diff --git a/app/test/test_threads.c b/app/test/test_threads.c
index 00f604ab7e..91155a04e3 100644
--- a/app/test/test_threads.c
+++ b/app/test/test_threads.c
@@ -243,6 +243,110 @@ test_thread_barrier(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+RTE_INIT_MUTEX(static_mutex);
+
+struct mutex_loop_args {
+	rte_thread_barrier *barrier;
+	rte_thread_mutex *mutex;
+	unsigned long result_A;
+	unsigned long result_B;
+};
+
+static void *
+thread_loop_mutex_B(void *arg)
+{
+	struct mutex_loop_args *args = arg;
+
+	if (rte_thread_mutex_try_lock(args->mutex) == 0) {
+		rte_thread_barrier_wait(args->barrier);
+		rte_thread_mutex_unlock(args->mutex);
+		args->result_B = 1;
+	} else {
+		rte_thread_barrier_wait(args->barrier);
+		args->result_B = 2;
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+static void *
+thread_loop_mutex_A(void *arg)
+{
+	struct mutex_loop_args *args = arg;
+
+	if (rte_thread_mutex_try_lock(args->mutex) != 0) {
+		rte_thread_barrier_wait(args->barrier);
+		args->result_A = 2;
+	} else {
+		rte_thread_barrier_wait(args->barrier);
+		rte_thread_mutex_unlock(args->mutex);
+		args->result_A = 1;
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+static int
+test_thread_mutex(rte_thread_mutex *pmutex)
+{
+	rte_thread_t thread_A;
+	rte_thread_t thread_B;
+	rte_thread_mutex mutex;
+	rte_thread_barrier barrier;
+	struct mutex_loop_args args;
+	int ret = 0;
+
+	/* If mutex is not statically initialized */
+	if (pmutex == NULL) {
+		ret = rte_thread_mutex_init(&mutex);
+		RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret == 0, "Failed to initialize mutex!");
+	} else
+		mutex = *pmutex;
+
+	ret = rte_thread_barrier_init(&barrier, 2);
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret == 0, "Failed to initialize barrier!");
+
+	args.mutex = &mutex;
+	args.barrier = &barrier;
+
+	ret = rte_thread_create(&thread_A, NULL, thread_loop_mutex_A, &args);
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret == 0, "Failed to create thread!");
+
+	ret = rte_thread_create(&thread_B, NULL, thread_loop_mutex_B, &args);
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret == 0, "Failed to create thread!");
+
+	ret = rte_thread_join(thread_A, NULL);
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret == 0, "Failed to join thread!");
+
+	ret = rte_thread_join(thread_B, NULL);
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret == 0, "Failed to join thread!");
+
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(args.result_A != args.result_B, "Mutex failed to be acquired or was acquired by both threads!");
+
+	/* Destroy if dynamically initialized */
+	if (pmutex == NULL) {
+		ret = rte_thread_mutex_destroy(&mutex);
+		RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret == 0, "Failed to destroy mutex!");
+	}
+
+	ret = rte_thread_barrier_destroy(&barrier);
+	RTE_TEST_ASSERT(ret == 0, "Failed to destroy barrier!");
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+static int
+test_thread_mutex_static(void)
+{
+	return test_thread_mutex(&static_mutex);
+}
+
+static int
+test_thread_mutex_dynamic(void)
+{
+	return test_thread_mutex(NULL);
+}
+
 static struct unit_test_suite threads_test_suite = {
 	.suite_name = "threads autotest",
 	.setup = NULL,
@@ -253,6 +357,8 @@ static struct unit_test_suite threads_test_suite = {
