diff --git a/libwvdrmengine/cdm/core/src/oemcrypto_adapter_dynamic.cpp b/libwvdrmengine/cdm/core/src/oemcrypto_adapter_dynamic.cpp
index be1b2042..35a1c85a 100644
--- a/libwvdrmengine/cdm/core/src/oemcrypto_adapter_dynamic.cpp
+++ b/libwvdrmengine/cdm/core/src/oemcrypto_adapter_dynamic.cpp
@@ -503,6 +503,10 @@ class WatchDog {
       status_ = OEMCrypto_ERROR_INIT_FAILED;
       LOGE("XXX WATCH DOG ERROR XXX");
       SaveFailureInformation();
+      // This tells the worker thread to clean up after itself. It is not
+      // really needed since we are going to abort.  However, if somebody
+      // removes the "abort()" below, then this is needed.
+      pthread_detach(thread_);
       // This is controversial.  The argument for an abort here is that if we
       // do not abort, we will suck all the life out of the user's battery.  By
       // saving information to the file system, above, we can still track
@@ -514,7 +518,10 @@ class WatchDog {
     bool should_delete = !gave_up_;
     OEMCryptoResult status = status_;
     pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex_);
-    if (should_delete) delete this;
+    if (should_delete) {
+      pthread_join(thread_, NULL);
+      delete this;
+    }
     return status;
   }