diff --git a/helper/include/odp/helper/linux.h b/helper/include/odp/helper/linux.h
index e2dca35..fa815e1 100644
--- a/helper/include/odp/helper/linux.h
+++ b/helper/include/odp/helper/linux.h
@@ -84,6 +84,29 @@ int odph_linux_pthread_create(odph_linux_pthread_t *pthread_tbl,
  */
 void odph_linux_pthread_join(odph_linux_pthread_t *thread_tbl, int num);
 
+/**
+ * Set CPU affinity of the current thread
+ *
+ * CPU affinity determines the set of CPUs on which the thread is
+ * eligible to run.
+ *
+ * @param cpuset        A bitmask lists the affinity CPU cores
+ *
+ * @return 0 on success, -1 on failure
+ */
+int odph_linux_pthread_setaffinity(const odp_cpumask_t *cpuset);
+
+/**
+ * Get CPU affinity of the current thread
+ *
+ * CPU affinity determines the set of CPUs on which the thread is
+ * eligible to run.
+ *
+ * @param cpuset[out]   A bitmask lists the affinity CPU cores
+ *
+ * @return 0 on success, -1 on failure
+ */
+int odph_linux_pthread_getaffinity(odp_cpumask_t *cpuset);
 
 /**
  * Fork a process
@@ -134,6 +157,30 @@ int odph_linux_process_fork_n(odph_linux_process_t *proc_tbl,
 int odph_linux_process_wait_n(odph_linux_process_t *proc_tbl, int num);
 
 /**
+ * Set CPU affinity of the current process
+ *
+ * CPU affinity determines the set of CPUs on which the process is
+ * eligible to run.
+ *
+ * @param cpuset        A bitmask lists the affinity CPU cores
+ *
+ * @return 0 on success, -1 on failure
+ */
+int odph_linux_process_setaffinity(const odp_cpumask_t *cpuset);
+
+/**
+ * Get CPU affinity of the current process
+ *
+ * CPU affinity determines the set of CPUs on which the process is
+ * eligible to run.
+ *
+ * @param cpuset[out]   A bitmask lists the affinity CPU cores
+ *
+ * @return 0 on success, -1 on failure
+ */
+int odph_linux_process_getaffinity(odp_cpumask_t *cpuset);
+
+/**
  * @}
  */
 
diff --git a/helper/linux.c b/helper/linux.c
index 24e243b..6ce7e7d 100644
--- a/helper/linux.c
+++ b/helper/linux.c
@@ -114,6 +114,22 @@ void odph_linux_pthread_join(odph_linux_pthread_t *thread_tbl, int num)
 	}
 }
 
+int odph_linux_pthread_setaffinity(const odp_cpumask_t *cpuset)
+{
+	const cpu_set_t *_cpuset = &cpuset->set;
+
+	return (0 == pthread_setaffinity_np(pthread_self(),
+		sizeof(cpu_set_t), _cpuset)) ? 0 : -1;
+}
+
+int odph_linux_pthread_getaffinity(odp_cpumask_t *cpuset)
+{
+	cpu_set_t *_cpuset = &cpuset->set;
+
+	return (0 == pthread_getaffinity_np(pthread_self(),
+		sizeof(cpu_set_t), _cpuset)) ? 0 : -1;
+}
+
 int odph_linux_process_fork_n(odph_linux_process_t *proc_tbl,
 			      const odp_cpumask_t *mask,
 			      const odph_linux_thr_params_t *thr_params)
@@ -236,3 +252,19 @@ int odph_linux_process_wait_n(odph_linux_process_t *proc_tbl, int num)
 
 	return 0;
 }
+
+int odph_linux_process_setaffinity(const odp_cpumask_t *cpuset)
+{
+	const cpu_set_t *_cpuset = &cpuset->set;
+
+	return (0 == sched_setaffinity(0, /* pid zero means calling process */
+		sizeof(cpu_set_t), _cpuset)) ? 0 : -1;
+}
+
+int odph_linux_process_getaffinity(odp_cpumask_t *cpuset)
+{
+	cpu_set_t *_cpuset = &cpuset->set;
+
+	return (0 == sched_getaffinity(0, /* pid zero means calling process */
+		sizeof(cpu_set_t), _cpuset)) ? 0 : -1;
+}
diff --git a/helper/test/thread.c b/helper/test/thread.c
index b290753..97b4331 100644
--- a/helper/test/thread.c
+++ b/helper/test/thread.c
@@ -4,19 +4,51 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier:     BSD-3-Clause
  */
 
+#include <string.h>
+
 #include <test_debug.h>
 #include <odp_api.h>
 #include <odp/helper/linux.h>
 
 #define NUMBER_WORKERS 16
+
+/* delayed assertion after threads collection */
+static int worker_results[NUMBER_WORKERS];
+
 static void *worker_fn(void *arg TEST_UNUSED)
 {
-	/* depend on the odp helper to call odp_init_local */
+	odp_cpumask_t workers, affinity;
+	/* save the thread result for delayed assertion */
+	int *result = &worker_results[odp_cpu_id() % NUMBER_WORKERS];
 
