diff --git a/libs/utils/env.py b/libs/utils/env.py
index 2857f35a2c3d517315e18471641fb72930d28587..7891094cbaa6c54fe9f4ff96c77a80c84c35302c 100644
--- a/libs/utils/env.py
+++ b/libs/utils/env.py
@@ -151,6 +151,22 @@ class TestEnv(ShareState):
     :type force_new: bool
     """
 
+    critical_tasks = {
+        'linux': ['init', 'systemd', 'sh', 'ssh'],
+        'android': [
+            'sh', 'adbd',
+            'usb', 'transport',
+            # We don't actually need this task but on Google Pixel it apparently
+            # cannot be frozen, so the cgroup state gets stuck in FREEZING if we
+            # try to freeze it.
+            'thermal-engine'
+        ]
+    }
+    """
+    Dictionary mapping OS name to list of task names that we can't afford to
+    freeze when using freeeze_userspace.
+    """
+
     _initialized = False
 
     def __init__(self, target_conf=None, test_conf=None, wipe=True,
@@ -1008,6 +1024,32 @@ class TestEnv(ShareState):
     def _feature(self, feature):
         return feature in self.conf['__features__']
 
+    def freeze_userspace(self):
+        self.need_thaw = False
+        if 'cgroups' not in self.target.modules:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                'Failed to freeze userspace. Ensure "cgroups" module is listed '
+                'among modules in target/test configuration')
+        controllers = [s.name for s in self.target.cgroups.list_subsystems()]
+        if 'freezer' not in controllers:
+            self._log.warning('No freezer cgroup controller on target. '
+                              'Not freezing userspace')
+            return False
+
+        exclude = self.critical_tasks[self.target.os]
+        self._log.info('Freezing all tasks except: %s', ','.join(exclude))
+        self.target.cgroups.freeze(exclude)
+        self.need_thaw = True
+        return True
+
+    def thaw_userspace(self):
+        if self.need_thaw:
+            self._log.info('Un-freezing userspace tasks')
+            self.target.cgroups.freeze(thaw=True)
+        else:
+            self._log.error('Trying to un-freeze tasks without first freezing. '
+                            'Not unfreezing userspace')
+
 IFCFG_BCAST_RE = re.compile(
     r'Bcast:(.*) '
 )
diff --git a/libs/utils/executor.py b/libs/utils/executor.py
index 7c7060b22fed9703c23816b4fd1155d0055d7a78..dd67305cb25e99a6dd85db88d6540394a6774036 100644
--- a/libs/utils/executor.py
+++ b/libs/utils/executor.py
@@ -168,21 +168,6 @@ class Executor():
     :type experiments_conf: dict
     """
 
-    critical_tasks = {
-        'linux': ['init', 'systemd', 'sh', 'ssh'],
-        'android': [
-            'sh', 'adbd',
-            'usb', 'transport',
-            # We don't actually need this task but on Google Pixel it apparently
-            # cannot be frozen, so the cgroup state gets stuck in FREEZING if we
-            # try to freeze it.
-            'thermal-engine'
-        ]
-    }
-    """
-    Dictionary mapping OS name to list of task names that we can't afford to
-    freeze when using freeeze_userspace.
-    """
 
     def __init__(self, test_env, experiments_conf):
         # Initialize globals
@@ -672,7 +657,7 @@ class Executor():
         # Freeze all userspace tasks that we don't need for running tests
         need_thaw = False
         if self._target_conf_flag(tc, 'freeze_userspace'):
-            need_thaw = self._freeze_userspace()
+            need_thaw = self.te.freeze_userspace()
 
         # FTRACE: start (if a configuration has been provided)
         if self.te.ftrace and self._target_conf_flag(tc, 'ftrace'):
@@ -708,31 +693,10 @@ class Executor():
 
         # Unfreeze the tasks we froze
         if need_thaw:
-            self._thaw_userspace()
+            self.te.thaw_userspace()
 
         self._print_footer()
 
-    def _freeze_userspace(self):
-        if 'cgroups' not in self.target.modules:
-            raise RuntimeError(
-                'Failed to freeze userspace. Ensure "cgroups" module is listed '
-                'among modules in target/test configuration')
-        controllers = [s.name for s in self.target.cgroups.list_subsystems()]
-        if 'freezer' not in controllers:
-            self._log.warning('No freezer cgroup controller on target. '
-                              'Not freezing userspace')
-            return False
-
-        exclude = self.critical_tasks[self.te.target.os]
-        self._log.info('Freezing all tasks except: %s', ','.join(exclude))
-        self.te.target.cgroups.freeze(exclude)
-        return True
-
-
-    def _thaw_userspace(self):
-        self._log.info('Un-freezing userspace tasks')
-        self.te.target.cgroups.freeze(thaw=True)
-
 ################################################################################
 # Utility Functions
 ################################################################################
diff --git a/tests/eas/capacity_capping.config b/tests/eas/capacity_capping.config
index d2515deb6c796d7ed7b37be40afdca7431bb62a2..15bb4506acd8ac451402952de78fafeac778276c 100644
--- a/tests/eas/capacity_capping.config
+++ b/tests/eas/capacity_capping.config
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@
     "MIGRATION_WINDOW": 0.75,
     "EXPECTED_BUSY_TIME_PCT": 99,
     "TEST_CONF": {
-        "modules": ["bl", "cpufreq"],
+        "modules": ["bl", "cpufreq", "cgroups" ],
         "tools": ["rt-app"],
         "ftrace" : {
              "events" : ["sched_switch"],
              "buffsize" : 10240
-        }
+        },
+        "flags" : [ "ftrace" ]
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/eas/capacity_capping.py b/tests/eas/capacity_capping.py
index 3f828e3a5a5cd98dcc0d6a690f310f6cdd6b7505..fd6b60fd3abff716646c2e2b27107cfaea9e79c0 100644
--- a/tests/eas/capacity_capping.py
+++ b/tests/eas/capacity_capping.py
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ class CapacityCappingTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     """
 
+
     @classmethod
     def setUpClass(cls):
         cls.params = {}
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@ class CapacityCappingTest(unittest.TestCase):
         wload.conf(kind="profile", params=cls.params)
         phase_duration = WORKLOAD_DURATION_S / 3.
 
+        cls.env.freeze_userspace()
         cls.env.ftrace.start()
 
         wload.run(out_dir=cls.env.res_dir, background=True)
@@ -150,6 +152,7 @@ class CapacityCappingTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
         cls.env.ftrace.stop()
         cls.env.ftrace.get_trace(cls.trace_file)
+        cls.env.thaw_userspace()
 
     def check_residencies(self, cpus, cpus_name, window, phase_description):
         """Helper function to check the residencies of all busy threads on a