diff --git a/djvu.c b/djvu.c
index a09e036b7..4a2a082e3 100644
--- a/djvu.c
+++ b/djvu.c
@@ -531,7 +531,10 @@ static int reflowPage(lua_State *L) {
 	kctx->src = src;
 	if (kctx->precache) {
 		pthread_t rf_thread;
-		pthread_create(&rf_thread, NULL, k2pdfopt_reflow_bmp, (void*) kctx);
+		pthread_attr_t attr;
+		pthread_attr_init(&attr);
+		pthread_attr_setdetachstate(&attr, PTHREAD_CREATE_DETACHED);
+		pthread_create(&rf_thread, &attr, k2pdfopt_reflow_bmp, (void*) kctx);
 	} else {
 		k2pdfopt_reflow_bmp(kctx);
 	}
diff --git a/pdf.c b/pdf.c
index b8f35a68c..2673eb682 100644
--- a/pdf.c
+++ b/pdf.c
@@ -615,7 +615,10 @@ static int reflowPage(lua_State *L) {
 	kctx->src = src;
 	if (kctx->precache) {
 		pthread_t rf_thread;
-		pthread_create( &rf_thread, NULL, k2pdfopt_reflow_bmp, (void*) kctx);
+		pthread_attr_t attr;
+		pthread_attr_init(&attr);
+		pthread_attr_setdetachstate(&attr, PTHREAD_CREATE_DETACHED);
+		pthread_create( &rf_thread, &attr, k2pdfopt_reflow_bmp, (void*) kctx);
 	} else {
 		k2pdfopt_reflow_bmp(kctx);
 	}