Embodiments relate to application-level initiation of processor parameter adjustment. An aspect includes receiving, by a hypervisor in a computer system from an application running on the computer system, a request to adjust an operating parameter of a processor of the computer system. Another aspect includes determining an adjusted value for the operating parameter during execution of the application by the hypervisor. Another aspect includes setting the operating parameter in a parameter register of the processor to the adjusted value by the hypervisor. Yet another aspect includes executing the application according to the parameter register of the processor.