diff --git a/checkin_notes b/checkin_notes
index 700da5f09f..aa97a8e9d7 100644
--- a/checkin_notes
+++ b/checkin_notes
@@ -6219,3 +6219,9 @@ David  18 Sept 2011
 		parse.cpp
 	win_build/
 		boinc_cli.vcproj
+
+David  18 Sept 2011
+    - lib: add generic interfaces for threads and thread synchronization
+
+    lib/
+        thread.cpp,h
diff --git a/lib/Makefile.am b/lib/Makefile.am
index 18defb25de..b18b791897 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ generic_sources = \
     shmem.cpp \
     str_util.cpp \
     synch.cpp \
+	thread.cpp \
     unix_util.cpp \
 	url.cpp \
     util.cpp
diff --git a/lib/thread.cpp b/lib/thread.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..45c587e3c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/thread.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+// This file is part of BOINC.
+// http://boinc.berkeley.edu
+// Copyright (C) 2011 University of California
+//
+// BOINC is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+// as published by the Free Software Foundation,
+// either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// BOINC is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+// See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+// along with BOINC.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+#else
+#endif
+
+#include "thread.h"
+
+int THREAD::run(void*(*func)(void*), void* _arg) {
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    CreateThread(NULL, 0, func, 0, 0, NULL);
+#else
+    pthread_t id;
+    pthread_attr_t thread_attrs;
+    pthread_attr_init(&thread_attrs);
+    pthread_create(&id, &thread_attrs, func, NULL);
+#endif
+    return 0;
+}
+
+void THREAD::quit() {
+    quit_flag = true;
+}
+
+THREAD_LOCK::THREAD_LOCK() {
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    InitializeCriticalSection(&mutex);
+#else
+    pthread_mutex_init(&mutex, NULL);
+#endif
+}
+
+void THREAD_LOCK::lock() {
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    EnterCriticalSection(&mutex);
+#else
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
+#endif
+}
+
+void THREAD_LOCK::unlock() {
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    LeaveCriticalSection(&mutex);
+#else
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
+#endif
+}
diff --git a/lib/thread.h b/lib/thread.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..05e7a7798e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/thread.h
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+// This file is part of BOINC.
+// http://boinc.berkeley.edu
+// Copyright (C) 2011 University of California
+//
+// BOINC is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+// as published by the Free Software Foundation,
+// either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// BOINC is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+// See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+// along with BOINC.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+#ifdef _WIN32
+#else
+#include <pthread.h>
+#endif
+
+struct THREAD {
+    void* arg;
+    bool quit_flag;
+    int run(void*(*func)(void*), void*);
+    void quit();
+};
+
+struct THREAD_LOCK {
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    CRITICAL_SECTION mutex;
+#else
+    pthread_mutex_t mutex;
+#endif
+    void lock();
+    void unlock();
+
+    THREAD_LOCK();
+};