diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_thread.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_thread.c
index 280c64bb76..afb30236c5 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_thread.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_thread.c
@@ -71,20 +71,10 @@ eal_cpuset_socket_id(rte_cpuset_t *cpusetp)
 	return socket_id;
 }
 
-int
-rte_thread_set_affinity(rte_cpuset_t *cpusetp)
+static void
+thread_update_affinity(rte_cpuset_t *cpusetp)
 {
-	int s;
-	unsigned lcore_id;
-	pthread_t tid;
-
-	tid = pthread_self();
-
-	s = pthread_setaffinity_np(tid, sizeof(rte_cpuset_t), cpusetp);
-	if (s != 0) {
-		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "pthread_setaffinity_np failed\n");
-		return -1;
-	}
+	unsigned int lcore_id = rte_lcore_id();
 
 	/* store socket_id in TLS for quick access */
 	RTE_PER_LCORE(_socket_id) =
@@ -94,14 +84,24 @@ rte_thread_set_affinity(rte_cpuset_t *cpusetp)
 	memmove(&RTE_PER_LCORE(_cpuset), cpusetp,
 		sizeof(rte_cpuset_t));
 
-	lcore_id = rte_lcore_id();
 	if (lcore_id != (unsigned)LCORE_ID_ANY) {
 		/* EAL thread will update lcore_config */
 		lcore_config[lcore_id].socket_id = RTE_PER_LCORE(_socket_id);
 		memmove(&lcore_config[lcore_id].cpuset, cpusetp,
 			sizeof(rte_cpuset_t));
 	}
+}
 
+int
+rte_thread_set_affinity(rte_cpuset_t *cpusetp)
+{
+	if (pthread_setaffinity_np(pthread_self(), sizeof(rte_cpuset_t),
+			cpusetp) != 0) {
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "pthread_setaffinity_np failed\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	thread_update_affinity(cpusetp);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -147,6 +147,19 @@ eal_thread_dump_affinity(char *str, unsigned size)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+void
+rte_thread_init(unsigned int lcore_id, rte_cpuset_t *cpuset)
+{
+	/* set the lcore ID in per-lcore memory area */
+	RTE_PER_LCORE(_lcore_id) = lcore_id;
+
+	/* acquire system unique id  */
+	rte_gettid();
+
+	thread_update_affinity(cpuset);
+
+	__rte_trace_mem_per_thread_alloc();
+}
 
 struct rte_thread_ctrl_params {
 	void *(*start_routine)(void *);
@@ -154,16 +167,14 @@ struct rte_thread_ctrl_params {
 	pthread_barrier_t configured;
 };
 
-static void *rte_thread_init(void *arg)
+static void *ctrl_thread_init(void *arg)
 {
 	int ret;
-	rte_cpuset_t *cpuset = &internal_config.ctrl_cpuset;
 	struct rte_thread_ctrl_params *params = arg;
 	void *(*start_routine)(void *) = params->start_routine;
 	void *routine_arg = params->arg;
 
-	/* Store cpuset in TLS for quick access */
-	memmove(&RTE_PER_LCORE(_cpuset), cpuset, sizeof(rte_cpuset_t));
+	rte_thread_init(rte_lcore_id(), &internal_config.ctrl_cpuset);
 
 	ret = pthread_barrier_wait(&params->configured);
 	if (ret == PTHREAD_BARRIER_SERIAL_THREAD) {
@@ -171,8 +182,6 @@ static void *rte_thread_init(void *arg)
 		free(params);
 	}
 
-	__rte_trace_mem_per_thread_alloc();
-
 	return start_routine(routine_arg);
 }
 
@@ -194,7 +203,7 @@ rte_ctrl_thread_create(pthread_t *thread, const char *name,
 
 	pthread_barrier_init(&params->configured, NULL, 2);
 
-	ret = pthread_create(thread, attr, rte_thread_init, (void *)params);
+	ret = pthread_create(thread, attr, ctrl_thread_init, (void *)params);
 	if (ret != 0) {
 		free(params);
 		return -ret;
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_thread.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_thread.h
index b40ed249ed..da5e7c93ba 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_thread.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_thread.h
@@ -16,12 +16,14 @@
 __rte_noreturn void *eal_thread_loop(void *arg);
 
 /**
- * Init per-lcore info for master thread
+ * Init per-lcore info in current thread.
  *
  * @param lcore_id
- *   identifier of master lcore
+ *   identifier of lcore.
+ * @param cpuset
+ *   CPU affinity for this thread.
  */
-void eal_thread_init_master(unsigned lcore_id);
+void rte_thread_init(unsigned int lcore_id, rte_cpuset_t *cpuset);
 
