diff --git a/mtapi_c/include/embb/mtapi/c/mtapi.h b/mtapi_c/include/embb/mtapi/c/mtapi.h
index 380c26f..1165f65 100644
--- a/mtapi_c/include/embb/mtapi/c/mtapi.h
+++ b/mtapi_c/include/embb/mtapi/c/mtapi.h
@@ -621,6 +621,27 @@ struct mtapi_worker_priority_entry_struct {
 */
 typedef struct mtapi_worker_priority_entry_struct mtapi_worker_priority_entry_t;
 
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+/**
+ * Describes the scheduling mode which is used for the tasks of a single node.
+ */
+enum embb_mtapi_scheduler_mode_enum {
+  // Victim Higher Priority First. Steal if at least one local queue is empty.
+  WORK_STEAL_VHPF = 0,
+  // Local First. Steal if all local queues are empty.
+  WORK_STEAL_LF   = 1,
+  // Global EDF. No work stealing
+  GLOBAL_EDF      = 2,
+
+  NUM_SCHEDULER_MODES
+};
+
+/**
+ * Describes the scheduling mode which is used for the tasks of a single node.
+ */
+typedef enum embb_mtapi_scheduler_mode_enum embb_mtapi_scheduler_mode_t;
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
+
 /**
  * Node attributes, to be extended for implementation specific attributes
  */
@@ -647,6 +668,9 @@ enum mtapi_node_attributes_enum {
                                             allowed by the node */
   MTAPI_NODE_REUSE_MAIN_THREAD,        /**< reuse main thread as worker */
   MTAPI_NODE_WORKER_PRIORITIES         /**< set worker priorites */
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+ ,MTAPI_NODE_SCHEDULER_MODE            /**< set mode of nodes scheduler */
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 };
 /** size of the \a MTAPI_NODE_CORE_AFFINITY attribute */
 #define MTAPI_NODE_CORE_AFFINITY_SIZE sizeof(embb_core_set_t)
@@ -674,6 +698,11 @@ enum mtapi_node_attributes_enum {
 #define MTAPI_NODE_REUSE_MAIN_THREAD_SIZE sizeof(mtapi_boolean_t)
 /** size of the \a MTAPI_NODE_WORKER_PRIORITIES attribute */
 #define MTAPI_NODE_WORKER_PRIORITIES_SIZE 0
+#ifdef EMBB_MTAPI_HARD_REALTIME
+/** size of the \a MTAPI_NODE_SCHEDULER_MODE attribute */
+#define MTAPI_NODE_SCHEDULER_MODE sizeof(embb_mtapi_scheduler_mode_t)
+#endif /*EMBB_MTAPI_HARD_REALTIME*/
+
 
 /* example attribute value */
 #define MTAPI_NODE_TYPE_SMP 1
@@ -797,6 +826,10 @@ struct mtapi_node_attributes_struct {
   mtapi_worker_priority_entry_t * worker_priorities;
                                        /**< stores
                                             MTAPI_NODE_WORKER_PRIORITIES */
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+  embb_mtapi_scheduler_mode_t scheduler_mode;
+                                       /**< stores MTAPI_NODE_SCHEDULER_MODE */
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 };
 
 /**
@@ -1049,6 +1082,9 @@ extern mtapi_group_hndl_t MTAPI_GROUP_NONE;
 #define MTAPI_NODE_MAX_JOBS_DEFAULT 256
 #define MTAPI_NODE_MAX_ACTIONS_PER_JOB_DEFAULT 4
 #define MTAPI_NODE_MAX_PRIORITIES_DEFAULT 4
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+#define MTAPI_NODE_SCHEDULER_MODE_DEFAULT WORK_STEAL_VHPF
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 
 #define MTAPI_JOB_ID_INVALID 0
 #define MTAPI_DOMAIN_ID_INVALID 0
diff --git a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_node_t.c b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_node_t.c
index b3b3c80..ac0b3d9 100644
--- a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_node_t.c
+++ b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_node_t.c
@@ -137,7 +137,12 @@ void mtapi_initialize(
 
         if (local_status == MTAPI_SUCCESS) {
           /* initialize scheduler for local node */
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+          node->scheduler = embb_mtapi_scheduler_new(
+            node->attributes.scheduler_mode);
+#else
           node->scheduler = embb_mtapi_scheduler_new();
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
           if (MTAPI_NULL != node->scheduler) {
             /* fill information structure */
             node->info.mtapi_version = 0x1000; // mtapi version 1.0
diff --git a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_scheduler_t.c b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_scheduler_t.c
index 4da7031..3127283 100644
--- a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_scheduler_t.c
+++ b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_scheduler_t.c
@@ -584,6 +584,23 @@ void embb_mtapi_scheduler_finalize(embb_mtapi_scheduler_t * that) {
   }
 }
 
