diff --git a/Python/thread_pthread.h b/Python/thread_pthread.h
index c83cd2d..0e2ca11 100644
--- a/Python/thread_pthread.h
+++ b/Python/thread_pthread.h
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@
 		init_thread();
 	success = pthread_create(&th, pthread_attr_default,
 				 (void* (*) _P((void *)))func, arg);
+	if (success >= 0)
+		pthread_detach(th);
 	return success < 0 ? 0 : 1;
 }