 /**
  * Get the NUMA socket id from cpu id.
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal.c b/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal.c
index c41f265fac..b5ea11df16 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal.c
@@ -877,7 +877,14 @@ rte_eal_init(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	eal_check_mem_on_local_socket();
 
-	eal_thread_init_master(rte_config.master_lcore);
+	if (pthread_setaffinity_np(pthread_self(), sizeof(rte_cpuset_t),
+			&lcore_config[rte_config.master_lcore].cpuset) != 0) {
+		rte_eal_init_alert("Cannot set affinity");
+		rte_errno = EINVAL;
+		return -1;
+	}
+	rte_thread_init(rte_config.master_lcore,
+		&lcore_config[rte_config.master_lcore].cpuset);
 
 	ret = eal_thread_dump_affinity(cpuset, sizeof(cpuset));
 
@@ -908,6 +915,11 @@ rte_eal_init(int argc, char **argv)
 		snprintf(thread_name, sizeof(thread_name),
 				"lcore-slave-%d", i);
 		rte_thread_setname(lcore_config[i].thread_id, thread_name);
+
+		ret = pthread_setaffinity_np(lcore_config[i].thread_id,
+			sizeof(rte_cpuset_t), &lcore_config[i].cpuset);
+		if (ret != 0)
+			rte_panic("Cannot set affinity\n");
 	}
 
 	/*
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal_thread.c b/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal_thread.c
index 40676d9ef5..c1fb8eb2d8 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal_thread.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal_thread.c
@@ -66,29 +66,6 @@ rte_eal_remote_launch(int (*f)(void *), void *arg, unsigned slave_id)
 	return rc;
 }
 
-/* set affinity for current thread */
-static int
-eal_thread_set_affinity(void)
-{
-	unsigned lcore_id = rte_lcore_id();
-
-	/* acquire system unique id  */
-	rte_gettid();
-
-	/* update EAL thread core affinity */
-	return rte_thread_set_affinity(&lcore_config[lcore_id].cpuset);
-}
-
-void eal_thread_init_master(unsigned lcore_id)
-{
-	/* set the lcore ID in per-lcore memory area */
-	RTE_PER_LCORE(_lcore_id) = lcore_id;
-
-	/* set CPU affinity */
-	if (eal_thread_set_affinity() < 0)
-		rte_panic("cannot set affinity\n");
-}
-
 /* main loop of threads */
 __rte_noreturn void *
 eal_thread_loop(__rte_unused void *arg)
@@ -113,19 +90,12 @@ eal_thread_loop(__rte_unused void *arg)
 	m2s = lcore_config[lcore_id].pipe_master2slave[0];
 	s2m = lcore_config[lcore_id].pipe_slave2master[1];
 
-	/* set the lcore ID in per-lcore memory area */
-	RTE_PER_LCORE(_lcore_id) = lcore_id;
-
-	/* set CPU affinity */
-	if (eal_thread_set_affinity() < 0)
-		rte_panic("cannot set affinity\n");
+	rte_thread_init(lcore_id, &lcore_config[lcore_id].cpuset);
 
 	ret = eal_thread_dump_affinity(cpuset, sizeof(cpuset));
-
 	RTE_LOG(DEBUG, EAL, "lcore %u is ready (tid=%p;cpuset=[%s%s])\n",
 		lcore_id, thread_id, cpuset, ret == 0 ? "" : "...");
 
-	__rte_trace_mem_per_thread_alloc();
 	rte_eal_trace_thread_lcore_ready(lcore_id, cpuset);
 
 	/* read on our pipe to get commands */
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal.c b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal.c
index f162124a37..8638376b8a 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal.c
@@ -1205,10 +1205,16 @@ rte_eal_init(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	eal_check_mem_on_local_socket();
 
-	eal_thread_init_master(rte_config.master_lcore);
+	if (pthread_setaffinity_np(pthread_self(), sizeof(rte_cpuset_t),
+			&lcore_config[rte_config.master_lcore].cpuset) != 0) {
+		rte_eal_init_alert("Cannot set affinity");
+		rte_errno = EINVAL;
+		return -1;
+	}
+	rte_thread_init(rte_config.master_lcore,
+		&lcore_config[rte_config.master_lcore].cpuset);
 
 	ret = eal_thread_dump_affinity(cpuset, sizeof(cpuset));
-
 	RTE_LOG(DEBUG, EAL, "Master lcore %u is ready (tid=%zx;cpuset=[%s%s])\n",
 		rte_config.master_lcore, (uintptr_t)thread_id, cpuset,
 		ret == 0 ? "" : "...");
@@ -1240,6 +1246,11 @@ rte_eal_init(int argc, char **argv)
 		if (ret != 0)
 			RTE_LOG(DEBUG, EAL,
 				"Cannot set name for lcore thread\n");
+
+		ret = pthread_setaffinity_np(lcore_config[i].thread_id,
+			sizeof(rte_cpuset_t), &lcore_config[i].cpuset);
+		if (ret != 0)
+			rte_panic("Cannot set affinity\n");
 	}
 
