diff --git a/src/common/utils.hpp b/src/common/utils.hpp
index be34002d19..ead90efa67 100644
--- a/src/common/utils.hpp
+++ b/src/common/utils.hpp
@@ -713,17 +713,41 @@ static constexpr bool is_dev_mode() {
 template <typename T>
 struct setting_t {
 private:
-    T value_;
-    bool initialized_;
+    std::atomic<T> value_;
+    std::atomic<bool> initialized_ {false};
 
 public:
     constexpr setting_t() : value_ {}, initialized_ {false} {}
-    constexpr setting_t(const T init) : value_ {init}, initialized_ {false} {}
-    bool initialized() { return initialized_; }
-    T get() { return value_; }
+    constexpr setting_t(const T init) : value_ {init}, initialized_ {true} {}
+    bool initialized() const { return initialized_.load(std::memory_order_acquire); }
+    T get() const {
+        return value_.load(std::memory_order_relaxed);
+    }
     void set(T new_value) {
+        value_.store(new_value, std::memory_order_relaxed);
+        initialized_.store(true, std::memory_order_release);
+    }
+    DNNL_DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(setting_t);
+};
+
+// To avoid atomic<std::string>, because setting_t<std::string> usage is already
+// guarded by a mutex.
+template <>
+struct setting_t<std::string> {
+private:
+    std::string value_;
+    std::atomic<bool> initialized_ {false};
+
+public:
+    setting_t() : value_ {}, initialized_ {false} {}
+    setting_t(const std::string &init) : value_ {init}, initialized_ {true} {}
+    bool initialized() const { return initialized_.load(std::memory_order_acquire); }
+    std::string get() const {
+        return value_;
+    }
+    void set(const std::string &new_value) {
         value_ = new_value;
-        initialized_ = true;
+        initialized_.store(true, std::memory_order_release);
     }
     DNNL_DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(setting_t);
 };