diff --git a/libc/bionic/pthread.c b/libc/bionic/pthread.c
index 2e2c09d01..40a09ba6e 100644
--- a/libc/bionic/pthread.c
+++ b/libc/bionic/pthread.c
@@ -364,10 +364,10 @@ int pthread_create(pthread_t *thread_out, pthread_attr_t const * attr,
     _thread_created_hook(tid);
     pthread_mutex_unlock(&gDebuggerNotificationLock);
 
-    // Let the thread run.
+    // Publish the pthread_t and let the thread run.
+    *thread_out = (pthread_t) thread;
     pthread_mutex_unlock(start_mutex);
 
-    *thread_out = (pthread_t) thread;
     return 0;
 }