 	/*
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal_thread.c b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal_thread.c
index a52ebef3a4..07aec0c44d 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal_thread.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal_thread.c
@@ -66,29 +66,6 @@ rte_eal_remote_launch(int (*f)(void *), void *arg, unsigned slave_id)
 	return rc;
 }
 
-/* set affinity for current EAL thread */
-static int
-eal_thread_set_affinity(void)
-{
-	unsigned lcore_id = rte_lcore_id();
-
-	/* acquire system unique id  */
-	rte_gettid();
-
-	/* update EAL thread core affinity */
-	return rte_thread_set_affinity(&lcore_config[lcore_id].cpuset);
-}
-
-void eal_thread_init_master(unsigned lcore_id)
-{
-	/* set the lcore ID in per-lcore memory area */
-	RTE_PER_LCORE(_lcore_id) = lcore_id;
-
-	/* set CPU affinity */
-	if (eal_thread_set_affinity() < 0)
-		rte_panic("cannot set affinity\n");
-}
-
 /* main loop of threads */
 __rte_noreturn void *
 eal_thread_loop(__rte_unused void *arg)
@@ -113,19 +90,12 @@ eal_thread_loop(__rte_unused void *arg)
 	m2s = lcore_config[lcore_id].pipe_master2slave[0];
 	s2m = lcore_config[lcore_id].pipe_slave2master[1];
 
-	/* set the lcore ID in per-lcore memory area */
-	RTE_PER_LCORE(_lcore_id) = lcore_id;
-
-	/* set CPU affinity */
-	if (eal_thread_set_affinity() < 0)
-		rte_panic("cannot set affinity\n");
+	rte_thread_init(lcore_id, &lcore_config[lcore_id].cpuset);
 
 	ret = eal_thread_dump_affinity(cpuset, sizeof(cpuset));
-
 	RTE_LOG(DEBUG, EAL, "lcore %u is ready (tid=%zx;cpuset=[%s%s])\n",
 		lcore_id, (uintptr_t)thread_id, cpuset, ret == 0 ? "" : "...");
 
-	__rte_trace_mem_per_thread_alloc();
 	rte_eal_trace_thread_lcore_ready(lcore_id, cpuset);
 
 	/* read on our pipe to get commands */
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal.c b/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal.c
index 427a5557fa..23de12ab43 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal.c
@@ -354,7 +354,8 @@ rte_eal_init(int argc, char **argv)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	eal_thread_init_master(rte_config.master_lcore);
+	rte_thread_init(rte_config.master_lcore,
+		&lcore_config[rte_config.master_lcore].cpuset);
 
 	RTE_LCORE_FOREACH_SLAVE(i) {
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal_thread.c b/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal_thread.c
index f12a2ec6ad..4f01881240 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal_thread.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal_thread.c
@@ -53,13 +53,6 @@ rte_eal_remote_launch(lcore_function_t *f, void *arg, unsigned int slave_id)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void
-eal_thread_init_master(unsigned int lcore_id)
-{
-	/* set the lcore ID in per-lcore memory area */
-	RTE_PER_LCORE(_lcore_id) = lcore_id;
-}
-
 /* main loop of threads */
 void *
 eal_thread_loop(void *arg __rte_unused)
@@ -84,8 +77,7 @@ eal_thread_loop(void *arg __rte_unused)
 	m2s = lcore_config[lcore_id].pipe_master2slave[0];
 	s2m = lcore_config[lcore_id].pipe_slave2master[1];
 
-	/* set the lcore ID in per-lcore memory area */
-	RTE_PER_LCORE(_lcore_id) = lcore_id;
+	rte_thread_init(lcore_id, &lcore_config[lcore_id].cpuset);
 
 	RTE_LOG(DEBUG, EAL, "lcore %u is ready (tid=%zx;cpuset=[%s])\n",
 		lcore_id, (uintptr_t)thread_id, cpuset);
