diff --git a/repos/base-foc/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc b/repos/base-foc/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
index 3dfa3140fe..26b7744a17 100644
--- a/repos/base-foc/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
+++ b/repos/base-foc/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
@@ -48,9 +48,7 @@ void Thread::_deinit_platform_thread()
 
 void Thread::_init_platform_thread(size_t weight, Type type)
 {
-	/* if no cpu session is given, use it from the environment */
-	if (!_cpu_session)
-		_cpu_session = env_deprecated()->cpu_session();
+	_init_cpu_session_and_trace_control();
 
 	if (type == NORMAL)
 	{
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc b/repos/base-hw/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
index 9e64ec47c9..ce270866a9 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
+++ b/repos/base-hw/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ namespace Hw {
 
 void Thread::_init_platform_thread(size_t weight, Type type)
 {
-	if (!_cpu_session) { _cpu_session = env_deprecated()->cpu_session(); }
+	_init_cpu_session_and_trace_control();
+
 	if (type == NORMAL) {
 
 		/* create server object */
diff --git a/repos/base-nova/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc b/repos/base-nova/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
index beccde0deb..a1b0bcc927 100644
--- a/repos/base-nova/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
+++ b/repos/base-nova/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
@@ -107,9 +107,8 @@ void Thread::_init_platform_thread(size_t weight, Type type)
 	if (native_thread().exc_pt_sel == Native_thread::INVALID_INDEX)
 		throw Cpu_session::Thread_creation_failed();
 
-	/* if no cpu session is given, use it from the environment */
-	if (!_cpu_session)
-		_cpu_session = env_deprecated()->cpu_session();
+
+	_init_cpu_session_and_trace_control();
 
 	/* create thread at core */
 	_thread_cap = _cpu_session->create_thread(env_deprecated()->pd_session_cap(), name(),
diff --git a/repos/base/include/base/thread.h b/repos/base/include/base/thread.h
index 9e5d2980b0..77e8b02236 100644
--- a/repos/base/include/base/thread.h
+++ b/repos/base/include/base/thread.h
@@ -172,6 +172,8 @@ class Genode::Thread
 		 */
 		void _init_platform_thread(size_t weight, Type type);
 
+		void _init_cpu_session_and_trace_control();
+
 	public:
 
 		/**
diff --git a/repos/base/src/lib/base/thread.cc b/repos/base/src/lib/base/thread.cc
index 167bded2f3..351a083274 100644
--- a/repos/base/src/lib/base/thread.cc
+++ b/repos/base/src/lib/base/thread.cc
@@ -207,12 +207,19 @@ Thread::Thread(size_t weight, const char *name, size_t stack_size,
 	_join_lock(Lock::LOCKED)
 {
 	_init_platform_thread(weight, type);
+}
 
-	if (_cpu_session) {
-		Dataspace_capability ds = _cpu_session->trace_control();
-		if (ds.valid())
-			_trace_control = env_deprecated()->rm_session()->attach(ds);
-	}
+
+void Thread::_init_cpu_session_and_trace_control()
+{
+	/* if no CPU session is given, use it from the environment */
+	if (!_cpu_session) {
+		_cpu_session = env_deprecated()->cpu_session(); }
+
+	/* initialize trace control now that the CPU session must be valid */
+	Dataspace_capability ds = _cpu_session->trace_control();
+	if (ds.valid()) {
+		_trace_control = env_deprecated()->rm_session()->attach(ds); }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/repos/base/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc b/repos/base/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
index 26900a45d6..b66c4b0d62 100644
--- a/repos/base/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
+++ b/repos/base/src/lib/base/thread_start.cc
@@ -67,9 +67,7 @@ void Thread::_deinit_platform_thread()
 
 void Thread::start()
 {
-	/* if no CPU session is given, use it from the environment */
-	if (!_cpu_session)
-		_cpu_session = env_deprecated()->cpu_session();
+	_init_cpu_session_and_trace_control();
 
 	/* create thread at core */
 	addr_t const utcb = (addr_t)&_stack->utcb();