diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6e5c27f0a..e7cf3fa6e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -235,6 +235,8 @@ AC_CHECK_FUNCS(\
     utime \
     utimes \
     sem_timedwait \
+    pthread_yield \
+    sched_yield \
 )
 
 AC_CHECK_LIB([pthread], [pthread_mutex_init], [LIBS="${LIBS} -lpthread"])
diff --git a/lib/core/include/core.h.in b/lib/core/include/core.h.in
index ec9a26e3c..a9345b5c1 100644
--- a/lib/core/include/core.h.in
+++ b/lib/core/include/core.h.in
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ typedef  c_int32_t             	c_intptr_t;
  * so that they follow the platform's calling convention.
  * <PRE>
  *
- * void* THREAD_FUNC my_thread_entry_fn(core_thread_t *thd, void *data);
+ * void* THREAD_FUNC my_thread_entry_fn(thread_id id, void *data);
  *
  * </PRE>
  */
diff --git a/lib/core/include/core_thread.h b/lib/core/include/core_thread.h
index c9df0afb3..f88cdc8ec 100644
--- a/lib/core/include/core_thread.h
+++ b/lib/core/include/core_thread.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ typedef c_uintptr_t thread_id;
 /** Opaque Thread attributes structure. */
 typedef struct threadattr_t       threadattr_t;
 
-typedef void *(THREAD_FUNC *thread_start_t)(void*);
+typedef void *(THREAD_FUNC *thread_start_t)(thread_id id, void*);
 
 /**
  * Check if Thread Should Stop
@@ -67,11 +67,32 @@ CORE_DECLARE(status_t) thread_create(thread_id *id,
  */
 CORE_DECLARE(status_t) thread_delete(thread_id id);
 
+/**
+ * detach a thread
+ * @param thd The thread to detach 
+ */
+CORE_DECLARE(status_t) thread_detach(thread_id id);
+
+/**
+ * stop the current thread
+ * @param thd The thread to stop
+ * @param retval The return value to pass back to any thread that cares
+ */
+CORE_DECLARE(status_t) thread_exit(thread_id id, status_t retval);
+
+/**
+ * block until the desired thread stops executing.
+ * @param retval The return value from the dead thread.
+ * @param thd The thread to join
+ */
+CORE_DECLARE(status_t) thread_join(status_t *retval, thread_id id);
+
 /**
  * force the current thread to yield the processor
  */
 CORE_DECLARE(void) thread_yield(void);
 
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif /* __cplusplus */
diff --git a/lib/core/src/unix/thread.c b/lib/core/src/unix/thread.c
index e0c1c043d..3df8eca99 100644
--- a/lib/core/src/unix/thread.c
+++ b/lib/core/src/unix/thread.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ typedef struct _thread_t {
     pthread_t thread;
     void *data;
     thread_start_t func;
+    status_t exitval;
 
     semaphore_id semaphore;
 } thread_t;
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ static void *dummy_worker(void *opaque)
     d_trace(3, "[%d] dummy_worker post semaphore\n", thread->thread);
 
     if (!thread_should_stop())
-        func = thread->func(thread->data);
+        func = thread->func((thread_id)thread, thread->data);
 
     d_trace(3, "[%d] thread stopped = %d\n",
             thread->thread, thread_should_stop());
@@ -176,3 +177,56 @@ status_t thread_delete(thread_id id)
 
     return CORE_OK;
 }
+
+status_t thread_join(status_t *retval, thread_id id)
+{
+    thread_t *thread = (thread_t *)id;
+
+    status_t stat;
+    status_t *thread_stat;
+
+    if ((stat = pthread_join(thread->thread, (void *)&thread_stat)) == 0) 
+    {
+        *retval = thread->exitval;
+        return CORE_OK;
+    }
+    else 
+    {
+        return stat;
+    }
+}
+
+status_t thread_exit(thread_id id, status_t retval)
+{
+    thread_t *thread = (thread_t *)id;
+
+    thread->exitval = retval;
+    pthread_exit(NULL);
+    return CORE_OK;
+}
+
+status_t thread_detach(thread_id id)
+{
+    thread_t *thread = (thread_t *)id;
+    status_t stat;
+
+    if ((stat = pthread_detach(thread->thread)) == 0) 
+    {
+        return CORE_OK;
+    }
+    else 
+    {
+        return stat;
+    }
+}
+
+void thread_yield(void)
+{
+#ifdef HAVE_PTHREAD_YIELD
+    pthread_yield(NULL);
+#else
+#ifdef HAVE_SCHED_YIELD
+    sched_yield();
+#endif
+#endif
+}
diff --git a/lib/core/test/testlock.c b/lib/core/test/testlock.c
index 5df5dd2c9..f93929294 100644
--- a/lib/core/test/testlock.c
+++ b/lib/core/test/testlock.c
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@
 #define MAX_COUNTER 10000
 #define MAX_RETRY 3
 
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_rwlock_func(void *data);
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_mutex_function(void *data);
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_cond_producer(void *data);
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_cond_consumer(void *data);
+static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_rwlock_func(thread_id id, void *data);
+static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_mutex_function(thread_id id, void *data);
+static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_cond_producer(thread_id id, void *data);
+static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_cond_consumer(thread_id id, void *data);
 
 static mutex_id mutex;
 static rwlock_id rwlock;
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ struct {
 static mutex_id timeout_mutex;
 static cond_id timeout_cond;
 
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_rwlock_func(void *data)
+static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_rwlock_func(thread_id id, void *data)
 {
     int exitLoop = 1;
 
