diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/ChangeLog b/winsup/cygwin/ChangeLog
index 0cc668ca9..0d0579c5e 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/ChangeLog
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2003-12-15  Thomas Pfaff  <tpfaff@gmx.net>
+
+	* thread.cc (pthread::init_main_thread): Make sure that the main thread
+	has valid handles.
+	(pthread::create_cancel_event): Fix error message.
+
 2003-12-14  Christopher Faylor  <cgf@redhat.com>
 
 	* winsup.h (access_worker): Declare with added fhandler_base parameter.
diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/thread.cc b/winsup/cygwin/thread.cc
index 93bf701ac..ca2e3bfaf 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/thread.cc
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/thread.cc
@@ -231,9 +231,10 @@ pthread::init_mainthread ()
   if (!DuplicateHandle (GetCurrentProcess (), GetCurrentThread (),
 			GetCurrentProcess (), &thread->win32_obj_id,
 			0, FALSE, DUPLICATE_SAME_ACCESS))
-    thread->win32_obj_id = NULL;
+    api_fatal ("failed to create mainthread handle");
   thread->set_tls_self_pointer ();
-  (void) thread->create_cancel_event ();
+  if (!thread->create_cancel_event ())
+    api_fatal ("couldn't create cancel event for main thread");
   thread->postcreate ();
 }
 
@@ -289,7 +290,7 @@ pthread::create_cancel_event ()
   cancel_event = ::CreateEvent (&sec_none_nih, TRUE, FALSE, NULL);
   if (!cancel_event)
     {
-      system_printf ("couldn't create cancel event for main thread, %E");
+      system_printf ("couldn't create cancel event, %E");
       /* we need the event for correct behaviour */
       return false;
     }