diff --git a/app/meson.build b/app/meson.build
index 5b2c80c7a1..7ff17a527b 100644
--- a/app/meson.build
+++ b/app/meson.build
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ foreach app:apps
     reason = '<unknown reason>' # set if build == false to explain
     sources = []
     includes = []
+    annotate_locks = true
     cflags = default_cflags
     ldflags = default_ldflags
     objs = [] # other object files to link against, used e.g. for
@@ -114,6 +115,11 @@ foreach app:apps
         link_libs = dpdk_static_libraries + dpdk_drivers
     endif
 
+    if annotate_locks and cc.has_argument('-Wthread-safety')
+        cflags += '-DRTE_ANNOTATE_LOCKS'
+        cflags += '-Wthread-safety'
+    endif
+
     exec = executable('dpdk-' + name,
             sources,
             c_args: cflags,
diff --git a/app/test/meson.build b/app/test/meson.build
index 40f22a54d5..f222971b67 100644
--- a/app/test/meson.build
+++ b/app/test/meson.build
@@ -259,6 +259,11 @@ cflags += '-fno-strict-aliasing'
 # Enable using internal APIs in unit tests
 cflags += '-DALLOW_INTERNAL_API'
 
+if cc.has_argument('-Wthread-safety')
+    cflags += '-DRTE_ANNOTATE_LOCKS'
+    cflags += '-Wthread-safety'
+endif
+
 # create a symlink in the app/test directory for the binary, for backward compatibility
 if not is_windows
     custom_target('test_symlink',
diff --git a/app/test/test_rwlock.c b/app/test/test_rwlock.c
index 785317621d..2ac9be4599 100644
--- a/app/test/test_rwlock.c
+++ b/app/test/test_rwlock.c
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
  * Copyright(c) 2010-2014 Intel Corporation
  */
 
+#undef RTE_ANNOTATE_LOCKS
+
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <inttypes.h>
diff --git a/app/test/test_spinlock.c b/app/test/test_spinlock.c
index 34e0ef9422..029545653c 100644
--- a/app/test/test_spinlock.c
+++ b/app/test/test_spinlock.c
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
  * Copyright(c) 2010-2014 Intel Corporation
  */
 
+#undef RTE_ANNOTATE_LOCKS
+
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <inttypes.h>