diff --git a/esrally/resources/metrics-template.json b/esrally/resources/metrics-template.json
index ea7f62d63..08bcd1a80 100644
--- a/esrally/resources/metrics-template.json
+++ b/esrally/resources/metrics-template.json
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
   "template": "rally-metrics-*",
   "settings": {
     "index": {
-      "refresh_interval": "5s"
+      "refresh_interval": "5s",
+      "number_of_shards": 1
     }
   },
   "mappings": {
diff --git a/esrally/resources/races-template.json b/esrally/resources/races-template.json
index 67eea7746..217bd39b6 100644
--- a/esrally/resources/races-template.json
+++ b/esrally/resources/races-template.json
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
   "template": "rally-races-*",
   "settings": {
     "index": {
-      "refresh_interval": "5s"
+      "refresh_interval": "5s",
+      "number_of_shards": 1
     }
   },
   "mappings": {
diff --git a/esrally/resources/results-template.json b/esrally/resources/results-template.json
index 3c391652a..29b3bc4bf 100644
--- a/esrally/resources/results-template.json
+++ b/esrally/resources/results-template.json
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
   "template": "rally-results-*",
   "settings": {
     "index": {
-      "refresh_interval": "5s"
+      "refresh_interval": "5s",
+      "number_of_shards": 1
     }
   },
   "mappings": {