diff --git a/src/checkqueue.h b/src/checkqueue.h
index bead6f0c6f9..c4a64444e92 100644
--- a/src/checkqueue.h
+++ b/src/checkqueue.h
@@ -199,11 +199,12 @@ public:
         WITH_LOCK(m_mutex, m_request_stop = false);
     }
 
+    bool HasThreads() const { return !m_worker_threads.empty(); }
+
     ~CCheckQueue()
     {
         assert(m_worker_threads.empty());
     }
-
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 041fb9a6d19..3070bbf74b3 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1143,7 +1143,6 @@ bool AppInitMain(NodeContext& node, interfaces::BlockAndHeaderTipInfo* tip_info)
 
     LogPrintf("Script verification uses %d additional threads\n", script_threads);
     if (script_threads >= 1) {
-        g_parallel_script_checks = true;
         StartScriptCheckWorkerThreads(script_threads);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/test/util/setup_common.cpp b/src/test/util/setup_common.cpp
index fddaf0f3593..090ed7503a9 100644
--- a/src/test/util/setup_common.cpp
+++ b/src/test/util/setup_common.cpp
@@ -198,10 +198,8 @@ ChainTestingSetup::ChainTestingSetup(const std::string& chainName, const std::ve
     m_node.chainman = std::make_unique<ChainstateManager>(chainman_opts);
     m_node.chainman->m_blockman.m_block_tree_db = std::make_unique<CBlockTreeDB>(m_cache_sizes.block_tree_db, true);
 
-    // Start script-checking threads. Set g_parallel_script_checks to true so they are used.
     constexpr int script_check_threads = 2;
     StartScriptCheckWorkerThreads(script_check_threads);
-    g_parallel_script_checks = true;
 }
 
 ChainTestingSetup::~ChainTestingSetup()
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index 077b17ec219..36cb5b1d80a 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ RecursiveMutex cs_main;
 GlobalMutex g_best_block_mutex;
 std::condition_variable g_best_block_cv;
 uint256 g_best_block;
-bool g_parallel_script_checks{false};
 
 const CBlockIndex* Chainstate::FindForkInGlobalIndex(const CBlockLocator& locator) const
 {
@@ -1991,6 +1990,7 @@ bool Chainstate::ConnectBlock(const CBlock& block, BlockValidationState& state,
 
     uint256 block_hash{block.GetHash()};
     assert(*pindex->phashBlock == block_hash);
+    const bool parallel_script_checks{scriptcheckqueue.HasThreads()};
 
     const auto time_start{SteadyClock::now()};
 
@@ -2179,7 +2179,7 @@ bool Chainstate::ConnectBlock(const CBlock& block, BlockValidationState& state,
     // in multiple threads). Preallocate the vector size so a new allocation
     // doesn't invalidate pointers into the vector, and keep txsdata in scope
     // for as long as `control`.
-    CCheckQueueControl<CScriptCheck> control(fScriptChecks && g_parallel_script_checks ? &scriptcheckqueue : nullptr);
+    CCheckQueueControl<CScriptCheck> control(fScriptChecks && parallel_script_checks ? &scriptcheckqueue : nullptr);
     std::vector<PrecomputedTransactionData> txsdata(block.vtx.size());
 
     std::vector<int> prevheights;
@@ -2238,7 +2238,7 @@ bool Chainstate::ConnectBlock(const CBlock& block, BlockValidationState& state,
             std::vector<CScriptCheck> vChecks;
             bool fCacheResults = fJustCheck; /* Don't cache results if we're actually connecting blocks (still consult the cache, though) */
             TxValidationState tx_state;
-            if (fScriptChecks && !CheckInputScripts(tx, tx_state, view, flags, fCacheResults, fCacheResults, txsdata[i], g_parallel_script_checks ? &vChecks : nullptr)) {
+            if (fScriptChecks && !CheckInputScripts(tx, tx_state, view, flags, fCacheResults, fCacheResults, txsdata[i], parallel_script_checks ? &vChecks : nullptr)) {
                 // Any transaction validation failure in ConnectBlock is a block consensus failure
                 state.Invalid(BlockValidationResult::BLOCK_CONSENSUS,
                               tx_state.GetRejectReason(), tx_state.GetDebugMessage());
diff --git a/src/validation.h b/src/validation.h
index 076e6d53e07..54b0c5ae1d9 100644
--- a/src/validation.h
+++ b/src/validation.h
@@ -91,10 +91,6 @@ extern GlobalMutex g_best_block_mutex;
 extern std::condition_variable g_best_block_cv;
 /** Used to notify getblocktemplate RPC of new tips. */
 extern uint256 g_best_block;
-/** Whether there are dedicated script-checking threads running.
- * False indicates all script checking is done on the main threadMessageHandler thread.
- */
-extern bool g_parallel_script_checks;
 
 /** Documentation for argument 'checklevel'. */
 extern const std::vector<std::string> CHECKLEVEL_DOC;