diff --git a/src/timed_thread.c b/src/timed_thread.c
index ee223a65..c53a74f0 100644
--- a/src/timed_thread.c
+++ b/src/timed_thread.c
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ struct _timed_thread {
 	struct timespec interval_time;	/* interval_usecs as a struct timespec */
 	struct timespec wait_time;		/* absolute future time next timed_thread_test will wait until */
 	int pipefd[2];
+	int die;
 };
 
 /* linked list of created threads */
@@ -156,6 +157,7 @@ void timed_thread_destroy(timed_thread *p_timed_thread,
 	/* signal thread to stop */
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&p_timed_thread->runnable_mutex);
 	pthread_cond_signal(&p_timed_thread->runnable_cond);
+	p_timed_thread->die = 1;
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&p_timed_thread->runnable_mutex);
 	write(p_timed_thread->pipefd[1], "die", 3);
 
@@ -209,6 +211,11 @@ int timed_thread_test(timed_thread *p_timed_thread, int override_wait_time)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	if (p_timed_thread->die) {
+		/* if we were kindly asked to die, then die */
+		return 1;
+	}
+
 	if (override_wait_time && now(&p_timed_thread->wait_time)) {
 		return -1;
 	}
diff --git a/src/timed_thread.h b/src/timed_thread.h
index 8c0afe5c..38732c2e 100644
--- a/src/timed_thread.h
+++ b/src/timed_thread.h
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ int timed_thread_lock(timed_thread *p_timed_thread);
 int timed_thread_unlock(timed_thread *p_timed_thread);
 
 /* waits required interval (unless override_wait_time is non-zero) for
- * termination signal returns 1 if received, 0 otherwise. */
+ * termination signal returns 1 if received, 0 otherwise.  should also return 1
+ * if the thread has been asked kindly to die.  */
 int timed_thread_test(timed_thread *p_timed_thread, int override_wait_time);
 
 /* exit a timed thread */