 0c5986bfafaa0..5a49b8aa1244b 100644
--- a/vllm/distributed/kv_transfer/kv_connector/v1/nixl_connector.py
+++ b/vllm/distributed/kv_transfer/kv_connector/v1/nixl_connector.py
@@ -41,13 +41,13 @@ Transfer = tuple[int, float]  # (xfer_handle, start_time)
 EngineId = str
 ReqId = str
 GET_META_MSG = b"get_meta_msg"
+NIXL_NUM_WORKERS = 32
 
 logger = init_logger(__name__)
 
 # Lazy import nixl_wrapper to avoid loading nixl_bindings if nixl is not used
 try:
-    from nixl._api import nixl_agent as NixlWrapper
-    logger.info("NIXL is available")
+    from nixl._api import nixl_agent as NixlWrapper, nixl_agent_config
 except ImportError:
     logger.warning("NIXL is not available")
     NixlWrapper = None
@@ -361,7 +361,12 @@ class NixlConnectorWorker:
         self.block_size = vllm_config.cache_config.block_size
 
         # Agent.
-        self.nixl_wrapper = NixlWrapper(str(uuid.uuid4()), None)
+        import os
+        if os.getenv("VLLM_USE_NIXL_WORKERS", "0") == "1":
+            config = nixl_agent_config(num_threads=NIXL_NUM_WORKERS)
+        else:
+            config = None
+        self.nixl_wrapper = NixlWrapper(str(uuid.uuid4()), config)
         # Map of engine_id -> {rank0: agent_name0, rank1: agent_name1..}.
         self._remote_agents: dict[EngineId, dict[int, str]] = defaultdict(dict)
 
@@ -1019,10 +1024,14 @@ class NixlConnectorWorker:
             remote_xfer_side_handle,
             remote_block_descs_ids,
             notif_msg=notif_id,
+            skip_desc_merge=True,
         )
 
         # Begin async xfer.
+        start = time.perf_counter()
         self.nixl_wrapper.transfer(handle)
+        end = time.perf_counter()
+        logger.info(f"TIME: {end - start}")
 
         # Use handle to check completion in future step().
         # TODO (NickLucche) surface xfer elapsed time