diff --git a/daemon/libvirtd.c b/daemon/libvirtd.c
index 2914f2fa8a..14777dd94a 100644
--- a/daemon/libvirtd.c
+++ b/daemon/libvirtd.c
@@ -1600,15 +1600,20 @@ static void *qemudWorker(void *data)
     }
 }
 
-static int qemudStartWorker(struct qemud_server *server,
-                            struct qemud_worker *worker) {
+static int
+qemudStartWorker(struct qemud_server *server,
+                 struct qemud_worker *worker)
+{
     pthread_attr_t attr;
-    pthread_attr_init(&attr);
+    int ret = -1;
+
+    if (pthread_attr_init(&attr) != 0)
+        return -1;
     /* We want to join workers, so don't detach them */
     /*pthread_attr_setdetachstate(&attr, 1);*/
 
     if (worker->hasThread)
-        return -1;
+        goto cleanup;
 
     worker->server = server;
     worker->hasThread = 1;
@@ -1621,10 +1626,13 @@ static int qemudStartWorker(struct qemud_server *server,
                        worker) != 0) {
         worker->hasThread = 0;
         worker->server = NULL;
-        return -1;
+        goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    return 0;
+    ret = 0;
+cleanup:
+    pthread_attr_destroy(&attr);
+    return ret;
 }
 
 
@@ -2414,9 +2422,14 @@ cleanup:
 }
 
 
-static int qemudStartEventLoop(struct qemud_server *server) {
+static int
+qemudStartEventLoop(struct qemud_server *server)
+{
     pthread_attr_t attr;
-    pthread_attr_init(&attr);
+    int ret = -1;
+
+    if (pthread_attr_init(&attr) != 0)
+        return -1;
     /* We want to join the eventloop, so don't detach it */
     /*pthread_attr_setdetachstate(&attr, 1);*/
 
@@ -2424,11 +2437,14 @@ static int qemudStartEventLoop(struct qemud_server *server) {
                        &attr,
                        qemudRunLoop,
                        server) != 0)
-        return -1;
+        goto cleanup;
 
     server->hasEventThread = 1;
 
-    return 0;
+    ret = 0;
+cleanup:
+    pthread_attr_destroy(&attr);
+    return ret;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/util/threads-pthread.c b/src/util/threads-pthread.c
index c406f27de0..ea71589bc4 100644
--- a/src/util/threads-pthread.c
+++ b/src/util/threads-pthread.c
@@ -157,9 +157,15 @@ int virThreadCreate(virThreadPtr thread,
 {
     struct virThreadArgs *args;
     pthread_attr_t attr;
-    pthread_attr_init(&attr);
-    if (VIR_ALLOC(args) < 0)
-        return -1;
+    int ret = -1;
+    int err;
+
+    if ((err = pthread_attr_init(&attr)) != 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+    if (VIR_ALLOC(args) < 0) {
+        err = ENOMEM;
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
 
     args->func = func;
     args->opaque = opaque;
@@ -167,14 +173,19 @@ int virThreadCreate(virThreadPtr thread,
     if (!joinable)
         pthread_attr_setdetachstate(&attr, 1);
 
-    int ret = pthread_create(&thread->thread, &attr, virThreadHelper, args);
-    if (ret != 0) {
+    err = pthread_create(&thread->thread, &attr, virThreadHelper, args);
+    if (err != 0) {
         VIR_FREE(args);
-        errno = ret;
-        return -1;
+        goto cleanup;
     }
     /* New thread owns 'args' in success case, so don't free */
-    return 0;
+
+    ret = 0;
+cleanup:
+    pthread_attr_destroy(&attr);
+    if (ret < 0)
+        errno = err;
+    return ret;
 }
 
 void virThreadSelf(virThreadPtr thread)