diff --git a/include/osmocom/core/select.h b/include/osmocom/core/select.h
index a200b6f..92904e2 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/core/select.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/core/select.h
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 void osmo_fd_close(struct osmo_fd *fd);
 int osmo_select_main(int polling);
 int osmo_select_main_ctx(int polling);
+void osmo_select_init(void);
 
 struct osmo_fd *osmo_fd_get_by_fd(int fd);
 
diff --git a/src/select.c b/src/select.c
index 394a59d..b997122 100644
--- a/src/select.c
+++ b/src/select.c
@@ -50,9 +50,11 @@
  *
  * \file select.c */
 
-static int maxfd = 0;
-static LLIST_HEAD(osmo_fds);
-static int unregistered_count;
+/* keep a set of file descriptors per-thread, so that each thread can have its own
+ * distinct set of file descriptors to interact with */
+static __thread int maxfd = 0;
+static __thread struct llist_head osmo_fds; /* TLS cannot use LLIST_HEAD() */
+static __thread int unregistered_count;
 
 /*! Set up an osmo-fd. Will not register it.
  *  \param[inout] ofd Osmo FD to be set-up
@@ -307,6 +309,18 @@
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+/*! initialize the osmocom select abstraction for the current thread */
+void osmo_select_init(void)
+{
+	INIT_LLIST_HEAD(&osmo_fds);
+}
+
+/* ensure main thread always has pre-initialized osmo_fds */
+static __attribute__((constructor)) void on_dso_load_select(void)
+{
+	osmo_select_init();
+}
+
 #ifdef HAVE_SYS_TIMERFD_H
 #include <sys/timerfd.h>