A data processing system is provided which comprises at least two processing units (100, 101, 102) each for executing a plurality of tasks and an interrupt handling unit (200) for receiving an interrupt to be processed by the data processing system and for distributing the interrupt to one of the at least two processing units (100, 101, 102). The processing unit (100, 101, 102) to which the interrupt is distributed stops its current execution of the task and processes the interrupt. The interrupt handling unit (200) is adapted to determine whether the processing units (100, 101, 102) are executing a critical section (CS) of the task. The interrupt handling unit (200) distributes the interrupt to one of the processing units (100, 101, 102), which is not executing a critical section (CS) of a task.