diff --git a/libs/ardour/rt_tasklist.cc b/libs/ardour/rt_tasklist.cc
index bce81f80fb..b01ccd53e6 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/rt_tasklist.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/rt_tasklist.cc
@@ -86,17 +86,14 @@ RTTaskList::reset_thread_list ()
 	g_atomic_int_set (&_threads_active, 1);
 	for (uint32_t i = 0; i < num_threads; ++i) {
 		pthread_t thread_id;
-		if (!AudioEngine::instance()->is_realtime ()
-		    ||
-		    pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, AudioEngine::instance()->client_real_time_priority(), PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP, &thread_id, _thread_run, this)) {
-			pthread_attr_t attr;
-			pthread_attr_init (&attr);
-			pthread_attr_setstacksize (&attr, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP);
-			if (pthread_create (&thread_id, &attr, _thread_run, this)) {
-				PBD::fatal << _("Cannot create thread for TaskList! (") << strerror(errno) << ')' << endmsg;
-				/* NOT REACHED */
-			}
-			pthread_attr_destroy (&attr);
+		int rv = AudioEngine::instance()->is_realtime () ?
+			pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, AudioEngine::instance()->client_real_time_priority(), PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP, &thread_id, _thread_run, this)
+			:
+			pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP, &thread_id, _thread_run, this);
+
+		if (rv) {
+			PBD::fatal << _("Cannot create thread for TaskList! (") << strerror(errno) << ')' << endmsg;
+			/* NOT REACHED */
 		}
 		pbd_mach_set_realtime_policy (thread_id, 5. * 1e-5);
 		_threads.push_back (thread_id);
diff --git a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.cc b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.cc
index a1e5c73255..907d015fac 100644
--- a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.cc
@@ -963,8 +963,7 @@ AlsaAudioBackend::_start (bool for_latency_measurement)
 	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
 				&_main_thread, pthread_process, this))
 	{
-		if (pthread_create (&_main_thread, NULL, pthread_process, this))
-		{
+		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &_main_thread, pthread_process, this)) {
 			PBD::error << _("AlsaAudioBackend: failed to create process thread.") << endmsg;
 			delete _pcmi; _pcmi = 0;
 			_device_reservation.release_device();
@@ -1145,21 +1144,14 @@ AlsaAudioBackend::alsa_process_thread (void *arg)
 int
 AlsaAudioBackend::create_process_thread (boost::function<void()> func)
 {
-	pthread_t thread_id;
-	pthread_attr_t attr;
-
+	pthread_t   thread_id;
 	ThreadData* td = new ThreadData (this, func, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
 
-	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
-				&thread_id, alsa_process_thread, td)) {
-		pthread_attr_init (&attr);
-		pthread_attr_setstacksize (&attr, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
-		if (pthread_create (&thread_id, &attr, alsa_process_thread, td)) {
+	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, alsa_process_thread, td)) {
+		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, alsa_process_thread, td)) {
 			PBD::error << _("AudioEngine: cannot create process thread.") << endmsg;
-			pthread_attr_destroy (&attr);
 			return -1;
 		}
-		pthread_attr_destroy (&attr);
 	}
 
 	_threads.push_back (thread_id);
diff --git a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_midi.cc b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_midi.cc
index ce3a23d1ad..272f391682 100644
--- a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_midi.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_midi.cc
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ AlsaMidiIO::start ()
 	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MIDI, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP,
 				&_main_thread, pthread_process, this))
 	{
-		if (pthread_create (&_main_thread, NULL, pthread_process, this)) {
+		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP, &_main_thread, pthread_process, this)) {
 			PBD::error << _("AlsaMidiIO: Failed to create process thread.") << endmsg;
 			return -1;
 		} else {
diff --git a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_slave.cc b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_slave.cc
index 107682fee8..526afc3abe 100644
--- a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_slave.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_slave.cc
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ AlsaAudioSlave::start ()
 	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP,
 				&_thread, _process_thread, this))
 	{
-		if (pthread_create (&_thread, NULL, _process_thread, this)) {
+		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP, &_thread, _process_thread, this)) {
 			_run = false;
 			PBD::error << _("AlsaAudioBackend: failed to create slave process thread.") << endmsg;
 			return false;
diff --git a/libs/backends/coreaudio/coreaudio_backend.cc b/libs/backends/coreaudio/coreaudio_backend.cc
index 33c4a32750..4d02151db9 100644
--- a/libs/backends/coreaudio/coreaudio_backend.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/coreaudio/coreaudio_backend.cc
@@ -845,22 +845,16 @@ CoreAudioBackend::coreaudio_process_thread (void *arg)
 int
 CoreAudioBackend::create_process_thread (boost::function<void()> func)
 {
-	pthread_t thread_id;
-	pthread_attr_t attr;
-
+	pthread_t   thread_id;
 	ThreadData* td = new ThreadData (this, func, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
 
