diff --git a/engine/client/sys_linux.c b/engine/client/sys_linux.c
index 6e87b8eb2..5c2a54c8e 100644
--- a/engine/client/sys_linux.c
+++ b/engine/client/sys_linux.c
@@ -590,17 +590,34 @@ void Sys_SaveClipboard(char *text) {
 /* Thread creation calls */
 typedef void *(*pfunction_t)(void *);
 
-qboolean Sys_CreateThread(int (*func)(void *), void *args, int stacksize)
+void *Sys_CreateThread(int (*func)(void *), void *args, int stacksize)
 {
-	pthread_t thread;
+	pthread_t *thread;
 	pthread_attr_t attr;
-
+	
+	thread = (pthread_t *)malloc(sizeof(pthread_t));
+	if (!thread)
+		return NULL;
+	
 	pthread_attr_init(&attr);
+	pthread_attr_setdetachstate(&attr, PTHREAD_CREATE_JOINABLE);
 	if (stacksize < PTHREAD_STACK_MIN)
 		stacksize = PTHREAD_STACK_MIN;
 	pthread_attr_setstacksize(&attr, stacksize);
+	if (pthread_create(thread, &attr, (pfunction_t)func, args))
+	{
+		free(thread);
+		thread = NULL;
+	}
+	pthread_attr_destroy(&attr);
 
-	return !pthread_create(&thread, &attr, (pfunction_t)func, args);
+	return (void *)thread;
+}
+
+void Sys_WaitOnThread(void *thread)
+{
+	pthread_join((pthread_t *)thread, NULL); 
+	free(thread);
 }
 
 /* Mutex calls */
diff --git a/engine/client/sys_morphos.c b/engine/client/sys_morphos.c
index fb23b4637..879b4d1d7 100755
--- a/engine/client/sys_morphos.c
+++ b/engine/client/sys_morphos.c
@@ -437,7 +437,8 @@ void Sys_LowFPPrecision (void)
 #ifdef MULTITHREAD
 /* Everything here is stubbed because I don't know MorphOS */
 /* Thread creation calls */
-qboolean Sys_CreateThread(int (*func)(void *), void *args, int stacksize) { return FALSE; }
+void *Sys_CreateThread(int (*func)(void *), void *args, int stacksize) { return NULL; }
+void Sys_WaitOnThread(void *thread) {}
 /* Mutex calls */
 void *Sys_CreateMutex() { return NULL; }
 qboolean Sys_TryLockMutex(void *mutex) { return FALSE; }
diff --git a/engine/client/sys_sdl.c b/engine/client/sys_sdl.c
index 09cdba907..7fd9b0f44 100644
--- a/engine/client/sys_sdl.c
+++ b/engine/client/sys_sdl.c
@@ -352,12 +352,18 @@ void Sys_SaveClipboard(char *text)
 
 #ifdef MULTITHREAD
 /* Thread creation calls */
-qboolean Sys_CreateThread(int (*func)(void *), void *args, int stacksize)
+void *Sys_CreateThread(int (*func)(void *), void *args, int stacksize)
 {
 	// SDL threads do not support setting thread stack size
-	return SDL_CreateThread(func, args) != NULL;
+	return (void *)SDL_CreateThread(func, args);
 }
 
+void Sys_WaitOnThread(void *thread)
+{
+	SDL_WaitThread((SDL_Thread *)thread, NULL);
+}
+
+
 /* Mutex calls */
 // SDL mutexes don't have try-locks for mutexes in the spec so we stick with 1-value semaphores
 void *Sys_CreateMutex()
diff --git a/engine/client/sys_win.c b/engine/client/sys_win.c
index 9d89fbeb5..704e5d025 100644
--- a/engine/client/sys_win.c
+++ b/engine/client/sys_win.c
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 #define DDActive 0
 #endif
 
-
+#ifdef MULTITHREAD
+#include <process.h>
+#endif
 
 
 
@@ -1367,25 +1369,43 @@ DWORD WINAPI threadwrapper(void *args)
 	tw.args = ((threadwrap_t *)args)->args;
 
 	free(args);
-	tw.func(tw.args);
+	tw.func(tw.args);	
 
