diff --git a/src/common/camera_control.c b/src/common/camera_control.c
index 13ad7c5587a1..3d2efed9fb4a 100644
--- a/src/common/camera_control.c
+++ b/src/common/camera_control.c
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ void dt_camctl_camera_stop_live_view(const dt_camctl_t *c)
   }
   dt_print(DT_DEBUG_CAMCTL, "[camera_control] Stopping live view");
   cam->is_live_viewing = FALSE;
-  pthread_join(cam->live_view_thread, NULL);
+  dt_pthread_join(cam->live_view_thread);
   // tell camera to get back to normal state (close mirror)
   dt_camctl_camera_set_property_int(camctl, NULL, "eosviewfinder", 0);
   dt_camctl_camera_set_property_int(camctl, NULL, "viewfinder", 0);
diff --git a/src/common/dtpthread.c b/src/common/dtpthread.c
index 2420b97fa312..718c76f4455e 100644
--- a/src/common/dtpthread.c
+++ b/src/common/dtpthread.c
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
     This file is part of darktable,
-    Copyright (C) 2016-2023 darktable developers.
+    Copyright (C) 2016-2024 darktable developers.
 
     darktable is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
     it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 #include "win/dtwin.h"
 #endif // _WIN32
 
+#include "common/dtpthread.h"
+
 int dt_pthread_create(pthread_t *thread, void *(*start_routine)(void *), void *arg)
 {
   int ret = 0;
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ int dt_pthread_create(pthread_t *thread, void *(*start_routine)(void *), void *a
   ret = pthread_attr_init(&attr);
   if(ret != 0)
   {
-    fprintf(stderr, "[dt_pthread_create] error: pthread_attr_init() returned %i\n", ret);
+    fprintf(stderr, "[dt_pthread_create] error: pthread_attr_init() returned %s\n", _pthread_ret_mess(ret));
     return ret;
   }
 
@@ -49,27 +51,21 @@ int dt_pthread_create(pthread_t *thread, void *(*start_routine)(void *), void *a
   ret = pthread_attr_getstacksize(&attr, &stacksize);
 
   if(ret != 0)
-  {
-    fprintf(stderr, "[dt_pthread_create] error: pthread_attr_getstacksize() returned %i\n", ret);
-  }
+    fprintf(stderr, "[dt_pthread_create] error: pthread_attr_getstacksize() returned %s\n", _pthread_ret_mess(ret));
 
   if(ret != 0 || stacksize < WANTED_THREADS_STACK_SIZE)
   {
     // looks like we need to bump/set it...
     ret = pthread_attr_setstacksize(&attr, WANTED_THREADS_STACK_SIZE);
     if(ret != 0)
-    {
-      fprintf(stderr, "[dt_pthread_create] error: pthread_attr_setstacksize() returned %i\n", ret);
-    }
+      fprintf(stderr, "[dt_pthread_create] error: pthread_attr_setstacksize() returned %s\n", _pthread_ret_mess(ret));
   }
 
   if(ret == 0)
     ret = pthread_create(thread, &attr, start_routine, arg);
 
   if(ret != 0)
-  {
-    fprintf(stderr, "[dt_pthread_create] error: pthread_create() returned %i\n", ret);
-  }
+    fprintf(stderr, "[dt_pthread_create] error: pthread_create() returned %s\n", _pthread_ret_mess(ret));
 
   pthread_attr_destroy(&attr);
 
@@ -95,6 +91,14 @@ void dt_pthread_setname(const char *name)
 #endif
 }
 
+int dt_pthread_join(pthread_t thread)
+{
+  const int ret = pthread_join(thread, NULL);
+  if(ret != 0)
+    fprintf(stderr, "[dt_pthread_join] error: %s\n", _pthread_ret_mess(ret));
+  return ret;
+}
+
 
 // clang-format off
 // modelines: These editor modelines have been set for all relevant files by tools/update_modelines.py
diff --git a/src/common/dtpthread.h b/src/common/dtpthread.h
index 0cb87e92db49..f730871bce3c 100644
--- a/src/common/dtpthread.h
+++ b/src/common/dtpthread.h
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ static inline int dt_pthread_mutex_BAD_unlock(dt_pthread_mutex_t *mutex)
 }
 
 int dt_pthread_create(pthread_t *thread, void *(*start_routine)(void *), void *arg);
-
+int dt_pthread_join(pthread_t thread);
 void dt_pthread_setname(const char *name);
 
 // clang-format off
diff --git a/src/control/control.c b/src/control/control.c
index f7ddefc0bcd4..b078aad8dcf5 100644
--- a/src/control/control.c
+++ b/src/control/control.c
@@ -344,17 +344,17 @@ void dt_control_shutdown(dt_control_t *control)
 
 #ifdef HAVE_GPHOTO2
   /* first and always wait for gphoto device updater */
-  pthread_join(control->update_gphoto_thread, NULL);
+  dt_pthread_join(control->update_gphoto_thread);
 #endif
 
   /* wait for kick_on_workers_thread */
-  pthread_join(control->kick_on_workers_thread, NULL);
+  dt_pthread_join(control->kick_on_workers_thread);
 
   for(int k = 0; k < control->num_threads-1; k++)
-    pthread_join(control->thread[k], NULL);
+    dt_pthread_join(control->thread[k]);
 
   for(int k = 0; k < DT_CTL_WORKER_RESERVED; k++)
-    pthread_join(control->thread_res[k], NULL);
+    dt_pthread_join(control->thread_res[k]);
 }
 
 void dt_control_cleanup(dt_control_t *control)