diff --git a/libsel4vm/src/arch/arm/boot.c b/libsel4vm/src/arch/arm/boot.c
index a4b171412..25f13fced 100644
--- a/libsel4vm/src/arch/arm/boot.c
+++ b/libsel4vm/src/arch/arm/boot.c
@@ -110,12 +110,6 @@ int vm_create_vcpu_arch(vm_t *vm, vm_vcpu_t *vcpu)
     vcpu->vcpu_arch.unhandled_vcpu_callback = NULL;
     vcpu->vcpu_arch.unhandled_vcpu_callback_cookie = NULL;
 
-#if CONFIG_MAX_NUM_NODES > 1
-    if (seL4_TCB_SetAffinity(vcpu->tcb.tcb.cptr, vcpu->vcpu_id)) {
-        err = -1;
-    }
-#endif /* CONFIG_MAX_NUM_NODES > 1 */
-
 #ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_BUILD
     char vcpu_name[32];
     snprintf(vcpu_name, sizeof(vcpu_name), "%s:%d", vm->vm_name, vcpu->vcpu_id);
diff --git a/libsel4vm/src/arch/arm/vm.c b/libsel4vm/src/arch/arm/vm.c
index ceb7993b8..40d6d4414 100644
--- a/libsel4vm/src/arch/arm/vm.c
+++ b/libsel4vm/src/arch/arm/vm.c
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ int vcpu_start(vm_vcpu_t *vcpu)
          */
         vmpidr_val = BIT(24) | BIT(31);
     } else {
-        vmpidr_val = vcpu->target_cpu;
+        vmpidr_val = vcpu->vcpu_id;
     }
     err = vm_set_arm_vcpu_reg(vcpu, vmpidr_reg, vmpidr_val);
     if (err) {
diff --git a/libsel4vm/src/boot.c b/libsel4vm/src/boot.c
index 656ef9a8b..29d4cade4 100644
--- a/libsel4vm/src/boot.c
+++ b/libsel4vm/src/boot.c
@@ -88,10 +88,19 @@ int vm_assign_vcpu_target(vm_vcpu_t *vcpu, int target_cpu)
         return -1;
     }
     vm_vcpu_t *target_vcpu = vm_vcpu_for_target_cpu(vcpu->vm, target_cpu);
-    if (target_vcpu) {
+    if (target_vcpu && (target_vcpu != vcpu)) {
         ZF_LOGE("Failed to assign target cpu - A VCPU is already assigned to core %d", target_cpu);
         return -1;
     }
+
+#if CONFIG_MAX_NUM_NODES > 1
+    int err = seL4_TCB_SetAffinity(vcpu->tcb.tcb.cptr, target_cpu);
+    if (err) {
+        ZF_LOGE("[vCPU %u] Failed to set vCPU affinity to %d", vcpu->vcpu_id, target_cpu);
+        return -1;
+    }
+#endif /* CONFIG_MAX_NUM_NODES > 1 */
+
     vcpu->target_cpu = target_cpu;
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/libsel4vmmplatsupport/src/arch/arm/psci.c b/libsel4vmmplatsupport/src/arch/arm/psci.c
index fca47f874..e372a24cb 100644
--- a/libsel4vmmplatsupport/src/arch/arm/psci.c
+++ b/libsel4vmmplatsupport/src/arch/arm/psci.c
@@ -55,12 +55,19 @@ int handle_psci(vm_vcpu_t *vcpu, seL4_UserContext *regs, seL4_Word fn_number, bo
             } else {
                 smc_set_return_value(regs, PSCI_INTERNAL_FAILURE);
             }
-        } else {
+        } else if ((target_vcpu->target_cpu >= 0) && (target_vcpu->target_cpu < CONFIG_MAX_NUM_NODES)) {
+            /* Assign vcpu to physical cpu specified in config */
             if (is_vcpu_online(target_vcpu)) {
                 smc_set_return_value(regs, PSCI_ALREADY_ON);
+            } else if (start_new_vcpu(target_vcpu, entry_point_address, context_id, target_vcpu->target_cpu) == 0) {
+                smc_set_return_value(regs, PSCI_SUCCESS);
             } else {
+                ZF_LOGE("[vCPU %u] could not start vCPU", vcpu->vcpu_id);
                 smc_set_return_value(regs, PSCI_INTERNAL_FAILURE);
             }
+        } else {
+            ZF_LOGE("[vCPU %u] invalid target CPU %d", vcpu->vcpu_id, target_vcpu->target_cpu);
+            smc_set_return_value(regs, PSCI_INTERNAL_FAILURE);
         }
 
         break;