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_rwlock_func(void *data)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_mutex_function(void *data)
+static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_mutex_function(thread_id id, void *data)
 {
     int exitLoop = 1;
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_mutex_function(void *data)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_cond_producer(void *data)
+static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_cond_producer(thread_id id, void *data)
 {
     for (;;)
     {
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_cond_producer(void *data)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_cond_consumer(void *data)
+static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_cond_consumer(thread_id id, void *data)
 {
     int i;
 
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_cond_consumer(void *data)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_semaphore_function(void *data)
+static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_semaphore_function(thread_id id, void *data)
 {
     int exitLoop = 1;
 
diff --git a/lib/core/test/testmsgq.c b/lib/core/test/testmsgq.c
index 474fead62..9552d292d 100644
--- a/lib/core/test/testmsgq.c
+++ b/lib/core/test/testmsgq.c
@@ -1,24 +1,6 @@
 #include "core_msgq.h"
 #include "testutil.h"
 
-#if 0
-static thread_id *s1;
-static thread_id *r1;
-
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_send(void *data);
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_recv(void *data);
-
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_send(void *data)
-{
-
-}
-
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_recv(void *data)
-{
-
-}
-#endif
-
 char msg[16][24] = {
     {0x11, 0x12, 0x13, 0x14, 0x15, 0x16, 0x17, 0x18},
     {0x21, 0x22, 0x23, 0x24, 0x25, 0x26, 0x27, 0x28},
diff --git a/lib/core/test/testthread.c b/lib/core/test/testthread.c
index 9a022a040..0cea893d1 100644
--- a/lib/core/test/testthread.c
+++ b/lib/core/test/testthread.c
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@
 static mutex_id lock;
 static int x = 0;
 
+static status_t exit_ret_val = 123;
+
 static thread_id t1;
 static thread_id t2;
 static thread_id t3;
 static thread_id t4;
 
-static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_func1(void *data)
+static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_func1(thread_id id, void *data)
 {
     int i;
 
@@ -20,6 +22,7 @@ static void *THREAD_FUNC thread_func1(void *data)
         x++;
         mutex_unlock(lock);
     }
+    thread_exit(id, exit_ret_val);
     return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -45,18 +48,18 @@ static void create_threads(abts_case *tc, void *data)
     ABTS_INT_EQUAL(tc, CORE_OK, rv);
 }
 
-static void delete_threads(abts_case *tc, void *data)
+static void join_threads(abts_case *tc, void *data)
 {
     status_t s;
 
-    s = thread_delete(t1);
-    ABTS_INT_EQUAL(tc, CORE_OK, s);
-    s = thread_delete(t2);
-    ABTS_INT_EQUAL(tc, CORE_OK, s);
-    s = thread_delete(t3);
-    ABTS_INT_EQUAL(tc, CORE_OK, s);
-    s = thread_delete(t4);
-    ABTS_INT_EQUAL(tc, CORE_OK, s);
+    thread_join(&s, t1);
+    ABTS_INT_EQUAL(tc, exit_ret_val, s);
+    thread_join(&s, t2);
+    ABTS_INT_EQUAL(tc, exit_ret_val, s);
+    thread_join(&s, t3);
+    ABTS_INT_EQUAL(tc, exit_ret_val, s);
+    thread_join(&s, t4);
+    ABTS_INT_EQUAL(tc, exit_ret_val, s);
 }
 
 static void check_locks(abts_case *tc, void *data)
@@ -70,7 +73,7 @@ abts_suite *testthread(abts_suite *suite)
 
     abts_run_test(suite, init_thread, NULL);
     abts_run_test(suite, create_threads, NULL);
-    abts_run_test(suite, delete_threads, NULL);
+    abts_run_test(suite, join_threads, NULL);
     abts_run_test(suite, check_locks, NULL);
 
     return suite;
diff --git a/src/init.c b/src/init.c
index fec87aa28..4b6b47147 100644
--- a/src/init.c
+++ b/src/init.c
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ static pid_t logger_pid;
 static thread_id net_thread;
 
 static int check_signal(int signum);
-void *THREAD_FUNC net_main(void *data);
+void *THREAD_FUNC net_main(thread_id id, void *data);
 
 status_t cellwire_initialize(char *config_path, char *log_path)
 {
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ static int check_signal(int signum)
     return 0;
 }
 
-void *THREAD_FUNC net_main(void *data)
+void *THREAD_FUNC net_main(thread_id id, void *data)
 {
     while (!thread_should_stop())
     {
diff --git a/src/mme/init.c b/src/mme/init.c
index 74757cb1d..5c154f437 100644
--- a/src/mme/init.c
+++ b/src/mme/init.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #define EVENT_WAIT_TIMEOUT 10000 /* 10 msec */
 
 static thread_id mme_sm_thread;
-void *THREAD_FUNC mme_sm_main(void *data);
+void *THREAD_FUNC mme_sm_main(thread_id id, void *data);
 
 status_t mme_initialize()
 {
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ void mme_terminate(void)
     mme_ctx_final();
 }
 
-void *THREAD_FUNC mme_sm_main(void *data)
+void *THREAD_FUNC mme_sm_main(thread_id id, void *data)
 {
     event_t event;
     mme_sm_t mme_sm;
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ void *THREAD_FUNC mme_sm_main(void *data)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-void *THREAD_FUNC mme_net_main(void *data)
+void *THREAD_FUNC mme_net_main(thread_id id, void *data)
 {
     while (!thread_should_stop())
     {