diff --git a/Lib/test/test_capi.py b/Lib/test/test_capi.py
index 82bded41cfc..bda706a3950 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_capi.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_capi.py
@@ -43,3 +43,7 @@ def callback():
 
 if have_thread_state:
     TestThreadState()
+    import threading
+    t=threading.Thread(target=TestThreadState)
+    t.start()
+
diff --git a/Modules/threadmodule.c b/Modules/threadmodule.c
index b398a25d894..cba01faf06d 100644
--- a/Modules/threadmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/threadmodule.c
@@ -425,11 +425,10 @@ static void
 t_bootstrap(void *boot_raw)
 {
 	struct bootstate *boot = (struct bootstate *) boot_raw;
-	PyThreadState *tstate;
+	PyGILState_STATE gstate;
 	PyObject *res;
 
-	tstate = PyThreadState_New(boot->interp);
-	PyEval_AcquireThread(tstate);
+	gstate = PyGILState_Ensure();
 	res = PyEval_CallObjectWithKeywords(
 		boot->func, boot->args, boot->keyw);
 	if (res == NULL) {
@@ -454,8 +453,7 @@ t_bootstrap(void *boot_raw)
 	Py_DECREF(boot->args);
 	Py_XDECREF(boot->keyw);
 	PyMem_DEL(boot_raw);
-	PyThreadState_Clear(tstate);
-	PyThreadState_DeleteCurrent();
+	PyGILState_Release(gstate);
 	PyThread_exit_thread();
 }