diff --git a/extras/hs-test/Makefile b/extras/hs-test/Makefile
index 14d95fc..3d7673a 100644
--- a/extras/hs-test/Makefile
+++ b/extras/hs-test/Makefile
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@
 DEBUG=false
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(CPUS),)
+CPUS=1
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(UBUNTU_CODENAME),)
 UBUNTU_CODENAME=$(shell grep '^UBUNTU_CODENAME=' /etc/os-release | cut -f2- -d=)
 endif
@@ -47,6 +51,7 @@
 	@echo " UNCONFIGURE=[true|false] - unconfigure selected test"
 	@echo " DEBUG=[true|false]       - attach VPP to GDB"
 	@echo " TEST=[test-name]         - specific test to run"
+	@echo " CPUS=[n-cpus]            - number of cpus to run with vpp"
 	@echo
 	@echo "List of all tests:"
 	$(call list_tests)
@@ -64,7 +69,7 @@
 .PHONY: test
 test: .deps.ok .build.vpp
 	@bash ./test --persist=$(PERSIST) --verbose=$(VERBOSE) \
-		--unconfigure=$(UNCONFIGURE) --debug=$(DEBUG) --test=$(TEST)
+		--unconfigure=$(UNCONFIGURE) --debug=$(DEBUG) --test=$(TEST) --cpus=$(CPUS)
 
 build-go:
 	go build ./tools/http_server
diff --git a/extras/hs-test/container.go b/extras/hs-test/container.go
index 1dc49b7..fd3aa47 100644
--- a/extras/hs-test/container.go
+++ b/extras/hs-test/container.go
@@ -216,16 +216,12 @@
 	return cliOption
 }
 
-func (c *Container) newVppInstance(additionalConfig ...Stanza) (*VppInstance, error) {
+func (c *Container) newVppInstance(cpus []int, additionalConfigs ...Stanza) (*VppInstance, error) {
 	vpp := new(VppInstance)
 	vpp.container = c
-
-	if len(additionalConfig) > 0 {
-		vpp.additionalConfig = additionalConfig[0]
-	}
-
+	vpp.cpus = cpus
+	vpp.additionalConfig = append(vpp.additionalConfig, additionalConfigs...)
 	c.vppInstance = vpp
-
 	return vpp, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/extras/hs-test/cpu.go b/extras/hs-test/cpu.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e17bc11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extras/hs-test/cpu.go
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+)
+
+var CPU_PATH = "/sys/fs/cgroup/cpuset.cpus.effective"
+
+type CpuContext struct {
+	cpuAllocator *CpuAllocatorT
+	cpus         []int
+}
+
+func (c *CpuContext) Release() {
+	c.cpuAllocator.cpus = append(c.cpuAllocator.cpus, c.cpus...)
+	c.cpus = c.cpus[:0] // empty the list
+}
+
+type CpuAllocatorT struct {
+	cpus []int
+}
+
+var cpuAllocator *CpuAllocatorT = nil
+
+func (c *CpuAllocatorT) Allocate(nCpus int) (*CpuContext, error) {
+	var cpuCtx CpuContext
+
+	if len(c.cpus) < nCpus {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not allocate %d CPUs; available: %d", nCpus, len(c.cpus))
+	}
+	cpuCtx.cpus = c.cpus[0:nCpus]
+	cpuCtx.cpuAllocator = c
+	c.cpus = c.cpus[nCpus:]
+	return &cpuCtx, nil
+}
+
+func (c *CpuAllocatorT) readCpus(fname string) error {
+	var first, last int
+	file, err := os.Open(CPU_PATH)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer file.Close()
+
+	sc := bufio.NewScanner(file)
+	sc.Scan()
+	line := sc.Text()
+	_, err = fmt.Sscanf(line, "%d-%d", &first, &last)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	for i := first; i <= last; i++ {
+		c.cpus = append(c.cpus, i)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func CpuAllocator() (*CpuAllocatorT, error) {
+	if cpuAllocator == nil {
+		cpuAllocator = new(CpuAllocatorT)
+		err := cpuAllocator.readCpus(CPU_PATH)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+	return cpuAllocator, nil
+}
diff --git a/extras/hs-test/hst_suite.go b/extras/hs-test/hst_suite.go
index 042b4fe..1fcffa4 100644
--- a/extras/hs-test/hst_suite.go
+++ b/extras/hs-test/hst_suite.go
@@ -14,13 +14,14 @@
 )
 
