diff --git a/.CMake/compiler_flags.cmake b/.CMake/compiler_flags.cmake
index 5e48080ee..237e7a8f0 100644
--- a/.CMake/compiler_flags.cmake
+++ b/.CMake/compiler_flags.cmake
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ if(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
         add_compile_options(-fomit-frame-pointer)
     endif()
 
+    set(THREADS_PREFER_PTHREAD_FLAG ON)
+    find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
+    set(OQS_USE_PTHREADS_IN_TESTS 1)
+
 elseif(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "GNU")
     add_compile_options(-Werror)
     add_compile_options(-Wall)
@@ -75,6 +79,10 @@ elseif(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "GNU")
         endif ()
     endif()
 
+    set(THREADS_PREFER_PTHREAD_FLAG ON)
+    find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
+    set(OQS_USE_PTHREADS_IN_TESTS 1)
+
 elseif(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "MSVC")
     # Warning C4146 is raised when a unary minus operator is applied to an
     # unsigned type; this has nonetheless been standard and portable for as
diff --git a/src/oqsconfig.h.cmake b/src/oqsconfig.h.cmake
index 58686b4e8..043bfa351 100644
--- a/src/oqsconfig.h.cmake
+++ b/src/oqsconfig.h.cmake
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 #cmakedefine OQS_USE_SHA2_OPENSSL 1
 #cmakedefine OQS_USE_SHA3_OPENSSL 1
 
+#cmakedefine OQS_USE_PTHREADS_IN_TESTS 1
+
 #cmakedefine OQS_USE_AES_INSTRUCTIONS 1
 #cmakedefine OQS_USE_AVX_INSTRUCTIONS 1
 #cmakedefine OQS_USE_AVX2_INSTRUCTIONS 1
diff --git a/tests/test_kem.c b/tests/test_kem.c
index a9421c4d1..8c748cabe 100644
--- a/tests/test_kem.c
+++ b/tests/test_kem.c
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
 
 #include <oqs/oqs.h>
 
+#if OQS_USE_PTHREADS_IN_TESTS
+#include <pthread.h>
+#endif
+
 #include "system_info.c"
 
 /* Displays hexadecimal strings */
@@ -43,8 +47,8 @@ static OQS_STATUS kem_test_correctness(const char *method_name) {
 
 	kem = OQS_KEM_new(method_name);
 	if (kem == NULL) {
-		// should always succeed since we don't call this function on KEMs that aren't enabled
-		return OQS_ERROR;
+		fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: OQS_KEM_new failed\n");
+		goto err;
 	}
 
 	printf("================================================================================\n");
@@ -123,6 +127,10 @@ cleanup:
 	OQS_MEM_insecure_free(ciphertext);
 	OQS_KEM_free(kem);
 
+#ifdef OQS_USE_PTHREADS_IN_TESTS
+	pthread_exit((void *) ret);
+#endif
+
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -150,7 +158,20 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	if (!OQS_KEM_alg_is_enabled(alg_name)) {
 		return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}
-	OQS_STATUS rc = kem_test_correctness(alg_name);
+	OQS_STATUS rc;
+#if OQS_USE_PTHREADS_IN_TESTS
+	pthread_t thread;
+	void *status;
+	int trc = pthread_create(&thread, NULL, (void *(*)(void *)) &kem_test_correctness, alg_name);
+	if (trc) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Creating pthread\n");
+		return EXIT_FAILURE;
+	}
+	pthread_join(thread, &status);
+	rc = (OQS_STATUS) status;
+#else
+	rc = kem_test_correctness(alg_name);
+#endif
 	if (rc != OQS_SUCCESS) {
 		return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}
diff --git a/tests/test_sig.c b/tests/test_sig.c
index 03d70438e..41ed23d93 100644
--- a/tests/test_sig.c
+++ b/tests/test_sig.c
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 
 #include <oqs/oqs.h>
 
+#if OQS_USE_PTHREADS_IN_TESTS
+#include <pthread.h>
+#endif
+
 #include "system_info.c"
 
 static OQS_STATUS sig_test_correctness(const char *method_name) {
@@ -23,8 +27,8 @@ static OQS_STATUS sig_test_correctness(const char *method_name) {
 
 	sig = OQS_SIG_new(method_name);
 	if (sig == NULL) {
-		// should always succeed since we don't call this function on KEMs that aren't enabled
-		return OQS_ERROR;
+		fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: OQS_SIG_new failed\n");
+		goto err;
 	}
 
 	printf("================================================================================\n");
@@ -84,6 +88,10 @@ cleanup:
 	OQS_MEM_insecure_free(signature);
 	OQS_SIG_free(sig);
 
+#ifdef OQS_USE_PTHREADS_IN_TESTS
+	pthread_exit((void *) ret);
+#endif
+
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -111,7 +119,20 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	if (!OQS_SIG_alg_is_enabled(alg_name)) {
 		return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}
-	OQS_STATUS rc = sig_test_correctness(alg_name);
+	OQS_STATUS rc;
+#if OQS_USE_PTHREADS_IN_TESTS
+	pthread_t thread;
+	void *status;
+	int trc = pthread_create(&thread, NULL, (void *(*)(void *)) &sig_test_correctness, alg_name);
+	if (trc) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Creating pthread\n");
+		return EXIT_FAILURE;
+	}
+	pthread_join(thread, &status);
+	rc = (OQS_STATUS) status;
+#else
+	rc = sig_test_correctness(alg_name);
+#endif
 	if (rc != OQS_SUCCESS) {
 		return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}