 			TEST_CASE(test_thread_attributes_priority),
 			TEST_CASE(test_thread_detach),
 			TEST_CASE(test_thread_barrier),
+			TEST_CASE(test_thread_mutex_static),
+			TEST_CASE(test_thread_mutex_dynamic),
 			TEST_CASES_END()
 	}
 };
diff --git a/lib/eal/common/rte_thread.c b/lib/eal/common/rte_thread.c
index d30a8a7ca3..4a9a1b6e07 100644
--- a/lib/eal/common/rte_thread.c
+++ b/lib/eal/common/rte_thread.c
@@ -309,6 +309,75 @@ rte_thread_detach(rte_thread_t thread_id)
 	return pthread_detach((pthread_t)thread_id.opaque_id);
 }
 
+int
+rte_thread_mutex_init(rte_thread_mutex *mutex)
+{
+	int ret = 0;
+	pthread_mutex_t *m = NULL;
+
+	RTE_VERIFY(mutex != NULL);
+
+	m = calloc(1, sizeof(*m));
+	if (m == NULL) {
+		RTE_LOG(DEBUG, EAL, "Unable to initialize mutex. Insufficient memory!\n");
+		ret = ENOMEM;
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	ret = pthread_mutex_init(m, NULL);
+	if (ret != 0) {
+		RTE_LOG(DEBUG, EAL, "Failed to init mutex. ret = %d\n", ret);
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	mutex->mutex_id = m;
+	m = NULL;
+
+cleanup:
+	free(m);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+int
+rte_thread_mutex_lock(rte_thread_mutex *mutex)
+{
+	RTE_VERIFY(mutex != NULL);
+
+	return pthread_mutex_lock((pthread_mutex_t *)mutex->mutex_id);
+}
+
+int
+rte_thread_mutex_unlock(rte_thread_mutex *mutex)
+{
+	RTE_VERIFY(mutex != NULL);
+
+	return pthread_mutex_unlock((pthread_mutex_t *)mutex->mutex_id);
+}
+
+int
+rte_thread_mutex_try_lock(rte_thread_mutex *mutex)
+{
+	RTE_VERIFY(mutex != NULL);
+
+	return pthread_mutex_trylock((pthread_mutex_t *)mutex->mutex_id);
+}
+
+int
+rte_thread_mutex_destroy(rte_thread_mutex *mutex)
+{
+	int ret = 0;
+	RTE_VERIFY(mutex != NULL);
+
+	ret = pthread_mutex_destroy((pthread_mutex_t *)mutex->mutex_id);
+	if (ret != 0)
+		RTE_LOG(DEBUG, EAL, "Unable to destroy mutex, ret = %d\n", ret);
+
+	free(mutex->mutex_id);
+	mutex->mutex_id = NULL;
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 int
 rte_thread_barrier_init(rte_thread_barrier *barrier, int count)
 {
diff --git a/lib/eal/include/rte_thread.h b/lib/eal/include/rte_thread.h
index 7c84e32988..09a5fd8add 100644
--- a/lib/eal/include/rte_thread.h
+++ b/lib/eal/include/rte_thread.h
@@ -54,6 +54,25 @@ typedef struct {
 
 #endif /* RTE_HAS_CPUSET */
 
+#define RTE_DECLARE_MUTEX(private_lock)          rte_thread_mutex private_lock
+
+#define RTE_DEFINE_MUTEX(private_lock)\
+RTE_INIT(__rte_ ## private_lock ## _init)\
+{\
+	RTE_VERIFY(rte_thread_mutex_init(&private_lock) == 0);\
+}
+
+#define RTE_INIT_MUTEX(private_lock)\
+static RTE_DECLARE_MUTEX(private_lock);\
+RTE_DEFINE_MUTEX(private_lock)
+
+/**
+ * Thread mutex representation.
+ */
+typedef struct rte_thread_mutex_tag {
+	void *mutex_id;  /**< mutex identifier */
+} rte_thread_mutex;
+
 /**
  * Returned by rte_thread_barrier_wait() when call is successful.
  */
@@ -314,6 +333,72 @@ __rte_experimental
 int rte_thread_set_priority(rte_thread_t thread_id,
 		enum rte_thread_priority priority);
 
+/**
+ * Initializes a mutex.
+ *
+ * @param mutex
+ *    The mutex to be initialized.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *   On success, return 0.
+ *   On failure, return a positive errno-style error number.
+ */
+__rte_experimental
+int rte_thread_mutex_init(rte_thread_mutex *mutex);
+
+/**
+ * Locks a mutex.
