diff --git a/src/libcamera/base/thread.cpp b/src/libcamera/base/thread.cpp
index f6322fe31..319bfda9a 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/base/thread.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/base/thread.cpp
@@ -257,6 +257,8 @@ void Thread::start()
 	data_->exit_.store(false, std::memory_order_relaxed);
 
 	thread_ = std::thread(&Thread::startThread, this);
+
+	setThreadAffinityInternal();
 }
 
 void Thread::startThread()
@@ -284,8 +286,6 @@ void Thread::startThread()
 	data_->tid_ = syscall(SYS_gettid);
 	currentThreadData = data_;
 
-	setThreadAffinityInternal();
-
 	run();
 }