diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_rpki.c b/bgpd/bgp_rpki.c
index 94275762f669..4d485fc91dc3 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_rpki.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_rpki.c
@@ -1273,6 +1273,15 @@ static int add_cache(struct cache *cache)
 	return SUCCESS;
 }
 
+static void *rpki_pthread_start(void *arg)
+{
+	struct frr_pthread *fpt = arg;
+
+	fpt->running = true;
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 static int rpki_create_socket(void *_cache)
 {
 	struct timeval prev_snd_tmout, prev_rcv_tmout, timeout;
@@ -1281,6 +1290,7 @@ static int rpki_create_socket(void *_cache)
 	struct tr_tcp_config *tcp_config;
 	struct addrinfo *res = NULL;
 	struct addrinfo hints = {};
+	struct frr_pthread *fpt;
 	socklen_t optlen;
 	char *host, *port;
 	struct vrf *vrf;
@@ -1291,6 +1301,10 @@ static int rpki_create_socket(void *_cache)
 	struct tr_ssh_config *ssh_config;
 	char s_port[10];
 #endif
+	struct frr_pthread_attr attr = {
+		.start = rpki_pthread_start,
+		.stop = frr_pthread_attr_default.stop,
+	};
 
 	if (!cache)
 		return -1;
@@ -1307,6 +1321,15 @@ static int rpki_create_socket(void *_cache)
 	if (!CHECK_FLAG(vrf->status, VRF_ACTIVE) || vrf->vrf_id == VRF_UNKNOWN)
 		return -1;
 
+	/* Create FRR pthread context to allow logging */
+	fpt = frr_pthread_new(&attr, "rpki_create_socket", "rpki_create_socket");
+	if (!fpt)
+		return -1;
+	fpt->rcu_thread = rcu_thread_new(NULL);
+	fpt->thread = cache->rtr_socket->thread_id;
+	if (frr_pthread_run(fpt, NULL) < 0)
+		return -1;
+
 	if (cache->type == TCP) {
 		hints.ai_family = AF_UNSPEC;
 		hints.ai_socktype = SOCK_STREAM;
diff --git a/lib/frr_pthread.c b/lib/frr_pthread.c
index 761969266ae4..9fd46f2067a0 100644
--- a/lib/frr_pthread.c
+++ b/lib/frr_pthread.c
@@ -163,8 +163,15 @@ int frr_pthread_run(struct frr_pthread *fpt, const pthread_attr_t *attr)
 
 	frrtrace(1, frr_libfrr, frr_pthread_run, fpt->name);
 
-	fpt->rcu_thread = rcu_thread_prepare();
-	ret = pthread_create(&fpt->thread, attr, frr_pthread_inner, fpt);
+
+	if (!fpt->rcu_thread)
+		fpt->rcu_thread = rcu_thread_prepare();
+
+	if (fpt->thread) {
+		frr_pthread_inner(fpt);
+		ret = 0;
+	} else
+		ret = pthread_create(&fpt->thread, attr, frr_pthread_inner, fpt);
 
 	/* Restore caller's signals */
 	pthread_sigmask(SIG_SETMASK, &oldsigs, NULL);
diff --git a/lib/frrcu.c b/lib/frrcu.c
index c7cc655e09ce..b85c525c5879 100644
--- a/lib/frrcu.c
+++ b/lib/frrcu.c
@@ -149,20 +149,9 @@ static struct rcu_thread *rcu_self(void)
 	return (struct rcu_thread *)pthread_getspecific(rcu_thread_key);
 }
 
-/*
- * thread management (for the non-main thread)
- */
-struct rcu_thread *rcu_thread_prepare(void)
+struct rcu_thread *rcu_thread_new(void *arg)
 {
-	struct rcu_thread *rt, *cur;
-
-	rcu_assert_read_locked();
-
-	if (!rcu_active)
-		rcu_start();
-
-	cur = rcu_self();
-	assert(cur->depth);
+	struct rcu_thread *rt, *cur = arg;
 
 	/* new thread always starts with rcu_read_lock held at depth 1, and
 	 * holding the same epoch as the parent (this makes it possible to
@@ -172,13 +161,32 @@ struct rcu_thread *rcu_thread_prepare(void)
 	rt->depth = 1;
 
 	seqlock_init(&rt->rcu);
-	seqlock_acquire(&rt->rcu, &cur->rcu);
+	if (cur)
+		seqlock_acquire(&rt->rcu, &cur->rcu);
 
 	rcu_threads_add_tail(&rcu_threads, rt);
 
 	return rt;
 }
 
+/*
+ * thread management (for the non-main thread)
+ */
+struct rcu_thread *rcu_thread_prepare(void)
+{
+	struct rcu_thread *cur;
+
+	rcu_assert_read_locked();
+
+	if (!rcu_active)
+		rcu_start();
+
+	cur = rcu_self();
+	assert(cur->depth);
+
+	return rcu_thread_new(cur);
+}
+
 void rcu_thread_start(struct rcu_thread *rt)
 {
 	pthread_setspecific(rcu_thread_key, rt);
diff --git a/lib/frrcu.h b/lib/frrcu.h
index e7a54dcbe5d4..9f07a69b5226 100644
--- a/lib/frrcu.h
+++ b/lib/frrcu.h
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ extern "C" {
 /* opaque */
 struct rcu_thread;
 
+/* sets up rcu thread info
+ *
+ * return value must be passed into the thread's call to rcu_thread_start()
+ */
+extern struct rcu_thread *rcu_thread_new(void *arg);
+
 /* called before new thread creation, sets up rcu thread info for new thread
  * before it actually exits.  This ensures possible RCU references are held
  * for thread startup.