+ *
+ * @param mutex
+ *    The mutex to be locked.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *   On success, return 0.
+ *   On failure, return a positive errno-style error number.
+ */
+__rte_experimental
+int rte_thread_mutex_lock(rte_thread_mutex *mutex);
+
+/**
+ * Unlocks a mutex.
+ *
+ * @param mutex
+ *    The mutex to be unlocked.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *   On success, return 0.
+ *   On failure, return a positive errno-style error number.
+ */
+__rte_experimental
+int rte_thread_mutex_unlock(rte_thread_mutex *mutex);
+
+/**
+ * Tries to lock a mutex.If the mutex is already held by a different thread,
+ * the function returns without blocking.
+ *
+ * @param mutex
+ *    The mutex that will be acquired, if not already locked.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *   On success, if the mutex is acquired, return 0.
+ *   On failure, return a positive errno-style error number.
+ */
+__rte_experimental
+int rte_thread_mutex_try_lock(rte_thread_mutex *mutex);
+
+/**
+ * Releases all resources associated with a mutex.
+ *
+ * @param mutex
+ *    The mutex to be uninitialized.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *   On success, return 0.
+ *   On failure, return a positive errno-style error number.
+ */
+__rte_experimental
+int rte_thread_mutex_destroy(rte_thread_mutex *mutex);
+
 /**
  * Initializes a synchronization barrier.
  *
diff --git a/lib/eal/version.map b/lib/eal/version.map
index 06e5f82da2..e80eea4316 100644
--- a/lib/eal/version.map
+++ b/lib/eal/version.map
@@ -431,6 +431,11 @@ EXPERIMENTAL {
 	rte_thread_barrier_wait;
 	rte_thread_barrier_destroy;
 	rte_thread_get_affinity_by_id;
+	rte_thread_mutex_init;
+	rte_thread_mutex_lock;
+	rte_thread_mutex_unlock;
+	rte_thread_mutex_try_lock;
+	rte_thread_mutex_destroy;
 	rte_thread_set_affinity_by_id;
 	rte_thread_get_priority;
 	rte_thread_set_priority;
diff --git a/lib/eal/windows/rte_thread.c b/lib/eal/windows/rte_thread.c
index 3f72bbf716..11b4863fe8 100644
--- a/lib/eal/windows/rte_thread.c
+++ b/lib/eal/windows/rte_thread.c
@@ -504,6 +504,70 @@ rte_thread_detach(rte_thread_t thread_id)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int
+rte_thread_mutex_init(rte_thread_mutex *mutex)
+{
+	int ret = 0;
+	CRITICAL_SECTION *m = NULL;
+
+	RTE_VERIFY(mutex != NULL);
+
+	m = calloc(1, sizeof(*m));
+	if (m == NULL) {
+		RTE_LOG(DEBUG, EAL, "Unable to initialize mutex. Insufficient memory!\n");
+		ret = ENOMEM;
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
+	InitializeCriticalSection(m);
+	mutex->mutex_id = m;
+	m = NULL;
+
+cleanup:
+	return ret;
+}
+
+int
+rte_thread_mutex_lock(rte_thread_mutex *mutex)
+{
+	RTE_VERIFY(mutex != NULL);
+
+	EnterCriticalSection(mutex->mutex_id);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int
+rte_thread_mutex_unlock(rte_thread_mutex *mutex)
+{
+	RTE_VERIFY(mutex != NULL);
+
+	LeaveCriticalSection(mutex->mutex_id);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int
+rte_thread_mutex_try_lock(rte_thread_mutex *mutex)
+{
+	RTE_VERIFY(mutex != NULL);
+
+	if (TryEnterCriticalSection(mutex->mutex_id) != 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	return EBUSY;
+}
+
+int
+rte_thread_mutex_destroy(rte_thread_mutex *mutex)
+{
+	RTE_VERIFY(mutex != NULL);
+
+	DeleteCriticalSection(mutex->mutex_id);
+	free(mutex->mutex_id);
+	mutex->mutex_id = NULL;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int
 rte_thread_barrier_init(rte_thread_barrier *barrier, int count)
 {