+#ifndef WIN32CRTDLL
+	_endthreadex(0);
+#endif
 	return 0;
 }
 
-qboolean Sys_CreateThread(int (*func)(void *), void *args, int stacksize)
+void *Sys_CreateThread(int (*func)(void *), void *args, int stacksize)
 {
 	threadwrap_t *tw = (threadwrap_t *)malloc(sizeof(threadwrap_t));
+	HANDLE handle;
+	
+	if (!tw)
+		return NULL;
 
 	stacksize += 128; // wrapper overhead, also prevent default stack size
 	tw->func = func;
 	tw->args = args;
-	if (!CreateThread(NULL, stacksize, &threadwrapper, (void *)tw, 0, NULL))
+#ifdef WIN32CRTDLL
+	handle = (HANDLE)CreateThread(NULL, stacksize, &threadwrapper, (void *)tw, 0, NULL);
+#else
+	handle = (HANDLE)_beginthreadex(NULL, stacksize, &threadwrapper, (void *)tw, 0, NULL);
+#endif
+	if (!handle)
 	{
 		free(tw);
-		return FALSE;
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	return TRUE;
+	return (void *)handle;
+}
+
+void Sys_WaitOnThread(void *thread)
+{	
+	WaitForSingleObject((HANDLE)thread, INFINITE);
+	CloseHandle((HANDLE)thread);
 }
 
 /* Mutex calls */
diff --git a/engine/server/sv_sys_unix.c b/engine/server/sv_sys_unix.c
index bd8f3dcf8..5e4ffac84 100644
--- a/engine/server/sv_sys_unix.c
+++ b/engine/server/sv_sys_unix.c
@@ -866,17 +866,34 @@ void Sys_ServerActivity(void)
 /* Thread creation calls */
 typedef void *(*pfunction_t)(void *);
 
-qboolean Sys_CreateThread(int (*func)(void *), void *args, int stacksize)
+void *Sys_CreateThread(int (*func)(void *), void *args, int stacksize)
 {
-	pthread_t thread;
+	pthread_t *thread;
 	pthread_attr_t attr;
-
+	
+	thread = (pthread_t *)malloc(sizeof(pthread_t));
+	if (!thread)
+		return NULL;
+	
 	pthread_attr_init(&attr);
+	pthread_attr_setdetachstate(&attr, PTHREAD_CREATE_JOINABLE);
 	if (stacksize < PTHREAD_STACK_MIN)
 		stacksize = PTHREAD_STACK_MIN;
 	pthread_attr_setstacksize(&attr, stacksize);
+	if (pthread_create(thread, &attr, (pfunction_t)func, args))
+	{
+		free(thread);
+		thread = NULL;
+	}
+	pthread_attr_destroy(&attr);
 
-	return !pthread_create(&thread, &attr, (pfunction_t)func, args);
+	return (void *)thread;
+}
+
+void Sys_WaitOnThread(void *thread)
+{
+	pthread_join((pthread_t *)thread, NULL); 
+	free(thread);
 }
 
 /* Mutex calls */
diff --git a/engine/server/sv_sys_win.c b/engine/server/sv_sys_win.c
index 1eb943bbd..cd2dc0e29 100644
--- a/engine/server/sv_sys_win.c
+++ b/engine/server/sv_sys_win.c
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 #include <winsock.h>
 #include <conio.h>
 
+#ifdef MULTITHREAD
+#include <process.h>
+#endif
+
 #ifndef MINIMAL
 //#define USESERVICE
 #endif
@@ -1230,25 +1234,43 @@ DWORD WINAPI threadwrapper(void *args)
 	tw.args = ((threadwrap_t *)args)->args;
 
 	free(args);
-	tw->func(tw->args);
+	tw.func(tw.args);	
 
+#ifndef WIN32CRTDLL
+	_endthreadex(0);
+#endif
 	return 0;
 }
 
-qboolean Sys_CreateThread(int (*func)(void *), void *args, int stacksize)
+void *Sys_CreateThread(int (*func)(void *), void *args, int stacksize)
 {
 	threadwrap_t *tw = (threadwrap_t *)malloc(sizeof(threadwrap_t));
+	HANDLE handle;
+	
+	if (!tw)
+		return NULL;
 
 	stacksize += 128; // wrapper overhead, also prevent default stack size
 	tw->func = func;
 	tw->args = args;
-	if (!CreateThread(NULL, stacksize, &threadwrapper, (void *)tw, 0, NULL))
+#ifdef WIN32CRTDLL
+	handle = (HANDLE)CreateThread(NULL, stacksize, &threadwrapper, (void *)tw, 0, NULL);
+#else
+	handle = (HANDLE)_beginthreadex(NULL, stacksize, &threadwrapper, (void *)tw, 0, NULL);
+#endif
+	if (!handle)
 	{
 		free(tw);
-		return FALSE;
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	return TRUE;
+	return (void *)handle;
+}
+
+void Sys_WaitOnThread(void *thread)
+{	
+	WaitForSingleObject((HANDLE)thread, INFINITE);
+	CloseHandle((HANDLE)thread);
 }
 
 /* Mutex calls */