diff --git a/common/realtime.py b/common/realtime.py
index e05eb8f2c3..4a37efadab 100644
--- a/common/realtime.py
+++ b/common/realtime.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import gc
 import os
 import time
-from typing import Optional
+from typing import Optional, List, Union
 
 from setproctitle import getproctitle  # pylint: disable=no-name-in-module
 
@@ -38,15 +38,16 @@ def set_realtime_priority(level: int) -> None:
     os.sched_setscheduler(0, os.SCHED_FIFO, os.sched_param(level))  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
 
 
-def set_core_affinity(core: int) -> None:
+def set_core_affinity(cores: List[int]) -> None:
   if not PC:
-    os.sched_setaffinity(0, [core,])   # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+    os.sched_setaffinity(0, cores)
 
 
-def config_realtime_process(core: int, priority: int) -> None:
+def config_realtime_process(cores: Union[int, List[int]], priority: int) -> None:
   gc.disable()
   set_realtime_priority(priority)
-  set_core_affinity(core)
+  c = cores if isinstance(cores, list) else [cores, ]
+  set_core_affinity(c)
 
 
 class Ratekeeper:
diff --git a/selfdrive/locationd/paramsd.py b/selfdrive/locationd/paramsd.py
index aeb07ae478..0e83728e5c 100755
--- a/selfdrive/locationd/paramsd.py
+++ b/selfdrive/locationd/paramsd.py
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-import gc
 import math
-
 import json
 import numpy as np
 
 import cereal.messaging as messaging
 from cereal import car
 from common.params import Params, put_nonblocking
-from common.realtime import set_realtime_priority, DT_MDL
+from common.realtime import config_realtime_process, DT_MDL
 from common.numpy_fast import clip
 from selfdrive.locationd.models.car_kf import CarKalman, ObservationKind, States
 from selfdrive.locationd.models.constants import GENERATED_DIR
@@ -103,8 +101,7 @@ class ParamsLearner:
 
 
 def main(sm=None, pm=None):
-  gc.disable()
-  set_realtime_priority(5)
+  config_realtime_process([0, 1, 2, 3], 5)
 
   if sm is None:
     sm = messaging.SubMaster(['liveLocationKalman', 'carState'], poll=['liveLocationKalman'])
diff --git a/selfdrive/rtshield.py b/selfdrive/rtshield.py
index ad7538d7a8..45571fe2db 100755
--- a/selfdrive/rtshield.py
+++ b/selfdrive/rtshield.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from common.realtime import set_core_affinity, set_realtime_priority
 #   openpilot processes
 
 def main() -> NoReturn:
-  set_core_affinity(int(os.getenv("CORE", "3")))
+  set_core_affinity([int(os.getenv("CORE", "3")), ])
   set_realtime_priority(1)
 
   while True:
diff --git a/selfdrive/test/test_onroad.py b/selfdrive/test/test_onroad.py
index abbd25bb9c..8463a95578 100755
--- a/selfdrive/test/test_onroad.py
+++ b/selfdrive/test/test_onroad.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ PROCS = {
   "./locationd": 9.1,
   "selfdrive.controls.plannerd": 11.7,
   "./_ui": 33.0,
-  "selfdrive.locationd.paramsd": 5.0,
+  "selfdrive.locationd.paramsd": 9.0,
   "./_sensord": 6.17,
   "selfdrive.controls.radard": 4.5,
   "./_modeld": 4.48,