diff --git a/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c b/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
index 587d3341f..41e77b86b 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
@@ -745,7 +745,6 @@ register_file(const char *path)
 	entry->io_size_blocks = g_io_size_bytes / blklen;
 
 	if (g_is_random) {
-		srand(getpid());
 		entry->seed = rand();
 		if (g_zipf_theta > 0) {
 			entry->zipf = spdk_zipf_create(entry->size_in_ios, g_zipf_theta, 0);
@@ -1257,8 +1256,11 @@ register_ns(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_nvme_ns *ns)
 	entry->size_in_ios = ns_size / g_io_size_bytes;
 	entry->io_size_blocks = g_io_size_bytes / sector_size;
 
-	if (g_is_random && g_zipf_theta > 0) {
-		entry->zipf = spdk_zipf_create(entry->size_in_ios, g_zipf_theta, 0);
+	if (g_is_random) {
+		entry->seed = rand();
+		if (g_zipf_theta > 0) {
+			entry->zipf = spdk_zipf_create(entry->size_in_ios, g_zipf_theta, 0);
+		}
 	}
 
 	entry->block_size = spdk_nvme_ns_get_extended_sector_size(ns);
@@ -3000,6 +3002,9 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	struct spdk_env_opts opts;
 	pthread_t thread_id = 0;
 
+	/* Use the runtime PID to set the random seed */
+	srand(getpid());
+
 	spdk_env_opts_init(&opts);
 	opts.name = "perf";
 	opts.pci_allowed = g_allowed_pci_addr;
diff --git a/test/bdev/bdevperf/bdevperf.c b/test/bdev/bdevperf/bdevperf.c
index d9c6e2fd1..f60fa3f70 100644
--- a/test/bdev/bdevperf/bdevperf.c
+++ b/test/bdev/bdevperf/bdevperf.c
@@ -1215,8 +1215,6 @@ end:
 static void
 job_init_rw(struct bdevperf_job *job, enum job_config_rw rw)
 {
-	srand(getpid());
-
 	switch (rw) {
 	case JOB_CONFIG_RW_READ:
 		job->rw_percentage = 100;
@@ -2158,6 +2156,9 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	struct spdk_app_opts opts = {};
 	int rc;
 
+	/* Use the runtime PID to set the random seed */
+	srand(getpid());
+
 	spdk_app_opts_init(&opts, sizeof(opts));
 	opts.name = "bdevperf";
 	opts.rpc_addr = NULL;