diff --git a/include/spdk/env.h b/include/spdk/env.h
index f8cb058dd..78ac29acb 100644
--- a/include/spdk/env.h
+++ b/include/spdk/env.h
@@ -467,6 +467,13 @@ uint32_t spdk_env_get_core_count(void);
  */
 uint32_t spdk_env_get_current_core(void);
 
+/**
+ * Get the index of the primary dedicated CPU core for this application.
+ *
+ * \return the index of the primary dedicated CPU core.
+ */
+uint32_t spdk_env_get_primary_core(void);
+
 /**
  * Get the index of the first dedicated CPU core for this application.
  *
diff --git a/lib/env_dpdk/spdk_env_dpdk.map b/lib/env_dpdk/spdk_env_dpdk.map
index 028796e1c..e899ad326 100644
--- a/lib/env_dpdk/spdk_env_dpdk.map
+++ b/lib/env_dpdk/spdk_env_dpdk.map
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 	spdk_mempool_lookup;
 	spdk_env_get_core_count;
 	spdk_env_get_current_core;
+	spdk_env_get_primary_core;
 	spdk_env_get_first_core;
 	spdk_env_get_last_core;
 	spdk_env_get_next_core;
diff --git a/lib/env_dpdk/threads.c b/lib/env_dpdk/threads.c
index 01c7b8d9f..8831b8c38 100644
--- a/lib/env_dpdk/threads.c
+++ b/lib/env_dpdk/threads.c
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ spdk_env_get_current_core(void)
 	return rte_lcore_id();
 }
 
+uint32_t
+spdk_env_get_primary_core(void)
+{
+	return rte_get_master_lcore();
+}
+
 uint32_t
 spdk_env_get_first_core(void)
 {