diff --git a/kickstart/files/kickstart.cfg b/kickstart/files/kickstart.cfg
index 6f19cb04..c1a045f6 100644
--- a/kickstart/files/kickstart.cfg
+++ b/kickstart/files/kickstart.cfg
@@ -651,6 +651,17 @@ for trait in ${traits//,/ }; do
    esac
 done
 
+ilog "Install traits: $traits"
+
+# Force enable 'lowlatency' trait if the realtime kernel is detected ; PREEMPT_RT
+uname=$(uname -a)
+if [[ "${uname}" == *"PREEMPT_RT"* ]] ; then
+    if [ "${lowlatency}" = false ] ; then
+        wlog "forcing lowlatency trait after discovering the RT kernel"
+        lowlatency=true
+    fi
+fi
+
 [ "${controller}" = true -a "${worker}" = true ] && aio=true
 
 grep -q 'debug_kickstart' /proc/cmdline
@@ -1378,8 +1389,6 @@ for e in $*; do
 done
 fi
 
-ilog "Install traits: $traits"
-
 # Set node traits' state
 [ "${controller}" = true ] && ilog "Controller Function"
 [ "${storage}" = true ] && ilog "Storage Function"