+	/* depend on the odp helper to call odp_init_local */
 	printf("Worker thread on CPU %d\n", odp_cpu_id());
 
-	/* depend on the odp helper to call odp_term_local */
+	odp_cpumask_zero(&workers);
+	odp_cpumask_zero(&affinity);
+
+	odp_cpumask_default_worker(&workers, NUMBER_WORKERS);
+
+	/* verify affinity works */
+	if (odph_linux_pthread_getaffinity(&affinity) != 0) {
+		printf("Read worker thread affinity failed %d.\n",
+			odp_cpu_id());
+		*result = -1;
+	} else if (!odp_cpumask_isset(&workers,
+			odp_cpumask_first(&affinity))) {
+		printf("Verify worker thread affinity failed %d.\n",
+			odp_cpu_id());
+		*result = -1;
+	}
+
+	/* verify API is not broken */
+	if (odph_linux_pthread_setaffinity(&affinity) != 0) {
+		printf("Re-configure worker thread affinity failed %d.\n",
+			odp_cpu_id());
+		*result = -1;
+	}
 
+	/* depend on the odp helper to call odp_term_local */
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -24,7 +56,7 @@ static void *worker_fn(void *arg TEST_UNUSED)
 int main(int argc TEST_UNUSED, char *argv[] TEST_UNUSED)
 {
 	odph_linux_pthread_t thread_tbl[NUMBER_WORKERS];
-	odp_cpumask_t cpu_mask;
+	odp_cpumask_t cpu_mask, cpuset;
 	int num_workers;
 	int cpu;
 	char cpumaskstr[ODP_CPUMASK_STR_SIZE];
@@ -41,6 +73,36 @@ int main(int argc TEST_UNUSED, char *argv[] TEST_UNUSED)
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
 
+	/* reset all worker thread results to success */
+	memset(worker_results, 0, sizeof(worker_results));
+	odp_cpumask_zero(&cpu_mask);
+	odp_cpumask_zero(&cpuset);
+
+	/* allocate the 1st available control cpu to main process */
+	if (odp_cpumask_default_control(&cpu_mask, 1) != 1) {
+		LOG_ERR("Allocate main process affinity failed.\n");
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+	if (odph_linux_process_setaffinity(&cpu_mask) != 0) {
+		LOG_ERR("Set main process affinify (%d) failed.\n",
+			odp_cpumask_first(&cpu_mask));
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+	/* read back affinity to verify */
+	if ((odph_linux_process_getaffinity(&cpuset) != 0) ||
+		!odp_cpumask_equal(&cpu_mask, &cpuset)) {
+		odp_cpumask_to_str(&cpuset,
+			cpumaskstr, sizeof(cpumaskstr));
+
+		LOG_ERR("Verify main process affinity failed: "
+			"set(%d) read(%s).\n",
+			odp_cpumask_first(&cpu_mask), cpumaskstr);
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	}
+
+	odp_cpumask_zero(&cpuset);
+	odp_cpumask_zero(&cpu_mask);
+
 	/* discover how many threads this system can support */
 	num_workers = odp_cpumask_default_worker(&cpu_mask, NUMBER_WORKERS);
 	if (num_workers < NUMBER_WORKERS) {
@@ -73,6 +135,14 @@ int main(int argc TEST_UNUSED, char *argv[] TEST_UNUSED)
 	odph_linux_pthread_create(&thread_tbl[0], &cpu_mask, &thr_params);
 	odph_linux_pthread_join(thread_tbl, num_workers);
 
+	/* assert all worker thread results */
+	for (cpu = 0; cpu < num_workers; cpu++) {
+		if (worker_results[cpu] < 0) {
+			LOG_ERR("Worker thread %d failed.\n", cpu);
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (odp_term_local()) {
 		LOG_ERR("Error: ODP local term failed.\n");
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
diff --git a/test/validation/common/odp_cunit_common.c b/test/validation/common/odp_cunit_common.c
index 2712abe..535a9f9 100644
--- a/test/validation/common/odp_cunit_common.c
+++ b/test/validation/common/odp_cunit_common.c
@@ -329,9 +329,18 @@ int odp_cunit_update(odp_suiteinfo_t testsuites[])
 int odp_cunit_register(odp_suiteinfo_t testsuites[])
 {
 	/* call test executable init hook, if any */
-	if (global_init_term.global_init_ptr &&
-	    ((*global_init_term.global_init_ptr)(&instance) != 0))
-		return -1;
+	if (global_init_term.global_init_ptr) {
+		if ((*global_init_term.global_init_ptr)(&instance) == 0) {
+			odp_cpumask_t cpuset;
+
+			odp_cpumask_zero(&cpuset);
+			/* set main process affinity after ODP initialization */
+			if (1 == odp_cpumask_default_control(&cpuset, 1))
+				odph_linux_process_setaffinity(&cpuset);
+		} else {
+			return -1;
+		}
+	}
 
 	CU_set_error_action(CUEA_ABORT);
 
