diff --git a/lib/vhost/vhost.c b/lib/vhost/vhost.c
index ef2581ad7..a949f5c4d 100644
--- a/lib/vhost/vhost.c
+++ b/lib/vhost/vhost.c
@@ -472,18 +472,28 @@ spdk_vhost_dev_find(const char *ctrlr_name)
 static int
 spdk_vhost_parse_core_mask(const char *mask, uint64_t *cpumask)
 {
-	char *end;
+	int rc;
+
+	if (cpumask == NULL) {
+		return -1;
+	}
 
 	if (mask == NULL) {
 		*cpumask = spdk_app_get_core_mask();
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	errno = 0;
-	*cpumask = strtoull(mask, &end, 16);
+	*cpumask = 0;
 
-	if (*end != '\0' || errno || !*cpumask ||
-	    ((*cpumask & spdk_app_get_core_mask()) != *cpumask)) {
+	rc = spdk_app_parse_core_mask(mask, cpumask);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("invalid cpumask %s\n", mask);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (*cpumask == 0) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("no cpu is selected among reactor mask(=%jx)\n",
+			    spdk_app_get_core_mask());
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -508,7 +518,7 @@ spdk_vhost_dev_construct(struct spdk_vhost_dev *vdev, const char *name, const ch
 	}
 
 	if (spdk_vhost_parse_core_mask(mask_str, &cpumask) != 0) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("cpumask %s not a subset of app mask 0x%jx\n",
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("cpumask %s is invalid (app mask is 0x%jx)\n",
 			    mask_str, spdk_app_get_core_mask());
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/vhost/vhost.c/vhost_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/vhost/vhost.c/vhost_ut.c
index 627b59d46..ec63b37a2 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/vhost/vhost.c/vhost_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/vhost/vhost.c/vhost_ut.c
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ DEFINE_STUB(spdk_event_allocate, struct spdk_event *,
 DEFINE_STUB(spdk_mem_register, int, (void *vaddr, size_t len), 0);
 DEFINE_STUB(spdk_mem_unregister, int, (void *vaddr, size_t len), 0);
 DEFINE_STUB(spdk_app_get_core_mask, uint64_t, (void), 0);
+DEFINE_STUB(spdk_app_parse_core_mask, int, (const char *mask, uint64_t *cpumask), 0);
 DEFINE_STUB_V(spdk_app_stop, (int rc));
 DEFINE_STUB_V(spdk_event_call, (struct spdk_event *event));
 DEFINE_STUB(spdk_poller_register, struct spdk_poller *, (spdk_poller_fn fn, void *arg,