 const (
-	defaultNetworkNumber int = 1
+	DEFAULT_NETWORK_NUM int = 1
 )
 
 var isPersistent = flag.Bool("persist", false, "persists topology config")
 var isVerbose = flag.Bool("verbose", false, "verbose test output")
 var isUnconfiguring = flag.Bool("unconfigure", false, "remove topology")
 var isVppDebug = flag.Bool("debug", false, "attach gdb to vpp")
+var nConfiguredCpus = flag.Int("cpus", 1, "number of CPUs assigned to vpp")
 
 type HstSuite struct {
 	suite.Suite
@@ -30,6 +31,29 @@
 	netInterfaces map[string]*NetInterface
 	addresser     *Addresser
 	testIds       map[string]string
+	cpuAllocator  *CpuAllocatorT
+	cpuContexts   []*CpuContext
+	cpuPerVpp     int
+}
+
+func (s *HstSuite) SetupSuite() {
+	var err error
+	s.cpuAllocator, err = CpuAllocator()
+	if err != nil {
+		s.FailNow("failed to init cpu allocator: %v", err)
+	}
+	s.cpuPerVpp = *nConfiguredCpus
+}
+
+func (s *HstSuite) AllocateCpus() []int {
+	cpuCtx, err := s.cpuAllocator.Allocate(s.cpuPerVpp)
+	s.assertNil(err)
+	s.AddCpuContext(cpuCtx)
+	return cpuCtx.cpus
+}
+
+func (s *HstSuite) AddCpuContext(cpuCtx *CpuContext) {
+	s.cpuContexts = append(s.cpuContexts, cpuCtx)
 }
 
 func (s *HstSuite) TearDownSuite() {
@@ -40,6 +64,9 @@
 	if *isPersistent {
 		return
 	}
+	for _, c := range s.cpuContexts {
+		c.Release()
+	}
 	s.resetContainers()
 	s.removeVolumes()
 }
@@ -66,7 +93,7 @@
 
 func (s *HstSuite) setupContainers() {
 	for _, container := range s.containers {
-		if container.isOptional == false {
+		if !container.isOptional {
 			container.run()
 		}
 	}
@@ -130,6 +157,12 @@
 	s.T().SkipNow()
 }
 
+func (s *HstSuite) SkipIfMultiWorker(args ...any) {
+	if *nConfiguredCpus > 1 {
+		s.skip("test case not supported with multiple vpp workers")
+	}
+}
+
 func (s *HstSuite) resetContainers() {
 	for _, container := range s.containers {
 		container.stop()
diff --git a/extras/hs-test/netconfig.go b/extras/hs-test/netconfig.go
index 9e259ab..6059b7b 100644
--- a/extras/hs-test/netconfig.go
+++ b/extras/hs-test/netconfig.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
 	var err error
 	newInterface.addresser = a
 	newInterface.name = cfg["name"].(string)
-	newInterface.networkNumber = defaultNetworkNumber
+	newInterface.networkNumber = DEFAULT_NETWORK_NUM
 
 	if interfaceType, ok := cfg["type"]; ok {
 		newInterface.category = interfaceType.(string)
diff --git a/extras/hs-test/suite_nginx_test.go b/extras/hs-test/suite_nginx_test.go
index b61ea6c..c250ed7 100644
--- a/extras/hs-test/suite_nginx_test.go
+++ b/extras/hs-test/suite_nginx_test.go
@@ -14,27 +14,25 @@
 }
 
 func (s *NginxSuite) SetupSuite() {
+	s.HstSuite.SetupSuite()
 	s.loadNetworkTopology("2taps")
-
 	s.loadContainerTopology("nginxProxyAndServer")
 }
 
 func (s *NginxSuite) SetupTest() {
-	s.skipIfUnconfiguring()
-
-	s.setupVolumes()
-	s.setupContainers()
+	s.HstSuite.SetupTest()
 
 	// Setup test conditions
-	var startupConfig Stanza
-	startupConfig.
+	var sessionConfig Stanza
+	sessionConfig.
 		newStanza("session").
 		append("enable").
 		append("use-app-socket-api").close()
 
