diff --git a/base/run/affinity.run b/base/run/affinity.run
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9aef1af8e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/base/run/affinity.run
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+build "core init test/affinity"
+
+create_boot_directory
+
+install_config {
+	<config>
+		<parent-provides>
+			<service name="LOG"/>
+			<service name="CPU"/>
+			<service name="RM"/>
+		</parent-provides>
+		<default-route>
+			<any-service> <parent/> </any-service>
+		</default-route>
+		<start name="test-affinity">
+			<resource name="RAM" quantum="10M"/>
+		</start>
+	</config>
+}
+
+build_boot_image "core init test-affinity"
+
+append qemu_args " -nographic -m 64 -smp 2,cores=2 "
+
+run_genode_until forever
diff --git a/base/src/test/affinity/main.cc b/base/src/test/affinity/main.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d5bbc59b25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/base/src/test/affinity/main.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+/*
+ * \brief  Test for setting the CPU affinity of a thread
+ * \author Norman Feske
+ * \date   2013-03-21
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2013 Genode Labs GmbH
+ *
+ * This file is part of the Genode OS framework, which is distributed
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2.
+ */
+
+/* Genode includes */
+#include <base/printf.h>
+#include <base/thread.h>
+#include <base/env.h>
+#include <base/sleep.h>
+
+
+enum { STACK_SIZE = sizeof(long)*1024 };
+struct Spinning_thread : Genode::Thread<STACK_SIZE>
+{
+	int const cpu_number;
+
+	unsigned long volatile cnt;
+
+	Genode::Lock barrier;
+
+	void entry()
+	{
+		PINF("thread started on CPU %d, spinning...", cpu_number);
+
+		barrier.unlock();
+
+		for (;;) {
+			cnt++;
+
+			/* show a life sign every now and then... */
+			if (cnt > 100*1024*1024) {
+				PINF("thread on CPU %d keeps counting...\n", cpu_number);
+				cnt = 0;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	Spinning_thread(unsigned cpu_number, char const *name)
+	:
+		Genode::Thread<STACK_SIZE>(name), cpu_number(cpu_number), cnt(0),
+		barrier(Genode::Lock::LOCKED)
+	{
+		Genode::env()->cpu_session()->affinity(Thread_base::cap(), cpu_number);
+		start();
+	}
+};
+
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+	using namespace Genode;
+
+	printf("--- test-affinity started ---\n");
+	static Spinning_thread thread_0(0, "thread_0");
+	static Spinning_thread thread_1(1, "thread_1");
+
+	/* wait until both threads are up and running */
+	thread_0.barrier.lock();
+	thread_1.barrier.lock();
+
+	printf("Threads started on a different CPU each.\n");
+	printf("You may inspect them using the kernel debugger\n");
+
+	sleep_forever();
+}
diff --git a/base/src/test/affinity/target.mk b/base/src/test/affinity/target.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a2aa2db2c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/base/src/test/affinity/target.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+TARGET = test-affinity
+SRC_CC = main.cc
+LIBS   = base