diff --git a/tests/test_main.c b/tests/test_main.c
index 1ebb22299..732d25a9d 100644
--- a/tests/test_main.c
+++ b/tests/test_main.c
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ main(int GIT_UNUSED(argc), char *GIT_UNUSED(argv[]))
 	GIT_UNUSED_ARG(argc);
 	GIT_UNUSED_ARG(argv);
 
+	git_threads_init();
+
 	p_umask(0);
 
 	failures = 0;
@@ -84,6 +86,8 @@ main(int GIT_UNUSED(argc), char *GIT_UNUSED(argv[]))
 	for (i = 0; i < GIT_SUITE_COUNT; ++i)
 		failures += git_testsuite_run(suite_methods[i]());
 
+	git_threads_shutdown();
+
 	return failures ? -1 : 0;
 }