diff --git a/src/common.cpp b/src/common.cpp
index 22f5e7e4..7afadf8b 100644
--- a/src/common.cpp
+++ b/src/common.cpp
@@ -10,13 +10,16 @@ namespace common = acquire::sink::zarr::common;
 common::ThreadPool::ThreadPool(size_t n_threads,
                                std::function<void(const std::string&)> err)
   : error_handler_{ err }
-  , started_{ false }
   , should_stop_{ false }
 {
-    n_threads_ = std::clamp(
+    n_threads = std::clamp(
       n_threads,
       (size_t)1,
       (size_t)std::max(std::thread::hardware_concurrency(), (unsigned)1));
+
+    for (auto i = 0; i < n_threads; ++i) {
+        threads_.emplace_back([this] { thread_worker_(); });
+    }
 }
 
 common::ThreadPool::~ThreadPool() noexcept
@@ -24,22 +27,9 @@ common::ThreadPool::~ThreadPool() noexcept
     await_stop();
 }
 
-void
-common::ThreadPool::start()
-{
-    EXPECT(!started_, "Thread pool already started.");
-
-    for (auto i = 0; i < n_threads_; ++i) {
-        threads_.emplace_back([this] { thread_worker_(); });
-    }
-    started_ = true;
-}
-
 void
 common::ThreadPool::push_to_job_queue(JobT&& job)
 {
-    EXPECT(started_, "Cannot push to job queue before starting.");
-
     std::unique_lock lock(jobs_mutex_);
     jobs_.push(std::move(job));
     lock.unlock();
@@ -50,10 +40,6 @@ common::ThreadPool::push_to_job_queue(JobT&& job)
 void
 common::ThreadPool::await_stop() noexcept
 {
-    if (!started_) {
-        return;
-    }
-
     should_stop_ = true;
     cv_.notify_all();
 
diff --git a/src/common.hh b/src/common.hh
index 93996691..e6dc59f0 100644
--- a/src/common.hh
+++ b/src/common.hh
@@ -60,20 +60,17 @@ struct ThreadPool final
     ThreadPool(size_t n_threads, std::function<void(const std::string&)> err);
     ~ThreadPool() noexcept;
 
-    void start();
     void push_to_job_queue(JobT&& job);
     void await_stop() noexcept;
 
   private:
     std::function<void(const std::string&)> error_handler_;
 
-    size_t n_threads_;
     std::vector<std::thread> threads_;
     mutable std::mutex jobs_mutex_;
     std::condition_variable cv_;
     std::queue<JobT> jobs_;
 
-    bool started_;
     std::atomic<bool> should_stop_;
 
     /// Multithreading
diff --git a/src/zarr.cpp b/src/zarr.cpp
index 64a81759..f629e194 100644
--- a/src/zarr.cpp
+++ b/src/zarr.cpp
@@ -404,7 +404,6 @@ void
 zarr::Zarr::start()
 {
     error_ = true;
-    thread_pool_->start();
 
     if (fs::exists(dataset_root_)) {
         std::error_code ec;