diff --git a/msm/msm_drv.c b/msm/msm_drv.c
index 0ab04da6b7..ce7a41d5ec 100644
--- a/msm/msm_drv.c
+++ b/msm/msm_drv.c
@@ -104,6 +104,24 @@ static void msm_fb_output_poll_changed(struct drm_device *dev)
 		drm_fb_helper_hotplug_event(priv->fbdev);
 }
 
+static void msm_drm_display_thread_priority_worker(struct kthread_work *work)
+{
+	int ret = 0;
+	struct sched_param param = { 0 };
+	struct task_struct *task = current->group_leader;
+
+	/**
+	 * this priority was found during empiric testing to have appropriate
+	 * realtime scheduling to process display updates and interact with
+	 * other real time and normal priority task
+	 */
+	param.sched_priority = 16;
+	ret = sched_setscheduler(task, SCHED_FIFO, &param);
+	if (ret)
+		pr_warn("pid:%d name:%s priority update failed: %d\n",
+			current->tgid, task->comm, ret);
+}
+
 /**
  * msm_atomic_helper_check - validate state object
  * @dev: DRM device
@@ -575,20 +593,13 @@ static int msm_component_bind_all(struct device *dev,
 }
 #endif
 
-static int msm_drm_display_thread_create(struct sched_param param,
-	struct msm_drm_private *priv, struct drm_device *ddev,
+static int msm_drm_display_thread_create(struct msm_drm_private *priv, struct drm_device *ddev,
 	struct device *dev)
 {
 	int i, ret = 0;
 
-	/**
-	 * this priority was found during empiric testing to have appropriate
-	 * realtime scheduling to process display updates and interact with
-	 * other real time and normal priority task
-	 */
-	param.sched_priority = 16;
+	kthread_init_work(&priv->thread_priority_work, msm_drm_display_thread_priority_worker);
 	for (i = 0; i < priv->num_crtcs; i++) {
-
 		/* initialize display thread */
 		priv->disp_thread[i].crtc_id = priv->crtcs[i]->base.id;
 		kthread_init_worker(&priv->disp_thread[i].worker);
@@ -597,11 +608,7 @@ static int msm_drm_display_thread_create(struct sched_param param,
 			kthread_run(kthread_worker_fn,
 				&priv->disp_thread[i].worker,
 				"crtc_commit:%d", priv->disp_thread[i].crtc_id);
-		ret = sched_setscheduler(priv->disp_thread[i].thread,
-							SCHED_FIFO, &param);
-		if (ret)
-			pr_warn("display thread priority update failed: %d\n",
-									ret);
+		kthread_queue_work(&priv->disp_thread[i].worker, &priv->thread_priority_work);
 
 		if (IS_ERR(priv->disp_thread[i].thread)) {
 			dev_err(dev, "failed to create crtc_commit kthread\n");
@@ -623,11 +630,7 @@ static int msm_drm_display_thread_create(struct sched_param param,
 		 * frame_pending counters beyond 2. This can lead to commit
 		 * failure at crtc commit level.
 		 */
-		ret = sched_setscheduler(priv->event_thread[i].thread,
-							SCHED_FIFO, &param);
-		if (ret)
-			pr_warn("display event thread priority update failed: %d\n",
-									ret);
+		kthread_queue_work(&priv->event_thread[i].worker, &priv->thread_priority_work);
 
 		if (IS_ERR(priv->event_thread[i].thread)) {
 			dev_err(dev, "failed to create crtc_event kthread\n");
@@ -662,12 +665,7 @@ static int msm_drm_display_thread_create(struct sched_param param,
 	kthread_init_worker(&priv->pp_event_worker);
 	priv->pp_event_thread = kthread_run(kthread_worker_fn,
 			&priv->pp_event_worker, "pp_event");
-
-	ret = sched_setscheduler(priv->pp_event_thread,
-						SCHED_FIFO, &param);
-	if (ret)
-		pr_warn("pp_event thread priority update failed: %d\n",
-								ret);
+	kthread_queue_work(&priv->pp_event_worker, &priv->thread_priority_work);
 
 	if (IS_ERR(priv->pp_event_thread)) {
 		dev_err(dev, "failed to create pp_event kthread\n");
@@ -677,8 +675,8 @@ static int msm_drm_display_thread_create(struct sched_param param,
 	}
 
 	return 0;
-
 }
+
 static struct msm_kms *_msm_drm_component_init_helper(
 		struct msm_drm_private *priv,
 		struct drm_device *ddev, struct device *dev,
@@ -803,7 +801,6 @@ static int msm_drm_component_init(struct device *dev)
 	struct msm_drm_private *priv = ddev->dev_private;
 	struct msm_kms *kms = NULL;
 	int ret;
-	struct sched_param param = { 0 };
 	struct drm_crtc *crtc;
 
 	ret = msm_mdss_init(ddev);
@@ -842,7 +839,7 @@ static int msm_drm_component_init(struct device *dev)
 	sde_rotator_register();
 	sde_rotator_smmu_driver_register();
 
-	ret = msm_drm_display_thread_create(param, priv, ddev, dev);
+	ret = msm_drm_display_thread_create(priv, ddev, dev);
 	if (ret) {
 		dev_err(dev, "msm_drm_display_thread_create failed\n");
 		goto fail;
diff --git a/msm/msm_drv.h b/msm/msm_drv.h
index 89130a093c..635a45bc9d 100644
--- a/msm/msm_drv.h
+++ b/msm/msm_drv.h
@@ -976,6 +976,8 @@ struct msm_drm_private {
 	struct task_struct *pp_event_thread;
 	struct kthread_worker pp_event_worker;
 
+	struct kthread_work thread_priority_work;
+
 	unsigned int num_encoders;
 	struct drm_encoder *encoders[MAX_ENCODERS];