diff --git a/lib/event/reactor.c b/lib/event/reactor.c
index 2e6161820..7820e9f67 100644
--- a/lib/event/reactor.c
+++ b/lib/event/reactor.c
@@ -473,9 +473,21 @@ static void
 _schedule_thread(void *arg1, void *arg2)
 {
 	struct spdk_lw_thread *lw_thread = arg1;
+	struct spdk_thread *thread;
+	struct spdk_cpuset *cpumask;
 	struct spdk_reactor *reactor;
+	uint32_t current_core;
 
-	reactor = spdk_reactor_get(spdk_env_get_current_core());
+	current_core = spdk_env_get_current_core();
+
+	thread = spdk_thread_get_from_ctx(lw_thread);
+	cpumask = spdk_thread_get_cpumask(thread);
+	if (!spdk_cpuset_get_cpu(cpumask, current_core)) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Thread was scheduled to the wrong core %d\n", current_core);
+		assert(false);
+	}
+
+	reactor = spdk_reactor_get(current_core);
 	assert(reactor != NULL);
 
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&reactor->threads, lw_thread, link);