diff --git a/src/thread.cpp b/src/thread.cpp
index 2edd85bd..874190eb 100644
--- a/src/thread.cpp
+++ b/src/thread.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,16 @@
 
 #ifdef ZMQ_HAVE_WINDOWS
 
+extern "C"
+{
+    static unsigned int __stdcall thread_routine (void *arg_)
+    {
+        thread_t *self = (zmq::thread_t*) arg_;
+        self->tfn (self->arg);
+        return 0;
+    }
+}
+
 void zmq::thread_t::start (thread_fn *tfn_, void *arg_)
 {
     tfn = tfn_;
@@ -38,17 +48,30 @@ void zmq::thread_t::stop ()
     win_assert (rc != WAIT_FAILED);
 }
 
-unsigned int __stdcall zmq::thread_t::thread_routine (void *arg_)
-{
-    thread_t *self = (thread_t*) arg_;
-    self->tfn (self->arg);
-    return 0;
-}
-
 #else
 
 #include <signal.h>
 
+extern "C"
+{
+    static void *thread_routine (void *arg_)
+    {
+    #if !defined ZMQ_HAVE_OPENVMS
+        //  Following code will guarantee more predictable latecnies as it'll
+        //  disallow any signal handling in the I/O thread.
+        sigset_t signal_set;
+        int rc = sigfillset (&signal_set);
+        errno_assert (rc == 0);
+        rc = pthread_sigmask (SIG_BLOCK, &signal_set, NULL);
+        errno_assert (rc == 0);
+    #endif
+
+        zmq::thread_t *self = (zmq::thread_t*) arg_;   
+        self->tfn (self->arg);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+}
+
 void zmq::thread_t::start (thread_fn *tfn_, void *arg_)
 {
     tfn = tfn_;
@@ -63,23 +86,6 @@ void zmq::thread_t::stop ()
     errno_assert (rc == 0);
 }
 
-void *zmq::thread_t::thread_routine (void *arg_)
-{
-#if !defined ZMQ_HAVE_OPENVMS
-    //  Following code will guarantee more predictable latecnies as it'll
-    //  disallow any signal handling in the I/O thread.
-    sigset_t signal_set;
-    int rc = sigfillset (&signal_set);
-    errno_assert (rc == 0);
-    rc = pthread_sigmask (SIG_BLOCK, &signal_set, NULL);
-    errno_assert (rc == 0);
-#endif
-
-    thread_t *self = (thread_t*) arg_;   
-    self->tfn (self->arg);
-    return NULL;
-}
-
 #endif
 
 
diff --git a/src/thread.hpp b/src/thread.hpp
index 519a34a8..46745a56 100644
--- a/src/thread.hpp
+++ b/src/thread.hpp
@@ -54,20 +54,20 @@ namespace zmq
 
         //  Waits for thread termination.
         void stop ();
+
+        //  These are internal members. They should be private, however then
+        //  they would not be accessible from the main C routine of the thread.
+        thread_fn *tfn;
+        void *arg;
         
     private:
 
 #ifdef ZMQ_HAVE_WINDOWS
-        static unsigned int __stdcall thread_routine (void *arg_);
         HANDLE descriptor;
 #else
-        static void *thread_routine (void *arg_);
         pthread_t descriptor;
 #endif
 
-        thread_fn *tfn;
-        void *arg;
-
         thread_t (const thread_t&);
         void operator = (const thread_t&);
     };
diff --git a/tests/test_shutdown_stress.cpp b/tests/test_shutdown_stress.cpp
index a8079d48..fed67b7d 100644
--- a/tests/test_shutdown_stress.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_shutdown_stress.cpp
@@ -24,18 +24,21 @@
 
 #define THREAD_COUNT 100
 
-void *worker (void *s)
+extern "C"
 {
-    int rc;
+    static void *worker (void *s)
+    {
+        int rc;
 
-    rc = zmq_connect (s, "tcp://127.0.0.1:5555");
-    assert (rc == 0);
+        rc = zmq_connect (s, "tcp://127.0.0.1:5555");
+        assert (rc == 0);
 
-    //  Start closing the socket while the connecting process is underway.
-    rc = zmq_close (s);
-    assert (rc == 0);
+        //  Start closing the socket while the connecting process is underway.
+        rc = zmq_close (s);
+        assert (rc == 0);
 
-    return NULL;
+        return NULL;
+    }
 }
 
 int main (int argc, char *argv [])