diff --git a/libusb/hid.c b/libusb/hid.c
index 981d5c2ff..3ccf40cf3 100644
--- a/libusb/hid.c
+++ b/libusb/hid.c
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@
 #include "../src/core/hidapi_input_ring.h"
 #include "hidapi_libusb_report_descriptor.h"
 
+/* A custom thread model (HIDAPI_THREAD_MODEL_INCLUDE) must provide the same
+   interface as hidapi_thread_pthread.h. In particular, hidapi_thread_create()
+   returns int: 0 on success, non-zero if the thread could not be started. */
 #ifndef HIDAPI_THREAD_MODEL_INCLUDE
 #define HIDAPI_THREAD_MODEL_INCLUDE "hidapi_thread_pthread.h"
 #endif
@@ -1465,7 +1468,12 @@ static int hidapi_initialize_device(hid_device *dev, const struct libusb_interfa
 			goto err_release_interface;
 	}
 
-	hidapi_thread_create(&dev->thread_state, read_thread, dev);
+	if (hidapi_thread_create(&dev->thread_state, read_thread, dev) != 0) {
+		/* Nothing would ever release the startup barrier below, and there is
+		   no thread to join: fail the open and undo what was set up above. */
+		LOG("hidapi_initialize_device: couldn't start the read thread\n");
+		goto err_release_interface;
+	}
 
 	/* Wait here for the read thread to be initialized. */
 	hidapi_thread_barrier_wait(&dev->thread_state);
diff --git a/libusb/hidapi_thread_pthread.h b/libusb/hidapi_thread_pthread.h
index 0abe733e5..950df0544 100644
--- a/libusb/hidapi_thread_pthread.h
+++ b/libusb/hidapi_thread_pthread.h
@@ -148,9 +148,12 @@ static void hidapi_thread_barrier_wait(hidapi_thread_state *state)
 	pthread_barrier_wait(&state->barrier);
 }
 
-static void hidapi_thread_create(hidapi_thread_state *state, void *(*func)(void*), void *func_arg)
+/* Starts `func` on a new thread. Returns 0 on success, or a non-zero value when
+   the thread could not be started (in which case no thread was started and
+   `state->thread` must not be joined). */
+static int hidapi_thread_create(hidapi_thread_state *state, void *(*func)(void*), void *func_arg)
 {
-	pthread_create(&state->thread, NULL, func, func_arg);
+	return pthread_create(&state->thread, NULL, func, func_arg);
 }
 
 static void hidapi_thread_join(hidapi_thread_state *state)