diff --git a/platypush/__init__.py b/platypush/__init__.py
index 735cf079..6069be1e 100644
--- a/platypush/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/__init__.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from .message.event import Event, StopEvent
 from .message.event.application import ApplicationStartedEvent, ApplicationStoppedEvent
 from .message.request import Request
 from .message.response import Response
+from .utils import set_thread_name
 
 
 __author__ = 'Fabio Manganiello <blacklight86@gmail.com>'
@@ -138,6 +139,7 @@ class Daemon:
 
     def start(self):
         """ Start the daemon """
+        set_thread_name('platypush')
         print('---- Starting platypush v.{}'.format(__version__))
 
         redis_conf = Config.get('backend.redis')
diff --git a/platypush/backend/__init__.py b/platypush/backend/__init__.py
index 34da8919..01115061 100644
--- a/platypush/backend/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/backend/__init__.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from platypush.message import Message
 from platypush.message.event import Event, StopEvent
 from platypush.message.request import Request
 from platypush.message.response import Response
-from platypush.utils import get_redis_queue_name_by_message
+from platypush.utils import get_redis_queue_name_by_message, set_thread_name
 
 
 class Backend(Thread):
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ class Backend(Thread):
         :type kwargs: dict
         """
 
-        super().__init__(name='PlatypushBackend_' + self.__class__.__name__)
+        self._thread_name = 'pp-' + self.__class__.__name__
+        super().__init__(name=self._thread_name)
 
         # If no bus is specified, create an internal queue where
         # the received messages will be pushed
@@ -216,6 +217,7 @@ class Backend(Thread):
     def run(self):
         """ Starts the backend thread. To be implemented in the derived classes """
         self.thread_id = threading.get_ident()
+        set_thread_name(self._thread_name)
 
     def on_stop(self):
         """ Callback invoked when the process stops """
diff --git a/platypush/backend/http/__init__.py b/platypush/backend/http/__init__.py
index b9a9df7b..caef4f00 100644
--- a/platypush/backend/http/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/backend/http/__init__.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from platypush.message import Message
 from platypush.message.event import Event, StopEvent
 from platypush.message.event.web.widget import WidgetUpdateEvent
 from platypush.message.request import Request
-from platypush.utils import get_ssl_server_context
+from platypush.utils import get_ssl_server_context, set_thread_name
 
 from .. import Backend
 
@@ -232,6 +232,8 @@ class HttpBackend(Backend):
 
     def webserver(self):
         """ Web server main process """
+        set_thread_name('pp-web-server')
+
         basedir = os.path.dirname(inspect.getfile(self.__class__))
         template_dir = os.path.join(basedir, 'templates')
         app = Flask(__name__, template_folder=template_dir)
@@ -416,6 +418,7 @@ class HttpBackend(Backend):
     def websocket(self):
         """ Websocket main server """
         import websockets
+        set_thread_name('pp-websocket-server')
 
         async def register_websocket(websocket, path):
             address = websocket.remote_address[0] if websocket.remote_address \
@@ -456,7 +459,7 @@ class HttpBackend(Backend):
 
         webserver = self.webserver()
         self.server_proc = Process(target=webserver.run,
-                                   name='PlatypushWebServer',
+                                   name='pp-web-server',
                                    kwargs=kwargs)
         self.server_proc.start()
 
diff --git a/platypush/backend/http/request/__init__.py b/platypush/backend/http/request/__init__.py
index 968c94ec..2872e8b9 100644
--- a/platypush/backend/http/request/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/backend/http/request/__init__.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from frozendict import frozendict
 from threading import Thread
 
 from platypush.message.event.http import HttpEvent
+from platypush.utils import set_thread_name
 
 class HttpRequest(object):
     poll_seconds = 60
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ class HttpRequest(object):
 
     def execute(self):
         def _thread_func():
+            set_thread_name('pp-http-poll')
             is_first_call = self.last_request_timestamp == 0
             self.last_request_timestamp = time.time()
 
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ class HttpRequest(object):
                 self.logger.warning('Encountered an error while retrieving {}: {}'.
                                     format(self.args.url, str(e)))
 
-        Thread(target=_thread_func, name='PlatypushHttpPoll').start()
+        Thread(target=_thread_func, name='pp-http-poll').start()
 
 
     def get_new_items(self, response):
diff --git a/platypush/backend/mqtt.py b/platypush/backend/mqtt.py
index fc024653..f6bb5666 100644
--- a/platypush/backend/mqtt.py
+++ b/platypush/backend/mqtt.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from platypush.backend import Backend
 from platypush.context import get_plugin
 from platypush.message import Message
 from platypush.message.request import Request
+from platypush.utils import set_thread_name
 
 
 class MqttBackend(Backend):
@@ -97,6 +98,7 @@ class MqttBackend(Backend):
 
         def on_message(client, userdata, msg):
             def response_thread(msg):
+                set_thread_name('pp-mqtt-processor')
                 response = self.get_message_response(msg)
                 if not response:
                     return
@@ -122,7 +124,7 @@ class MqttBackend(Backend):
 
             if isinstance(msg, Request):
                 threading.Thread(target=response_thread,
-                                 name='PlatypushMQTTResponseProcessor',
+                                 name='pp-mqtt-processor',
                                  args=(msg,)).start()
 
