diff --git a/src/qlever/commands/index.py b/src/qlever/commands/index.py
index 0d1b0b40..eb2fab8d 100644
--- a/src/qlever/commands/index.py
+++ b/src/qlever/commands/index.py
@@ -236,9 +236,9 @@ def execute(self, args) -> bool:
         # large number of open files is allowed).
         total_file_size = get_total_file_size(shlex.split(args.input_files))
         if args.ulimit is not None:
-            index_cmd = f"ulimit -Sn {args.ulimit}; {index_cmd}"
+            index_cmd = f"ulimit -Sn {args.ulimit} && {index_cmd}"
         elif total_file_size > 1e10:
-            index_cmd = f"ulimit -Sn 1048576; {index_cmd}"
+            index_cmd = f"ulimit -Sn 500000 && {index_cmd}"
 
         # Run the command in a container (if so desired).
         if args.system in Containerize.supported_systems():
diff --git a/test/qlever/commands/test_index_execute.py b/test/qlever/commands/test_index_execute.py
index e8004fff..3d4b3b82 100644
--- a/test/qlever/commands/test_index_execute.py
+++ b/test/qlever/commands/test_index_execute.py
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ def test_execute_total_file_size_greater_than_ten_gb(
 
         # Assertions
         expected_index_cmd = (
-            f"ulimit -Sn 1048576; {args.cat_input_files} | {args.index_binary}"
+            f"ulimit -Sn 500000 && {args.cat_input_files} | {args.index_binary}"
             f" -i {args.name} -s {args.name}.settings.json"
             f" -F {args.format} -f -"
             f" | tee {args.name}.index-log.txt"