diff --git a/vertx-core-java21-tests/src/test/java/io/vertx/tests/virtualthread/DeploymentTest.java b/vertx-core-java21-tests/src/test/java/io/vertx/tests/virtualthread/DeploymentTest.java
index 01e857abc7e..7021da21bca 100644
--- a/vertx-core-java21-tests/src/test/java/io/vertx/tests/virtualthread/DeploymentTest.java
+++ b/vertx-core-java21-tests/src/test/java/io/vertx/tests/virtualthread/DeploymentTest.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import io.vertx.core.*;
 import io.vertx.core.buffer.Buffer;
 import io.vertx.core.http.*;
+import io.vertx.core.internal.ContextInternal;
 import io.vertx.test.core.VertxTestBase;
 import io.vertx.test.http.HttpTestBase;
 import org.junit.Assert;
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
 import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
@@ -43,6 +45,22 @@ public void start() {
     await();
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testInstancesUseDistinctEventLoopThreads() {
+    int instances = 4;
+    Vertx vertx = vertx(new VertxOptions().setEventLoopPoolSize(2 * instances));
+    Set<String> eventLoops = Collections.synchronizedSet(new HashSet<>());
+    vertx.deployVerticle(() -> new AbstractVerticle() {
+      @Override
+      public void start() {
+        CompletableFuture<String> latch = new CompletableFuture<>();
+        ((ContextInternal) context).eventLoop().execute(() -> latch.complete(Thread.currentThread().getName()));
+        eventLoops.add(latch.join());
+      }
+    }, new DeploymentOptions().setInstances(instances).setThreadingModel(ThreadingModel.VIRTUAL_THREAD)).await();
+    Assert.assertEquals(instances, eventLoops.size());
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void testExecuteBlocking() {
     Promise<Void> p = Promise.promise();
diff --git a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/impl/deployment/DefaultDeployment.java b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/impl/deployment/DefaultDeployment.java
index f0a9704a37b..ee8f615273f 100644
--- a/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/impl/deployment/DefaultDeployment.java
+++ b/vertx-core/src/main/java/io/vertx/core/impl/deployment/DefaultDeployment.java
@@ -152,17 +152,9 @@ public Future<?> deploy(DeploymentContext deployment) {
           }
           break;
         case VIRTUAL_THREAD:
-          if (workerLoop == null) {
-            context = contextBuilder
-              .withThreadingModel(ThreadingModel.VIRTUAL_THREAD)
-              .build();
-            workerLoop = context.nettyEventLoop();
-          } else {
-            context = contextBuilder
-              .withThreadingModel(ThreadingModel.VIRTUAL_THREAD)
-              .withEventLoop(workerLoop)
-              .build();
-          }
+          context = contextBuilder
+            .withThreadingModel(ThreadingModel.VIRTUAL_THREAD)
+            .build();
           break;
         default:
           context = contextBuilder