diff --git a/include/spdk/thread.h b/include/spdk/thread.h
index 3f1e73006..e74967eab 100644
--- a/include/spdk/thread.h
+++ b/include/spdk/thread.h
@@ -68,6 +68,26 @@ struct spdk_io_channel_iter;
  */
 typedef int (*spdk_new_thread_fn)(struct spdk_thread *thread);
 
+/**
+ * SPDK thread operation type.
+ */
+enum spdk_thread_op {
+	/* Called each time a new thread is created. The implementor of this operation
+	 * should frequently call spdk_thread_poll() on the thread provided.
+	 */
+	SPDK_THREAD_OP_NEW,
+};
+
+/**
+ * Function to be called for SPDK thread operation.
+ */
+typedef int (*spdk_thread_op_fn)(struct spdk_thread *thread, enum spdk_thread_op op);
+
+/**
+ * Function to check whether the SPDK thread operation is supported.
+ */
+typedef bool (*spdk_thread_op_supported_fn)(enum spdk_thread_op op);
+
 /**
  * A function that will be called on the target thread.
  *
@@ -194,6 +214,23 @@ struct spdk_io_channel {
  */
 int spdk_thread_lib_init(spdk_new_thread_fn new_thread_fn, size_t ctx_sz);
 
+/**
+ * Initialize the threading library. Must be called once prior to allocating any threads
+ *
+ * Both thread_op_fn and thread_op_type_supported_fn have to be specified or not
+ * specified together.
+ *
+ * \param thread_op_fn Called for SPDK thread operation.
+ * \param thread_op_supported_fn Called to check whether the SPDK thread operation is supported.
+ * \param ctx_sz For each thread allocated, for use by the thread scheduler. A pointer
+ * to this region may be obtained by calling spdk_thread_get_ctx().
+ *
+ * \return 0 on success. Negated errno on failure.
+ */
+int spdk_thread_lib_init_ext(spdk_thread_op_fn thread_op_fn,
+			     spdk_thread_op_supported_fn thread_op_supported_fn,
+			     size_t ctx_sz);
+
 /**
  * Release all resources associated with this library.
  */
diff --git a/lib/thread/thread.c b/lib/thread/thread.c
index 600ef75d9..9c1b89746 100644
--- a/lib/thread/thread.c
+++ b/lib/thread/thread.c
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@
 static pthread_mutex_t g_devlist_mutex = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
 
 static spdk_new_thread_fn g_new_thread_fn = NULL;
+static spdk_thread_op_fn g_thread_op_fn = NULL;
+static spdk_thread_op_supported_fn g_thread_op_supported_fn;
 static size_t g_ctx_sz = 0;
 /* Monotonic increasing ID is set to each created thread beginning at 1. Once the
  * ID exceeds UINT64_MAX, further thread creation is not allowed and restarting
@@ -174,14 +176,11 @@ _get_thread(void)
 	return tls_thread;
 }
 
-int
-spdk_thread_lib_init(spdk_new_thread_fn new_thread_fn, size_t ctx_sz)
+static int
+_thread_lib_init(size_t ctx_sz)
 {
 	char mempool_name[SPDK_MAX_MEMZONE_NAME_LEN];
 
-	assert(g_new_thread_fn == NULL);
-	g_new_thread_fn = new_thread_fn;
-
 	g_ctx_sz = ctx_sz;
 
 	snprintf(mempool_name, sizeof(mempool_name), "msgpool_%d", getpid());
@@ -198,6 +197,36 @@ spdk_thread_lib_init(spdk_new_thread_fn new_thread_fn, size_t ctx_sz)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int
+spdk_thread_lib_init(spdk_new_thread_fn new_thread_fn, size_t ctx_sz)
+{
+	assert(g_new_thread_fn == NULL);
+	assert(g_thread_op_fn == NULL);
+	g_new_thread_fn = new_thread_fn;
+
+	return _thread_lib_init(ctx_sz);
+}
+
+int
+spdk_thread_lib_init_ext(spdk_thread_op_fn thread_op_fn,
+			 spdk_thread_op_supported_fn thread_op_supported_fn,
+			 size_t ctx_sz)
+{
+	assert(g_new_thread_fn == NULL);
+	assert(g_thread_op_fn == NULL);
+	assert(g_thread_op_supported_fn == NULL);
+
+	if ((thread_op_fn != NULL) != (thread_op_supported_fn != NULL)) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Both must be defined or undefined together.\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	g_thread_op_fn = thread_op_fn;
+	g_thread_op_supported_fn = thread_op_supported_fn;
+
+	return _thread_lib_init(ctx_sz);
+}
+
 void
 spdk_thread_lib_fini(void)
 {
@@ -213,6 +242,8 @@ spdk_thread_lib_fini(void)
 	}
 
 	g_new_thread_fn = NULL;
+	g_thread_op_fn = NULL;
+	g_thread_op_supported_fn = NULL;
 	g_ctx_sz = 0;
 }
 
@@ -280,7 +311,7 @@ spdk_thread_create(const char *name, struct spdk_cpuset *cpumask)
 {
 	struct spdk_thread *thread;
 	struct spdk_msg *msgs[SPDK_MSG_MEMPOOL_CACHE_SIZE];
-	int rc, i;
+	int rc = 0, i;
 
 	thread = calloc(1, sizeof(*thread) + g_ctx_sz);
 	if (!thread) {
@@ -344,10 +375,13 @@ spdk_thread_create(const char *name, struct spdk_cpuset *cpumask)
 
 	if (g_new_thread_fn) {
 		rc = g_new_thread_fn(thread);
-		if (rc != 0) {
-			_free_thread(thread);
-			return NULL;
-		}
+	} else if (g_thread_op_supported_fn && g_thread_op_supported_fn(SPDK_THREAD_OP_NEW)) {
+		rc = g_thread_op_fn(thread, SPDK_THREAD_OP_NEW);
+	}
+
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		_free_thread(thread);
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
 	return thread;
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/thread/thread.c/thread_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/thread/thread.c/thread_ut.c
index d161bc21e..a563f8bdd 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/thread/thread.c/thread_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/thread/thread.c/thread_ut.c
@@ -48,6 +48,28 @@ _thread_schedule(struct spdk_thread *thread)
 	return g_sched_rc;
 }
 
+static bool
+_thread_op_supported(enum spdk_thread_op op)
+{
+	switch (op) {
+	case SPDK_THREAD_OP_NEW:
+		return true;
+	default:
+		return false;
+	}
+}
+
+static int
+_thread_op(struct spdk_thread *thread, enum spdk_thread_op op)
+{
+	switch (op) {
+	case SPDK_THREAD_OP_NEW:
+		return _thread_schedule(thread);
+	default:
+		return -ENOTSUP;
+	}
+}
+
 static void
 thread_alloc(void)
 {
@@ -79,6 +101,24 @@ thread_alloc(void)
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(thread == NULL);
 
 	spdk_thread_lib_fini();
+
+	/* Scheduling callback exists with extended thread library initialization. */
+	spdk_thread_lib_init_ext(_thread_op, _thread_op_supported, 0);
+
+	/* Scheduling succeeds */
+	g_sched_rc = 0;
+	thread = spdk_thread_create(NULL, NULL);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(thread != NULL);
+	spdk_set_thread(thread);
+	spdk_thread_exit(thread);
+	spdk_thread_destroy(thread);
+
+	/* Scheduling fails */
+	g_sched_rc = -1;
+	thread = spdk_thread_create(NULL, NULL);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(thread == NULL);
+
+	spdk_thread_lib_fini();
 }
 
 static void