+	cpus := s.AllocateCpus()
 	// ... for proxy
 	vppProxyContainer := s.getContainerByName(vppProxyContainerName)
-	proxyVpp, _ := vppProxyContainer.newVppInstance(startupConfig)
+	proxyVpp, _ := vppProxyContainer.newVppInstance(cpus, sessionConfig)
 	proxyVpp.start()
 
 	clientInterface := s.netInterfaces[mirroringClientInterfaceName]
diff --git a/extras/hs-test/suite_no_topo_test.go b/extras/hs-test/suite_no_topo_test.go
index 8ef56b2..8f7c876 100644
--- a/extras/hs-test/suite_no_topo_test.go
+++ b/extras/hs-test/suite_no_topo_test.go
@@ -12,25 +12,24 @@
 }
 
 func (s *NoTopoSuite) SetupSuite() {
+	s.HstSuite.SetupSuite()
 	s.loadNetworkTopology("tap")
-
 	s.loadContainerTopology("single")
 }
 
 func (s *NoTopoSuite) SetupTest() {
-	s.skipIfUnconfiguring()
-	s.setupVolumes()
-	s.setupContainers()
+	s.HstSuite.SetupTest()
 
 	// Setup test conditions
-	var startupConfig Stanza
-	startupConfig.
+	var sessionConfig Stanza
+	sessionConfig.
 		newStanza("session").
 		append("enable").
 		append("use-app-socket-api").close()
 
+	cpus := s.AllocateCpus()
 	container := s.getContainerByName(singleTopoContainerVpp)
-	vpp, _ := container.newVppInstance(startupConfig)
+	vpp, _ := container.newVppInstance(cpus, sessionConfig)
 	vpp.start()
 
 	tapInterface := s.netInterfaces[tapInterfaceName]
diff --git a/extras/hs-test/suite_ns_test.go b/extras/hs-test/suite_ns_test.go
index 34fc9ec..3bf3cc7 100644
--- a/extras/hs-test/suite_ns_test.go
+++ b/extras/hs-test/suite_ns_test.go
@@ -11,27 +11,26 @@
 }
 
 func (s *NsSuite) SetupSuite() {
+	s.HstSuite.SetupSuite()
 	s.configureNetworkTopology("ns")
-
 	s.loadContainerTopology("ns")
 }
 
 func (s *NsSuite) SetupTest() {
-	s.skipIfUnconfiguring()
-	s.setupVolumes()
-	s.setupContainers()
+	s.HstSuite.SetupTest()
 
 	// Setup test conditions
-	var startupConfig Stanza
-	startupConfig.
+	var sessionConfig Stanza
+	sessionConfig.
 		newStanza("session").
 		append("enable").
 		append("use-app-socket-api").
 		append("evt_qs_memfd_seg").
 		append("event-queue-length 100000").close()
 
+	cpus := s.AllocateCpus()
 	container := s.getContainerByName("vpp")
-	vpp, _ := container.newVppInstance(startupConfig)
+	vpp, _ := container.newVppInstance(cpus, sessionConfig)
 	vpp.start()
 
 	idx, err := vpp.createAfPacket(s.netInterfaces[serverInterface])
diff --git a/extras/hs-test/suite_tap_test.go b/extras/hs-test/suite_tap_test.go
index 96f475c..8b0950a 100644
--- a/extras/hs-test/suite_tap_test.go
+++ b/extras/hs-test/suite_tap_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,6 @@
 
 func (s *TapSuite) SetupSuite() {
 	time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
-
+	s.HstSuite.SetupSuite()
 	s.configureNetworkTopology("tap")
 }
diff --git a/extras/hs-test/suite_veth_test.go b/extras/hs-test/suite_veth_test.go
index be79ce2..bb703df 100644
--- a/extras/hs-test/suite_veth_test.go
+++ b/extras/hs-test/suite_veth_test.go
@@ -16,22 +16,18 @@
 
 func (s *VethsSuite) SetupSuite() {
 	time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
-
+	s.HstSuite.SetupSuite()
 	s.configureNetworkTopology("2peerVeth")
-
 	s.loadContainerTopology("2peerVeth")
 }
 
 func (s *VethsSuite) SetupTest() {
-	s.skipIfUnconfiguring()
-
-	s.setupVolumes()
-	s.setupContainers()
+	s.HstSuite.SetupTest()
 