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+embb_mtapi_scheduler_t * embb_mtapi_scheduler_new(
+  embb_mtapi_scheduler_mode_t mode) {
+  embb_mtapi_scheduler_t * that =
+    (embb_mtapi_scheduler_t*)embb_mtapi_alloc_allocate(
+      sizeof(embb_mtapi_scheduler_t));
+  if (MTAPI_NULL != that) {
+    if (MTAPI_FALSE == embb_mtapi_scheduler_initialize_with_mode (that, mode)) {
+      /* on error delete and return MTAPI_NULL */
+      embb_mtapi_scheduler_finalize(that);
+      embb_mtapi_scheduler_delete(that);
+      return MTAPI_NULL;
+    }
+  }
+  return that;
+}
+#else
 embb_mtapi_scheduler_t * embb_mtapi_scheduler_new() {
   embb_mtapi_scheduler_t * that =
     (embb_mtapi_scheduler_t*)embb_mtapi_alloc_allocate(
@@ -598,6 +615,7 @@ embb_mtapi_scheduler_t * embb_mtapi_scheduler_new() {
   }
   return that;
 }
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 
 void embb_mtapi_scheduler_delete(embb_mtapi_scheduler_t * that) {
   assert(MTAPI_NULL != that);
diff --git a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_scheduler_t.h b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_scheduler_t.h
index a4b7b8a..9d9dfed 100644
--- a/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_scheduler_t.h
+++ b/mtapi_c/src/embb_mtapi_scheduler_t.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ typedef int (embb_mtapi_scheduler_worker_func_t)(void * args);
 
 /* ---- CLASS DECLARATION -------------------------------------------------- */
 
+#ifndef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
 /**
  * \internal
  * Scheduler mode type
@@ -58,13 +59,9 @@ enum embb_mtapi_scheduler_mode_enum {
   WORK_STEAL_VHPF = 0,
   // Local First. Steal if all local queues are empty.
   WORK_STEAL_LF   = 1,
-#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
-  // Global EDF. No work stealing
-  GLOBAL_EDF      = 2,
-#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
-
   NUM_SCHEDULER_MODES
 };
+#endif /*EMBB_MTAPI_HARD_REALTIME*/
 
 /**
  * Scheduler mode type.
@@ -150,13 +147,23 @@ void embb_mtapi_scheduler_execute_task_or_yield(
   embb_mtapi_scheduler_t * that,
   embb_mtapi_node_t * node,
   embb_mtapi_thread_context_t * thread_context);
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
 
 /**
  * operator new.
  * \memberof embb_mtapi_scheduler_struct
  * \returns pointer to the scheduler oder MTAPI_NULL on error
  */
+embb_mtapi_scheduler_t * embb_mtapi_scheduler_new(
+  embb_mtapi_scheduler_mode_t mode);
+#else
+/**
+ * operator new.
+ * \memberof embb_mtapi_scheduler_struct
+ * \returns pointer to the scheduler oder MTAPI_NULL on error
+ */
 embb_mtapi_scheduler_t * embb_mtapi_scheduler_new();
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 
 /**
  * operator delete.
diff --git a/mtapi_c/src/mtapi_node_attributes_t.c b/mtapi_c/src/mtapi_node_attributes_t.c
index b7a99cb..33d253b 100644
--- a/mtapi_c/src/mtapi_node_attributes_t.c
+++ b/mtapi_c/src/mtapi_node_attributes_t.c
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ void mtapi_nodeattr_init(
     attributes->max_priorities = MTAPI_NODE_MAX_PRIORITIES_DEFAULT;
     attributes->reuse_main_thread = MTAPI_FALSE;
     attributes->worker_priorities = NULL;
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+    attributes->scheduler_mode = MTAPI_NODE_SCHEDULER_MODE_DEFAULT;
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 
     embb_core_set_init(&attributes->core_affinity, 1);
     attributes->num_cores = embb_core_set_count(&attributes->core_affinity);
@@ -155,6 +158,14 @@ void mtapi_nodeattr_set(
         attributes->worker_priorities =
           (mtapi_worker_priority_entry_t*)attribute;
         break;
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+
+      case MTAPI_NODE_SCHEDULER_MODE:
+        // TODO error checking missing
+        local_status = MTAPI_SUCCESS;
+        attributes->scheduler_mode = *(embb_mtapi_scheduler_mode_t*)attribute;
+        break;
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
 
       default:
         /* attribute unknown */
diff --git a/mtapi_cpp/include/embb/mtapi/node_attributes.h b/mtapi_cpp/include/embb/mtapi/node_attributes.h
index 9c6c0ab..7a1119a 100644
--- a/mtapi_cpp/include/embb/mtapi/node_attributes.h
+++ b/mtapi_cpp/include/embb/mtapi/node_attributes.h
@@ -232,6 +232,24 @@ class NodeAttributes {
     return *this;
   }
 
+#ifdef EMBB_HARD_REALTIME
+  /**
+   * Sets the scheduling mode which is applied to schedule tasks on this node.
+   *
+   * \returns Reference to this object.
+   * \notthreadsafe
+   */
+  NodeAttributes & SetSchedulerMode(
+    embb_mtapi_scheduler_mode_t value  /**< The value to set. */
+    ) {
+    mtapi_status_t status;
+    mtapi_nodeattr_set(&attributes_, MTAPI_NODE_SCHEDULER_MODE,
+      &value, sizeof(value), &status);
+    internal::CheckStatus(status);
+    return *this;
+  }
+
+#endif /*EMBB_HARD_REALTIME*/
   /**
    * Returns the internal representation of this object.
    * Allows for interoperability with the C interface.