diff --git a/lib/internal.h b/lib/internal.h
index a41560f1..9a3ef89d 100644
--- a/lib/internal.h
+++ b/lib/internal.h
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@ int crypt_get_debug_level(void);
 
 int crypt_memlock_inc(struct crypt_device *ctx);
 int crypt_memlock_dec(struct crypt_device *ctx);
+void crypt_process_priority(struct crypt_device *cd, int *priority, bool raise);
 
 int crypt_metadata_locking_enabled(void);
 
diff --git a/lib/utils.c b/lib/utils.c
index 8fa4242a..5742d3ec 100644
--- a/lib/utils.c
+++ b/lib/utils.c
@@ -59,6 +59,35 @@ uint64_t crypt_getphysmemory_kb(void)
 	return phys_memory_kb;
 }
 
+void crypt_process_priority(struct crypt_device *cd, int *priority, bool raise)
+{
+	int _priority, new_priority;
+
+	if (raise) {
+		_priority = getpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0);
+		if (_priority < 0)
+			_priority = 0;
+		if (priority)
+			*priority = _priority;
+
+		/*
+		 * Do not bother checking CAP_SYS_NICE as device activation
+		 * requires CAP_SYSADMIN later anyway.
+		 */
+		if (getuid() || geteuid())
+			new_priority = 0;
+		else
+			new_priority = -18;
+
+		if (setpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0, new_priority))
+			log_dbg(cd, "Cannot raise process priority.");
+	} else {
+		_priority = priority ? *priority : 0;
+		if (setpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0, _priority))
+			log_dbg(cd, "Cannot reset process priority.");
+	}
+}
+
 /* MEMLOCK */
 #define DEFAULT_PROCESS_PRIORITY -18
 
diff --git a/lib/utils_benchmark.c b/lib/utils_benchmark.c
index 780ebd7d..707846fa 100644
--- a/lib/utils_benchmark.c
+++ b/lib/utils_benchmark.c
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ int crypt_benchmark_pbkdf(struct crypt_device *cd,
 	int (*progress)(uint32_t time_ms, void *usrptr),
 	void *usrptr)
 {
-	int r;
+	int r, priority;
 	const char *kdf_opt;
 
 	if (!pbkdf || (!password && password_size))
@@ -112,10 +112,12 @@ int crypt_benchmark_pbkdf(struct crypt_device *cd,
 
 	log_dbg(cd, "Running %s(%s) benchmark.", pbkdf->type, kdf_opt);
 
+	crypt_process_priority(cd, &priority, true);
 	r = crypt_pbkdf_perf(pbkdf->type, pbkdf->hash, password, password_size,
 			     salt, salt_size, volume_key_size, pbkdf->time_ms,
 			     pbkdf->max_memory_kb, pbkdf->parallel_threads,
 			     &pbkdf->iterations, &pbkdf->max_memory_kb, progress, usrptr);
+	crypt_process_priority(cd, &priority, false);
 
 	if (!r)
 		log_dbg(cd, "Benchmark returns %s(%s) %u iterations, %u memory, %u threads (for %zu-bits key).",