diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/Thread.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/Thread.java
index 455487f89e6..8c99f62b4d2 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/Thread.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/Thread.java
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 
 /*
  * ===========================================================================
- * (c) Copyright IBM Corp. 2021, 2022 All Rights Reserved
+ * (c) Copyright IBM Corp. 2021, 2023 All Rights Reserved
  * ===========================================================================
  */
 
@@ -3189,6 +3189,9 @@ private Thread(String vmName, Object vmThreadGroup, int vmPriority, boolean vmIs
             setNameImpl(eetop, "main");
             System.completeInitialization();
         }
+
+        // special value to indicate this is a newly-created Thread
+        this.scopedValueBindings = NEW_THREAD_BINDINGS;
     }
 
     private boolean isDead() {