diff --git a/vllm/v1/worker/tpu_model_runner.py b/vllm/v1/worker/tpu_model_runner.py
index c2edbaf3..b1d5c0f3 100644
--- a/vllm/v1/worker/tpu_model_runner.py
+++ b/vllm/v1/worker/tpu_model_runner.py
@@ -862,7 +862,9 @@ class TPUModelRunner:
                 out = self.model.sample_from_hidden(dummy_hidden,
                                                     sampling_meta)
                 out = out.cpu()
-                if num_reqs_to_sample >= self.max_num_reqs:
+                # Requests can't be more than tokens. But do compile for the
+                # next bigger value in case num_tokens uses bucketed padding.
+                if num_reqs_to_sample >= min(num_tokens, self.max_num_reqs):
                     break
                 # Make sure to compile the `max_num_reqs` upper-limit case
                 num_reqs_to_sample = _get_padded_num_reqs_with_upper_limit(