diff --git a/core/loop.c b/core/loop.c
index cd3cf6126..8c64279bc 100644
--- a/core/loop.c
+++ b/core/loop.c
@@ -81,9 +81,6 @@ void uwsgi_setup_thread_req(long core_id, struct wsgi_request *wsgi_req) {
 	int i;
 	sigset_t smask;
 
-
-	pthread_setcancelstate(PTHREAD_CANCEL_ENABLE, &i);
-	pthread_setcanceltype(PTHREAD_CANCEL_ASYNCHRONOUS, &i);
 	pthread_setspecific(uwsgi.tur_key, (void *) wsgi_req);
 
 	if (core_id > 0) {
diff --git a/core/utils.c b/core/utils.c
index e01aa2bc0..0e2c5a5f7 100644
--- a/core/utils.c
+++ b/core/utils.c
@@ -1036,12 +1036,6 @@ void uwsgi_destroy_request(struct wsgi_request *wsgi_req) {
 
 	close_and_free_request(wsgi_req);
 
-	int foo;
-        if (uwsgi.threads > 1) {
-                // now the thread can die...
-                pthread_setcancelstate(PTHREAD_CANCEL_ENABLE, &foo);
-        }
-
 	// reset for avoiding following requests to fail on non-uwsgi protocols
 	// thanks Marko Tiikkaja for catching it
 	wsgi_req->uh->pktsize = 0;
@@ -1122,11 +1116,6 @@ void uwsgi_close_request(struct wsgi_request *wsgi_req) {
 		func(wsgi_req);
 	}
 
-	if (uwsgi.threads > 1) {
-		// now the thread can die...
-		pthread_setcancelstate(PTHREAD_CANCEL_ENABLE, &tmp_id);
-	}
-
 	// leave harakiri mode
 	if (uwsgi.workers[uwsgi.mywid].harakiri > 0) {
 		set_harakiri(0);
@@ -1546,18 +1535,12 @@ int wsgi_req_accept(int queue, struct wsgi_request *wsgi_req) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// kill the thread after the request completion
-	if (uwsgi.threads > 1)
-		pthread_setcancelstate(PTHREAD_CANCEL_DISABLE, &ret);
-
 	if (uwsgi.signal_socket > -1 && (interesting_fd == uwsgi.signal_socket || interesting_fd == uwsgi.my_signal_socket)) {
 
 		thunder_unlock;
 
 		uwsgi_receive_signal(interesting_fd, "worker", uwsgi.mywid);
 
-		if (uwsgi.threads > 1)
-			pthread_setcancelstate(PTHREAD_CANCEL_ENABLE, &ret);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -1568,8 +1551,6 @@ int wsgi_req_accept(int queue, struct wsgi_request *wsgi_req) {
 			wsgi_req->fd = wsgi_req->socket->proto_accept(wsgi_req, interesting_fd);
 			thunder_unlock;
 			if (wsgi_req->fd < 0) {
-				if (uwsgi.threads > 1)
-					pthread_setcancelstate(PTHREAD_CANCEL_ENABLE, &ret);
 				return -1;
 			}
 
@@ -1584,8 +1565,6 @@ int wsgi_req_accept(int queue, struct wsgi_request *wsgi_req) {
 	}
 
 	thunder_unlock;
-	if (uwsgi.threads > 1)
-		pthread_setcancelstate(PTHREAD_CANCEL_ENABLE, &ret);
 	return -1;
 }
 
diff --git a/core/uwsgi.c b/core/uwsgi.c
index 91b436816..4ce77e657 100644
--- a/core/uwsgi.c
+++ b/core/uwsgi.c
@@ -1195,30 +1195,17 @@ void warn_pipe() {
 	}
 }
 
-// in threading mode we need to use the cancel pthread subsystem
-void wait_for_threads() {
+// This function is called from signal handler or main thread to wait worker threads.
+// `uwsgi.workers[uwsgi.mywid].manage_next_request` should be set to 0 to stop worker threads.
+static void wait_for_threads() {
 	int i, ret;
 
-	// on some platform thread cancellation is REALLY flaky
+	// This option was added because we used pthread_cancel().
+	// thread cancellation is REALLY flaky
 	if (uwsgi.no_threads_wait) return;
 
-	int sudden_death = 0;
-
-	pthread_mutex_lock(&uwsgi.six_feet_under_lock);
-	for (i = 1; i < uwsgi.threads; i++) {
-		if (!pthread_equal(uwsgi.workers[uwsgi.mywid].cores[i].thread_id, pthread_self())) {
-			if (pthread_cancel(uwsgi.workers[uwsgi.mywid].cores[i].thread_id)) {
-				uwsgi_error("pthread_cancel()\n");
-				sudden_death = 1;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	if (sudden_death)
-		goto end;
-
 	// wait for thread termination
-	for (i = 1; i < uwsgi.threads; i++) {
+	for (i = 0; i < uwsgi.threads; i++) {
 		if (!pthread_equal(uwsgi.workers[uwsgi.mywid].cores[i].thread_id, pthread_self())) {
 			ret = pthread_join(uwsgi.workers[uwsgi.mywid].cores[i].thread_id, NULL);
 			if (ret) {
@@ -1230,26 +1217,6 @@ void wait_for_threads() {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-
-	// cancel inital thread last since after pthread_cancel() and
-	// pthread_join() is called on it, the whole process will appear to be
-	// a zombie. although it won't eliminate process zombie time, but it
-	// should minimize it.
-	if (!pthread_equal(uwsgi.workers[uwsgi.mywid].cores[0].thread_id, pthread_self())) {
-		if (pthread_cancel(uwsgi.workers[uwsgi.mywid].cores[0].thread_id)) {
-			uwsgi_error("pthread_cancel() on initial thread\n");
-			goto end;
-		}
-
-		ret = pthread_join(uwsgi.workers[uwsgi.mywid].cores[0].thread_id, NULL);
-		if (ret) {
-			uwsgi_log("pthread_join() = %d on initial thread\n", ret);
-		}
-	}
-
-end:
-
-	pthread_mutex_unlock(&uwsgi.six_feet_under_lock);
 }
 
 
@@ -3539,7 +3506,6 @@ void uwsgi_worker_run() {
 
 	if (uwsgi.cores > 1) {
 		uwsgi.workers[uwsgi.mywid].cores[0].thread_id = pthread_self();
-		pthread_mutex_init(&uwsgi.six_feet_under_lock, NULL);
 	}
 
 	uwsgi_ignition();
diff --git a/uwsgi.h b/uwsgi.h
index c57b7d931..52553322b 100644
--- a/uwsgi.h
+++ b/uwsgi.h
@@ -2497,7 +2497,6 @@ struct uwsgi_server {
 
 	// avoid thundering herd in threaded modes
 	pthread_mutex_t thunder_mutex;
-	pthread_mutex_t six_feet_under_lock;
 	pthread_mutex_t lock_static;
 
 	int use_thunder_lock;