 	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
 	                              &thread_id, coreaudio_process_thread, td)) {
-		pthread_attr_init (&attr);
-		pthread_attr_setstacksize (&attr, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
-		if (pthread_create (&thread_id, &attr, coreaudio_process_thread, td)) {
+		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, coreaudio_process_thread, td)) {
 			PBD::error << _("AudioEngine: cannot create process thread.") << endmsg;
-			pthread_attr_destroy (&attr);
 			return -1;
 		}
 		PBD::warning << _("AudioEngine: process thread failed to acquire realtime permissions.") << endmsg;
-		pthread_attr_destroy (&attr);
 	}
 
 	if (pbd_mach_set_realtime_policy (thread_id, 1e9 * _samples_per_period / _samplerate)) {
diff --git a/libs/backends/dummy/dummy_audiobackend.cc b/libs/backends/dummy/dummy_audiobackend.cc
index 147c2a3647..d4cf9c91a1 100644
--- a/libs/backends/dummy/dummy_audiobackend.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/dummy/dummy_audiobackend.cc
@@ -36,10 +36,12 @@
 
 #include "pbd/error.h"
 #include "pbd/compose.h"
-#include "pbd/i18n.h"
+#include "pbd/pthread_utils.h"
 
 #include "ardour/port_manager.h"
 
+#include "pbd/i18n.h"
+
 using namespace ARDOUR;
 
 static std::string s_instance_name;
@@ -463,7 +465,7 @@ DummyAudioBackend::_start (bool /*for_latency_measurement*/)
 	engine.reconnect_ports ();
 	_port_change_flag = false;
 
-	if (pthread_create (&_main_thread, NULL, pthread_process, this)) {
+	if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &_main_thread, pthread_process, this)) {
 		PBD::error << _("DummyAudioBackend: cannot start.") << endmsg;
 	}
 
@@ -553,19 +555,13 @@ DummyAudioBackend::dummy_process_thread (void *arg)
 int
 DummyAudioBackend::create_process_thread (boost::function<void()> func)
 {
-	pthread_t thread_id;
-	pthread_attr_t attr;
-
-	pthread_attr_init (&attr);
-	pthread_attr_setstacksize (&attr, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
+	pthread_t   thread_id;
 	ThreadData* td = new ThreadData (this, func, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
 
-	if (pthread_create (&thread_id, &attr, dummy_process_thread, td)) {
+	if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, dummy_process_thread, td)) {
 		PBD::error << _("AudioEngine: cannot create process thread.") << endmsg;
-		pthread_attr_destroy (&attr);
 		return -1;
 	}
-	pthread_attr_destroy (&attr);
 
 	_threads.push_back (thread_id);
 	return 0;
diff --git a/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_backend.cc b/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_backend.cc
index a7c74fab4e..01e0c3ecf1 100644
--- a/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_backend.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_backend.cc
@@ -788,7 +788,7 @@ PortAudioBackend::start_blocking_process_thread ()
 	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
 				&_main_blocking_thread, blocking_thread_func, this))
 	{
-		if (pthread_create (&_main_blocking_thread, NULL, blocking_thread_func, this))
+		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &_main_blocking_thread, blocking_thread_func, this))
 		{
 			DEBUG_AUDIO("Failed to create main audio thread\n");
 			_run = false;
@@ -1108,21 +1108,15 @@ PortAudioBackend::portaudio_process_thread (void *arg)
 int
 PortAudioBackend::create_process_thread (boost::function<void()> func)
 {
-	pthread_t thread_id;
-	pthread_attr_t attr;
-
+	pthread_t   thread_id;
 	ThreadData* td = new ThreadData (this, func, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
 
 	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
 				&thread_id, portaudio_process_thread, td)) {
-		pthread_attr_init (&attr);
-		pthread_attr_setstacksize (&attr, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
-		if (pthread_create (&thread_id, &attr, portaudio_process_thread, td)) {
+		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, portaudio_process_thread, td)) {
 			DEBUG_AUDIO("Cannot create process thread.");
-			pthread_attr_destroy (&attr);
 			return -1;
 		}
-		pthread_attr_destroy (&attr);
 	}
 
 	_threads.push_back (thread_id);
diff --git a/libs/backends/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_backend.cc b/libs/backends/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_backend.cc
index 3b280b8655..6b07c45f69 100644
--- a/libs/backends/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_backend.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_backend.cc
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ PulseAudioBackend::_start (bool /*for_latency_measurement*/)
 
 	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
 	                                 &_main_thread, pthread_process, this)) {
-		if (pthread_create (&_main_thread, NULL, pthread_process, this)) {
+		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &_main_thread, pthread_process, this)) {
 			PBD::error << _("PulseAudioBackend: failed to create process thread.") << endmsg;
 			stop ();
 			_run = false;
@@ -748,21 +748,15 @@ PulseAudioBackend::pulse_process_thread (void* arg)
 int
 PulseAudioBackend::create_process_thread (boost::function<void()> func)
 {
-	pthread_t      thread_id;
-	pthread_attr_t attr;
-
+	pthread_t   thread_id;
 	ThreadData* td = new ThreadData (this, func, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
 
 	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
 	                                 &thread_id, pulse_process_thread, td)) {
-		pthread_attr_init (&attr);
-		pthread_attr_setstacksize (&attr, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
-		if (pthread_create (&thread_id, &attr, pulse_process_thread, td)) {
+		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, pulse_process_thread, td)) {
 			PBD::error << _("AudioEngine: cannot create process thread.") << endmsg;
-			pthread_attr_destroy (&attr);
 			return -1;
 		}
-		pthread_attr_destroy (&attr);
 	}
 
 	_threads.push_back (thread_id);