 	// Setup test conditions
 
-	var startupConfig Stanza
-	startupConfig.
+	var sessionConfig Stanza
+	sessionConfig.
 		newStanza("session").
 		append("enable").
 		append("use-app-socket-api").close()
@@ -39,7 +35,8 @@
 	// ... For server
 	serverContainer := s.getContainerByName("server-vpp")
 
-	serverVpp, _ := serverContainer.newVppInstance(startupConfig)
+	cpus := s.AllocateCpus()
+	serverVpp, _ := serverContainer.newVppInstance(cpus, sessionConfig)
 	s.assertNotNil(serverVpp)
 
 	s.setupServerVpp()
@@ -47,7 +44,8 @@
 	// ... For client
 	clientContainer := s.getContainerByName("client-vpp")
 
-	clientVpp, _ := clientContainer.newVppInstance(startupConfig)
+	cpus = s.AllocateCpus()
+	clientVpp, _ := clientContainer.newVppInstance(cpus, sessionConfig)
 	s.assertNotNil(clientVpp)
 
 	s.setupClientVpp()
@@ -67,7 +65,6 @@
 	namespaceSecret := "1"
 	err = serverVpp.addAppNamespace(1, idx, namespaceSecret)
 	s.assertNil(err)
-
 }
 
 func (s *VethsSuite) setupClientVpp() {
diff --git a/extras/hs-test/test b/extras/hs-test/test
index a886652..db53d5a 100755
--- a/extras/hs-test/test
+++ b/extras/hs-test/test
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@
             unconfigure_set=1
         fi
         ;;
+    --cpus=*)
+        args="$args -cpus ${i#*=}"
+        ;;
     --test=*)
         tc_name="${i#*=}"
         if [ $tc_name != "all" ]; then
diff --git a/extras/hs-test/utils.go b/extras/hs-test/utils.go
index 151567c..4261f4d 100644
--- a/extras/hs-test/utils.go
+++ b/extras/hs-test/utils.go
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@
 	if err != nil {
 		finished <- fmt.Errorf("wget error: '%v\n\n%s'", err, o)
 		return
-	} else if strings.Contains(string(o), "200 OK") == false {
+	} else if !strings.Contains(string(o), "200 OK") {
 		finished <- fmt.Errorf("wget error: response not 200 OK")
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/extras/hs-test/vppinstance.go b/extras/hs-test/vppinstance.go
index c08514e..a9b97bc 100644
--- a/extras/hs-test/vppinstance.go
+++ b/extras/hs-test/vppinstance.go
@@ -72,9 +72,10 @@
 
 type VppInstance struct {
 	container        *Container
-	additionalConfig Stanza
+	additionalConfig []Stanza
 	connection       *core.Connection
 	apiChannel       api.Channel
+	cpus             []int
 }
 
 func (vpp *VppInstance) getSuite() *HstSuite {
@@ -113,7 +114,10 @@
 		defaultApiSocketFilePath,
 		defaultLogFilePath,
 	)
-	configContent += vpp.additionalConfig.toString()
+	configContent += vpp.generateCpuConfig()
+	for _, c := range vpp.additionalConfig {
+		configContent += c.toString()
+	}
 	startupFileName := vpp.getEtcDir() + "/startup.conf"
 	vpp.container.createFile(startupFileName, configContent)
 
@@ -341,3 +345,25 @@
 	vpp.connection.Disconnect()
 	vpp.apiChannel.Close()
 }
+
+func (vpp *VppInstance) generateCpuConfig() string {
+	var c Stanza
+	var s string
+	if len(vpp.cpus) < 1 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	c.newStanza("cpu").
+		append(fmt.Sprintf("main-core %d", vpp.cpus[0]))
+	workers := vpp.cpus[1:]
+
+	if len(workers) > 0 {
+		for i := 0; i < len(workers); i++ {
+			if i != 0 {
+				s = s + ", "
+			}
+			s = s + fmt.Sprintf("%d", workers[i])
+		}
+		c.append(fmt.Sprintf("corelist-workers %s", s))
+	}
+	return c.close().toString()
+}