diff --git a/evthread_pthread.c b/evthread_pthread.c
index ff8ffe65..0263c747 100644
--- a/evthread_pthread.c
+++ b/evthread_pthread.c
@@ -84,13 +84,15 @@ int
 evthread_use_pthreads(void)
 {
 	/* Set ourselves up to get recursive locks. */
-	pthread_mutexattr_init(&attr_recursive);
-	pthread_mutexattr_settype(&attr_recursive, PTHREAD_MUTEX_RECURSIVE);
+	if (pthread_mutexattr_init(&attr_recursive))
+		return -1;
+	if (pthread_mutexattr_settype(&attr_recursive, PTHREAD_MUTEX_RECURSIVE))
+		return -1;
 
 	evthread_set_lock_create_callbacks(
 	    evthread_posix_lock_create,
 	    evthread_posix_lock_free);
 	evthread_set_locking_callback(evthread_posix_lock);
 	evthread_set_id_callback(evthread_posix_get_id);
-	return -1;
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/test/regress_pthread.c b/test/regress_pthread.c
index 84e7c771..3010e4e7 100644
--- a/test/regress_pthread.c
+++ b/test/regress_pthread.c
@@ -130,7 +130,8 @@ regress_threads(void *arg)
 
 	pthread_mutex_init(&count_lock, NULL);
 
-        evthread_use_pthreads();
+        if (evthread_use_pthreads()<0)
+		tt_abort_msg("Couldn't initialize pthreads!");
 
         base = event_base_new();
         if (evthread_make_base_notifiable(base)<0) {