         super().run()
diff --git a/platypush/backend/music/snapcast.py b/platypush/backend/music/snapcast.py
index 772fa790..8c8873a4 100644
--- a/platypush/backend/music/snapcast.py
+++ b/platypush/backend/music/snapcast.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import time
 
 from platypush.backend import Backend
 from platypush.context import get_plugin
+from platypush.utils import set_thread_name
 from platypush.message.event.music.snapcast import ClientVolumeChangeEvent, \
     GroupMuteChangeEvent, ClientConnectedEvent, ClientDisconnectedEvent, \
     ClientLatencyChangeEvent, ClientNameChangeEvent, GroupStreamChangeEvent, \
@@ -129,6 +130,7 @@ class MusicSnapcastBackend(Backend):
 
     def _client(self, host, port):
         def _thread():
+            set_thread_name('pp-snapcast-' + host)
             status = None
 
             try:
@@ -199,7 +201,7 @@ class MusicSnapcastBackend(Backend):
                 port = self.ports[i]
                 self._threads[host] = threading.Thread(
                     target=self._client(host, port),
-                    name='PlatypushSnapcastWorker'
+                    name='pp-snapcast'
                 )
 
                 self._threads[host].start()
diff --git a/platypush/backend/tcp.py b/platypush/backend/tcp.py
index 23c48d9c..c62c6a59 100644
--- a/platypush/backend/tcp.py
+++ b/platypush/backend/tcp.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import threading
 from platypush.backend import Backend
 from platypush.message import Message
 from platypush.message.request import Request
+from platypush.utils import set_thread_name
 
 
 class TcpBackend(Backend):
@@ -83,12 +84,13 @@ class TcpBackend(Backend):
                 sock.send(str(response).encode())
 
         def _f_wrapper():
+            set_thread_name('pp-tcp-listen')
             try:
                 _f()
             finally:
                 sock.close()
 
-        threading.Thread(target=_f_wrapper, name='PlatypushTCPListener').start()
+        threading.Thread(target=_f_wrapper, name='pp-tcp-listen').start()
 
     def run(self):
         super().run()
diff --git a/platypush/event/hook.py b/platypush/event/hook.py
index 467927ed..a05cad08 100644
--- a/platypush/event/hook.py
+++ b/platypush/event/hook.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from platypush.config import Config
 from platypush.message.event import Event, EventMatchResult
 from platypush.message.request import Request
 from platypush.procedure import Procedure
-from platypush.utils import get_event_class_by_type
+from platypush.utils import get_event_class_by_type, set_thread_name
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ class EventHook(object):
             runs the hook actions if the condition is met """
 
         def _thread_func(result):
+            set_thread_name('pp-event-' + self.name)
             self.actions.execute(event=event, **result.parsed_args)
 
         result = self.matches_event(event)
@@ -158,7 +159,7 @@ class EventHook(object):
         if result.is_match:
             logger.info('Running hook {} triggered by an event'.format(self.name))
             threading.Thread(target=_thread_func,
-                             name='PlatypushEventHook_' + self.name,
+                             name='pp-event-' + self.name,
                              args=(result,)).start()
 
 
diff --git a/platypush/plugins/light/hue/__init__.py b/platypush/plugins/light/hue/__init__.py
index 9d8be2d3..35eade16 100644
--- a/platypush/plugins/light/hue/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/plugins/light/hue/__init__.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from phue import Bridge
 from platypush.context import get_backend
 from platypush.plugins import action
 from platypush.plugins.light import LightPlugin
+from platypush.utils import set_thread_name
 
 
 class LightHuePlugin(LightPlugin):
@@ -666,6 +667,7 @@ class LightHuePlugin(LightPlugin):
 
 
         def _animate_thread(lights):
+            set_thread_name('pp-hue-animate')
             self.logger.info('Starting {} animation'.format(
                 animation, (lights or groups)))
 
@@ -720,7 +722,7 @@ class LightHuePlugin(LightPlugin):
 
         self.stop_animation()
         self.animation_thread = Thread(target=_animate_thread,
-                                       name='PlatypushLightHueAnimate',
+                                       name='pp-hue-animate',
                                        args=(lights,))
         self.animation_thread.start()
 
diff --git a/platypush/utils/__init__.py b/platypush/utils/__init__.py
index 989f0bd0..8b29533d 100644
--- a/platypush/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/platypush/utils/__init__.py
@@ -163,6 +163,15 @@ def get_ssl_client_context(ssl_cert=None, ssl_key=None, ssl_cafile=None,
                             ssl_cert=ssl_cert, ssl_key=ssl_key,
                             ssl_cafile=ssl_cafile, ssl_capath=ssl_capath)
 
+def set_thread_name(name):
+    global logger
+
+    try:
+        import prctl
+        prctl.set_name(name)
+    except ImportError:
+        logger.debug('Unable to set thread name: prctl module is missing')
+
 
 # vim:sw=4:ts=4:et:
 
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 2c72bcc6..f5e106bb 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
 # YAML configuration support
 pyyaml
 
+# Support for setting thread/process name
+prctl
+
 # Apache Kafka backend support
 kafka-python
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 7b529c64..76ea0323 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ setup(
         'pyyaml',
         'redis',
         'requests',
+        'prctl',
     ],
     extras_require = {
         'Support for Apache Kafka backend': ['kafka-python'],