diff --git a/lib/mt/CThreadRep.cpp b/lib/mt/CThreadRep.cpp
index 56ec0c41..1e487cf2 100644
--- a/lib/mt/CThreadRep.cpp
+++ b/lib/mt/CThreadRep.cpp
@@ -110,8 +110,10 @@ CThreadRep::CThreadRep(IJob* job, void* userData) :
 	// pthread_create() RedHat 7.2 smp fails with a NULL attr.
 	pthread_attr_t attr;
 	int status = pthread_attr_init(&attr);
-	if (status == 0)
+	if (status == 0) {
 		status = pthread_create(&m_thread, &attr, threadFunc, (void*)this);
+		pthread_attr_destroy(&attr);
+	}
 	pthread_sigmask(SIG_SETMASK, &oldsigset, NULL);
 	if (status != 0) {
 		throw XMTThreadUnavailable();
@@ -189,10 +191,13 @@ CThreadRep::initThreads()
 		// we'd be unable to cancel the main thread since no pthread
 		// calls are allowed in a signal handler.
 		pthread_attr_t attr;
-		pthread_attr_init(&attr);
-		int status = pthread_create(&s_signalThread, &attr,
+		int status = pthread_attr_init(&attr);
+		if (status == 0) {
+			status = pthread_create(&s_signalThread, &attr,
 								&CThreadRep::threadSignalHandler,
 								getCurrentThreadRep());
+			pthread_attr_destroy(&attr);
+		}
 		if (status != 0) {
 			// can't create thread to wait for signal so don't block
 			// the signals.