diff --git a/.github/workflows/bench.yml b/.github/workflows/bench.yml
index d24415ab47ba..ae01d8fbaede 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/bench.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/bench.yml
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Create synthetic benchmark
         working-directory: bench
-        run: opam exec -- ../_boot/dune.exe exec ./gen_synthetic.exe -- -n 6 synthetic
+        run: opam exec -- ../_boot/dune.exe exec ./gen_synthetic.exe -- -n 2000 synthetic
 
       - name: Run synthetic benchmark
         working-directory: bench/synthetic
diff --git a/bench/gen_synthetic.ml b/bench/gen_synthetic.ml
index a496988f8169..7ab45a71f476 100644
--- a/bench/gen_synthetic.ml
+++ b/bench/gen_synthetic.ml
@@ -1,72 +1,15 @@
 open Printf
 
-let dir_rows = ref 1
-
-let dir_cols = ref 1
-
-let mod_rows = ref 1
-
-let mod_cols = ref 1
-
-let comment_size = ref 5000
-
-let count n = Array.to_list (Array.init n (fun k -> k + 1))
-
-let write_modules basedir dir_row dir_col =
-  for row = 1 to !mod_rows do
-    for col = 1 to !mod_cols do
-      let deps =
-        if row = 1 then
-          if dir_row = 1 then []
-          else
-            List.flatten
-              (List.map
-                 (fun k ->
-                   List.map
-                     (fun j ->
-                       sprintf "M_%d_%d_%d_%d.f()" (dir_row - 1) j !mod_rows k)
-                     (count !dir_cols))
-                 (count !mod_cols))
-        else
-          List.map
-            (fun k -> sprintf "M_%d_%d_%d_%d.f()" dir_row dir_col (row - 1) k)
-            (count !mod_cols)
-      in
-
-      let deps = List.rev ("()" :: List.rev deps) in
-
-      let str_deps = String.concat ";\n  " deps in
-      let comment = String.make !comment_size 'X' in
-      let mod_text = sprintf "(* %s *)\nlet f() =\n  %s\n" comment str_deps in
-      let modname =
-        sprintf "%s/m_%d_%d_%d_%d" basedir dir_row dir_col row col
-      in
-      let f = open_out (sprintf "%s.ml" modname) in
-      output_string f mod_text;
-      close_out f;
-      let f = open_out (sprintf "%s.mli" modname) in
-      output_string f "val f : unit -> unit ";
-      close_out f
-    done
-  done;
-  let f = open_out (sprintf "%s/main.ml" basedir) in
-  let modname =
-    sprintf "Test.M_%d_%d_%d_%d" dir_row dir_col !mod_rows !mod_cols
-  in
-  let main = sprintf "let () = %s.f()" modname in
-  output_string f main;
-  close_out f
+let write_modules basedir num_modules =
+  for current_mod = 1 to num_modules do
+    let modname = sprintf "%s/m_%d" basedir current_mod in
+    let f = open_out (sprintf "%s.ml" modname) in
+    close_out f
+  done
 
-let dune =
-  {|
+let dune = {|
 (library
- (name test)
- (modules :standard \ main))
-
-(executable
- (name main)
- (libraries test)
- (modules main))
+ (name test))
 |}
 
 let write basedir =
@@ -74,31 +17,17 @@ let write basedir =
   let f = open_out (Filename.concat basedir "dune") in
   output_string f dune;
   let () = close_out f in
-
-  for row = 1 to !dir_rows do
-    for col = 1 to !dir_cols do
-      write_modules basedir row col
-    done
-  done
+  write_modules basedir
 
 let () =
   let basedir = ref "." in
+  let num_modules = ref 0 in
   Arg.parse
     [ ( "-n"
-      , Arg.Int
-          (fun n ->
-            dir_rows := n;
-            dir_cols := n;
-            mod_rows := n;
-            mod_cols := n)
-      , "<n>  set all of -dir-rows, -dir-cols, -mod-rows, -mod-cols to the \
-         same value" )
-    ; ("-row", Arg.Int (fun n -> dir_rows := n), "<n> set row")
-    ; ("-col", Arg.Int (fun n -> dir_cols := n), "<n> set col")
-    ; ("-mrow", Arg.Int (fun n -> mod_rows := n), "<n> set mod-row")
-    ; ("-mcol", Arg.Int (fun n -> mod_cols := n), "<n> set mod-col")
+      , Arg.Int (fun n -> num_modules := n)
+      , "<n>  number of modules to include in the synthetic library" )
     ]
     (fun d -> basedir := d)
     (sprintf "usage: %s [basedir]" (Filename.basename Sys.argv.(0)));
 
-  write !basedir
+  write !basedir !num_modules