diff --git a/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c b/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c
index d1391b6b7..f665968e6 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c
@@ -1120,6 +1120,7 @@ static char *ealargs[] = {
 	"arb",
 	"-c 0xf", /* This must be the second parameter. It is overwritten by index in main(). */
 	"-n 4",
+	"--proc-type=auto",
 };
 
 int
diff --git a/examples/nvme/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c b/examples/nvme/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c
index a845d4fb0..bb3dcee42 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/fio_plugin/fio_plugin.c
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ attach_cb(void *cb_ctx, struct spdk_pci_device *dev, struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctr
 static char *ealargs[] = {
 	"fio",
 	"-n 4",
+	"--proc-type=auto",
 };
 
 /* Called once at initialization. This is responsible for gathering the size of
diff --git a/examples/nvme/hello_world/hello_world.c b/examples/nvme/hello_world/hello_world.c
index 6dbdfbf23..96fb8849b 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/hello_world/hello_world.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/hello_world/hello_world.c
@@ -333,6 +333,7 @@ static char *ealargs[] = {
 	"hello_world",
 	"-c 0x1",
 	"-n 4",
+	"--proc-type=auto",
 };
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
diff --git a/examples/nvme/identify/identify.c b/examples/nvme/identify/identify.c
index 1e500eb38..379c5a50b 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/identify/identify.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/identify/identify.c
@@ -943,6 +943,7 @@ static const char *ealargs[] = {
 	"identify",
 	"-c 0x1",
 	"-n 4",
+	"--proc-type=auto",
 };
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
diff --git a/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c b/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c
index 446295897..a080c042b 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/nvme_manage/nvme_manage.c
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ static const char *ealargs[] = {
 	"nvme_manage",
 	"-c 0x1",
 	"-n 4",
+	"--proc-type=auto",
 };
 
 static void usage(void)
diff --git a/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c b/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
index aa180b240..fbdc73dab 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
@@ -1093,6 +1093,7 @@ static char *ealargs[] = {
 	"perf",
 	"-c 0x1", /* This must be the second parameter. It is overwritten by index in main(). */
 	"-n 4",
+	"--proc-type=auto",
 };
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
diff --git a/examples/nvme/reserve/reservation.c b/examples/nvme/reserve/reservation.c
index 75918e891..3a1303f52 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/reserve/reservation.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/reserve/reservation.c
@@ -424,6 +424,7 @@ static const char *ealargs[] = {
 	"reserve",
 	"-c 0x1",
 	"-n 4",
+	"--proc-type=auto",
 };
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
diff --git a/lib/event/dpdk_init.c b/lib/event/dpdk_init.c
index 04117a7d4..0f2668330 100644
--- a/lib/event/dpdk_init.c
+++ b/lib/event/dpdk_init.c
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ enum dpdk_eal_args {
 	EAL_MEMSIZE_ARG,
 	EAL_MASTER_CORE_ARG,
 	EAL_FILE_PREFIX_ARG,
+	EAL_PROC_TYPE_ARG,
 	EAL_ARG_COUNT
 };
 
@@ -159,6 +160,19 @@ spdk_build_eal_cmdline(struct spdk_app_opts *opts)
 		rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE, "ealargs spdk_sprintf_alloc");
 	}
 
+#ifdef __linux__
+	/* set the process type */
+	g_arg_strings[EAL_PROC_TYPE_ARG] = spdk_sprintf_alloc("--proc-type=auto");
+#else
+	/* --proc-type is not required on FreeBSD */
+	/* TODO: to enable the support on FreeBSD once it supports process shared mutex */
+	g_arg_strings[EAL_PROC_TYPE_ARG] = strdup("");
+#endif
+	if (g_arg_strings[EAL_PROC_TYPE_ARG] == NULL) {
+		spdk_free_ealargs();
+		rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE, "ealargs spdk_sprintf_alloc");
+	}
+
 	memcpy(g_ealargs, g_arg_strings, sizeof(g_arg_strings));
 }