diff --git a/workers/go/harness/worker.go b/workers/go/harness/worker.go
index 98423583..2963920f 100644
--- a/workers/go/harness/worker.go
+++ b/workers/go/harness/worker.go
@@ -168,7 +168,6 @@ func buildWorkerOptions(flags *pflag.FlagSet, args clioptions.WorkerOptions, pro
 	}
 	if flags.Changed("activity-poller-autoscale-max") {
 		options.ActivityTaskPollerBehavior = sdkworker.NewPollerBehaviorAutoscaling(sdkworker.PollerBehaviorAutoscalingOptions{
-			InitialNumberOfPollers: args.ActivityPollerAutoscaleMax,
 			MaximumNumberOfPollers: args.ActivityPollerAutoscaleMax,
 		})
 	} else if flags.Changed("max-concurrent-activity-pollers") {
@@ -178,7 +177,6 @@ func buildWorkerOptions(flags *pflag.FlagSet, args clioptions.WorkerOptions, pro
 	}
 	if flags.Changed("workflow-poller-autoscale-max") {
 		options.WorkflowTaskPollerBehavior = sdkworker.NewPollerBehaviorAutoscaling(sdkworker.PollerBehaviorAutoscalingOptions{
-			InitialNumberOfPollers: args.WorkflowPollerAutoscaleMax,
 			MaximumNumberOfPollers: args.WorkflowPollerAutoscaleMax,
 		})
 	} else if flags.Changed("max-concurrent-workflow-pollers") {
diff --git a/workers/go/harness/worker_test.go b/workers/go/harness/worker_test.go
index ed5756e2..5f355cc1 100644
--- a/workers/go/harness/worker_test.go
+++ b/workers/go/harness/worker_test.go
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@ package harness
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
+	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/temporalio/omes/clioptions"
 	sdkclient "go.temporal.io/sdk/client"
 	sdkworker "go.temporal.io/sdk/worker"
 )
@@ -94,3 +96,60 @@ func TestRunWorkersStopsRemainingWorkersOnFailure(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("expected remaining worker to observe shutdown")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestBuildWorkerOptionsPollerBehavior(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name             string
+		argv             []string
+		activityBehavior sdkworker.PollerBehavior
+		workflowBehavior sdkworker.PollerBehavior
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "no poller flags leaves both unset",
+			argv: nil,
+		},
+		{
+			// The autoscaling max must not also pin the initial poller count;
+			// unset fields fall back to the SDK's own defaults.
+			name: "activity autoscale max sets only the maximum",
+			argv: []string{"--activity-poller-autoscale-max=20"},
+			activityBehavior: sdkworker.NewPollerBehaviorAutoscaling(sdkworker.PollerBehaviorAutoscalingOptions{
+				MaximumNumberOfPollers: 20,
+			}),
+		},
+		{
+			name: "workflow autoscale max sets only the maximum",
+			argv: []string{"--workflow-poller-autoscale-max=10"},
+			workflowBehavior: sdkworker.NewPollerBehaviorAutoscaling(sdkworker.PollerBehaviorAutoscalingOptions{
+				MaximumNumberOfPollers: 10,
+			}),
+		},
+		{
+			name: "max concurrent pollers still pins a simple maximum",
+			argv: []string{"--max-concurrent-activity-pollers=3"},
+			activityBehavior: sdkworker.NewPollerBehaviorSimpleMaximum(sdkworker.PollerBehaviorSimpleMaximumOptions{
+				MaximumNumberOfPollers: 3,
+			}),
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			var args clioptions.WorkerOptions
+			flags := args.FlagSetWithPrefix("")
+			if err := flags.Parse(tc.argv); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("failed to parse %v: %v", tc.argv, err)
+			}
+			options, err := buildWorkerOptions(flags, args, "")
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("buildWorkerOptions failed: %v", err)
+			}
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(options.ActivityTaskPollerBehavior, tc.activityBehavior) {
+				t.Errorf("activity poller behavior = %#v, want %#v",
+					options.ActivityTaskPollerBehavior, tc.activityBehavior)
+			}
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(options.WorkflowTaskPollerBehavior, tc.workflowBehavior) {
+				t.Errorf("workflow poller behavior = %#v, want %#v",
+					options.WorkflowTaskPollerBehavior, tc.workflowBehavior)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}