diff --git a/init/README.md b/init/README.md
index d3dd73a56..99522b95e 100644
--- a/init/README.md
+++ b/init/README.md
@@ -203,7 +203,9 @@ runs the service.
 
 `writepid <file...>`
 > Write the child's pid to the given files when it forks. Meant for
-  cgroup/cpuset usage.
+  cgroup/cpuset usage. If no files under /dev/cpuset/ are specified, but the
+  system property 'ro.cpuset.default' is set to a non-empty cpuset name (e.g.
+  '/foreground'), then the pid is written to file /dev/cpuset/_cpuset\_name_/tasks.
 
 `priority <priority>`
 > Scheduling priority of the service process. This value has to be in range
diff --git a/init/service.cpp b/init/service.cpp
index ba901fdce..35aaa563a 100644
--- a/init/service.cpp
+++ b/init/service.cpp
@@ -630,6 +630,28 @@ bool Service::Start() {
         std::for_each(descriptors_.begin(), descriptors_.end(),
                       std::bind(&DescriptorInfo::CreateAndPublish, std::placeholders::_1, scon));
 
+        // See if there were "writepid" instructions to write to files under /dev/cpuset/.
+        auto cpuset_predicate = [](const std::string& path) {
+            return android::base::StartsWith(path, "/dev/cpuset/");
+        };
+        auto iter = std::find_if(writepid_files_.begin(), writepid_files_.end(), cpuset_predicate);
+        if (iter == writepid_files_.end()) {
+            // There were no "writepid" instructions for cpusets, check if the system default
+            // cpuset is specified to be used for the process.
+            std::string default_cpuset = property_get("ro.cpuset.default");
+            if (!default_cpuset.empty()) {
+                // Make sure the cpuset name starts and ends with '/'.
+                // A single '/' means the 'root' cpuset.
+                if (default_cpuset.front() != '/') {
+                    default_cpuset.insert(0, 1, '/');
+                }
+                if (default_cpuset.back() != '/') {
+                    default_cpuset.push_back('/');
+                }
+                writepid_files_.push_back(
+                    StringPrintf("/dev/cpuset%stasks", default_cpuset.c_str()));
+            }
+        }
         std::string pid_str = StringPrintf("%d", getpid());
         for (const auto& file : writepid_files_) {
             if (!WriteStringToFile(pid_str, file)) {