diff --git a/common/realtime.py b/common/realtime.py
index 854c3ca5922bf3..01786924158357 100644
--- a/common/realtime.py
+++ b/common/realtime.py
@@ -27,11 +27,6 @@ class Priority:
   CTRL_HIGH = 53
 
 
-def set_realtime_priority(level: int) -> None:
-  if not PC:
-    os.sched_setscheduler(0, os.SCHED_FIFO, os.sched_param(level))
-
-
 def set_core_affinity(cores: list[int]) -> None:
   if not PC:
     os.sched_setaffinity(0, cores)
@@ -39,7 +34,8 @@ def set_core_affinity(cores: list[int]) -> None:
 
 def config_realtime_process(cores: int | list[int], priority: int) -> None:
   gc.disable()
-  set_realtime_priority(priority)
+  if not PC:
+    os.sched_setscheduler(0, os.SCHED_FIFO, os.sched_param(priority))
   c = cores if isinstance(cores, list) else [cores, ]
   set_core_affinity(c)
 
diff --git a/selfdrive/locationd/calibrationd.py b/selfdrive/locationd/calibrationd.py
index 6e154bf07cf83e..8ce884ae4fd768 100755
--- a/selfdrive/locationd/calibrationd.py
+++ b/selfdrive/locationd/calibrationd.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 and the image input into the neural network is not corrected for roll.
 '''
 
-import gc
 import os
 import capnp
 import numpy as np
@@ -16,7 +15,7 @@
 import cereal.messaging as messaging
 from openpilot.common.conversions import Conversions as CV
 from openpilot.common.params import Params
-from openpilot.common.realtime import set_realtime_priority
+from openpilot.common.realtime import config_realtime_process
 from openpilot.common.transformations.orientation import rot_from_euler, euler_from_rot
 from openpilot.common.swaglog import cloudlog
 
@@ -256,8 +255,7 @@ def send_data(self, pm: messaging.PubMaster, valid: bool) -> None:
 
 
 def main() -> NoReturn:
-  gc.disable()
-  set_realtime_priority(1)
+  config_realtime_process([0, 1, 2, 3], 5)
 
   pm = messaging.PubMaster(['liveCalibration'])
   sm = messaging.SubMaster(['cameraOdometry', 'carState', 'carParams'], poll='cameraOdometry')
diff --git a/selfdrive/modeld/dmonitoringmodeld.py b/selfdrive/modeld/dmonitoringmodeld.py
index e2dd6f71ca9aeb..a20155e3ec687a 100755
--- a/selfdrive/modeld/dmonitoringmodeld.py
+++ b/selfdrive/modeld/dmonitoringmodeld.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
   os.environ['QCOM'] = '1'
 else:
   from openpilot.selfdrive.modeld.runners.ort_helpers import make_onnx_cpu_runner
-import gc
 import math
 import time
 import pickle
@@ -21,7 +20,7 @@
 from cereal.messaging import PubMaster, SubMaster
 from msgq.visionipc import VisionIpcClient, VisionStreamType, VisionBuf
 from openpilot.common.swaglog import cloudlog
-from openpilot.common.realtime import set_realtime_priority
+from openpilot.common.realtime import config_realtime_process
 from openpilot.common.transformations.model import dmonitoringmodel_intrinsics, DM_INPUT_SIZE
 from openpilot.common.transformations.camera import _ar_ox_fisheye, _os_fisheye
 from openpilot.selfdrive.modeld.models.commonmodel_pyx import CLContext, MonitoringModelFrame
@@ -140,9 +139,8 @@ def get_driverstate_packet(model_output: np.ndarray, frame_id: int, location_ts:
 
 
 def main():
-  gc.disable()
   setproctitle(PROCESS_NAME)
-  set_realtime_priority(1)
+  config_realtime_process([0, 1, 2, 3], 5)
 
   sentry.set_tag("daemon", PROCESS_NAME)
   cloudlog.bind(daemon=PROCESS_NAME)
diff --git a/selfdrive/monitoring/dmonitoringd.py b/selfdrive/monitoring/dmonitoringd.py
index 54d22c12437501..f137b406b49134 100755
--- a/selfdrive/monitoring/dmonitoringd.py
+++ b/selfdrive/monitoring/dmonitoringd.py
@@ -1,15 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-import gc
-
 import cereal.messaging as messaging
 from openpilot.common.params import Params
-from openpilot.common.realtime import set_realtime_priority
+from openpilot.common.realtime import config_realtime_process
 from openpilot.selfdrive.monitoring.helpers import DriverMonitoring
 
 
 def dmonitoringd_thread():
-  gc.disable()
-  set_realtime_priority(2)
+  config_realtime_process([0, 1, 2, 3], 5)
 
   params = Params()
   pm = messaging.PubMaster(['driverMonitoringState'])