diff --git a/db/column_family.cc b/db/column_family.cc
index 8abad2941f..b5364ed15d 100644
--- a/db/column_family.cc
+++ b/db/column_family.cc
@@ -901,7 +901,11 @@ uint64_t GetPendingCompactionBytesForCompactionSpeedup(
     return slowdown_threshold;
   }
 
-  uint64_t size_threshold = bottommost_files_size / kBottommostSizeDivisor;
+  // Prevent a small CF from triggering parallel compactions for other CFs.
+  // Require compaction debt to be more than a full L0 to Lbase compaction.
+  const uint64_t kMinDebtSize = 2 * mutable_cf_options.max_bytes_for_level_base;
+  uint64_t size_threshold =
+      std::max(bottommost_files_size / kBottommostSizeDivisor, kMinDebtSize);
   return std::min(size_threshold, slowdown_threshold);
 }
 
diff --git a/db/column_family_test.cc b/db/column_family_test.cc
index d7751992b5..e7baa28ada 100644
--- a/db/column_family_test.cc
+++ b/db/column_family_test.cc
@@ -3012,19 +3012,25 @@ TEST_P(ColumnFamilyTest, CompactionSpeedupForCompactionDebt) {
   ASSERT_OK(db_->Flush(FlushOptions()));
 
   {
-    // 1MB debt is way bigger than bottommost data so definitely triggers
-    // speedup.
     VersionStorageInfo* vstorage = cfd->current()->storage_info();
-    vstorage->TEST_set_estimated_compaction_needed_bytes(1048576 /* 1MB */,
-                                                         dbmu);
-    RecalculateWriteStallConditions(cfd, mutable_cf_options);
-    ASSERT_EQ(6, dbfull()->TEST_BGCompactionsAllowed());
-
     // Eight bytes is way smaller than bottommost data so definitely does not
     // trigger speedup.
     vstorage->TEST_set_estimated_compaction_needed_bytes(8, dbmu);
     RecalculateWriteStallConditions(cfd, mutable_cf_options);
     ASSERT_EQ(1, dbfull()->TEST_BGCompactionsAllowed());
+
+    // 1MB is much larger than bottommost level size. However, since it's too
+    // small in terms of absolute size, it does not trigger parallel compaction
+    // in this case (see GetPendingCompactionBytesForCompactionSpeedup()).
+    vstorage->TEST_set_estimated_compaction_needed_bytes(1048576 /* 1MB */,
+                                                         dbmu);
+    RecalculateWriteStallConditions(cfd, mutable_cf_options);
+    ASSERT_EQ(1, dbfull()->TEST_BGCompactionsAllowed());
+
+    vstorage->TEST_set_estimated_compaction_needed_bytes(
+        2 * mutable_cf_options.max_bytes_for_level_base, dbmu);
+    RecalculateWriteStallConditions(cfd, mutable_cf_options);
+    ASSERT_EQ(6, dbfull()->TEST_BGCompactionsAllowed());
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/db/import_column_family_test.cc b/db/import_column_family_test.cc
index 89fdbb7e30..c659ba6aed 100644
--- a/db/import_column_family_test.cc
+++ b/db/import_column_family_test.cc
@@ -951,6 +951,8 @@ TEST_F(ImportColumnFamilyTest, AssignEpochNumberToMultipleCF) {
   Options options = CurrentOptions();
   options.level_compaction_dynamic_level_bytes = true;
   options.max_background_jobs = 8;
+  // Always allow parallel compaction
+  options.soft_pending_compaction_bytes_limit = 10;
   env_->SetBackgroundThreads(2, Env::LOW);
   env_->SetBackgroundThreads(0, Env::BOTTOM);
   CreateAndReopenWithCF({"CF1", "CF2"}, options);
diff --git a/unreleased_history/behavior_changes/parallel-compaction.md b/unreleased_history/behavior_changes/parallel-compaction.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..87f5bb76e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unreleased_history/behavior_changes/parallel-compaction.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+* Fix an issue in level compaction where a small CF with small compaction debt can cause the DB to allow parallel compactions. (#13054) 
\ No newline at end of file