diff --git a/src/platform-linux.cc b/src/platform-linux.cc
index 4271a70d25..e72d095b0a 100644
--- a/src/platform-linux.cc
+++ b/src/platform-linux.cc
@@ -768,7 +768,8 @@ void Thread::Start() {
     pthread_attr_setstacksize(&attr, static_cast<size_t>(stack_size_));
     attr_ptr = &attr;
   }
-  pthread_create(&data_->thread_, attr_ptr, ThreadEntry, this);
+  int result = pthread_create(&data_->thread_, attr_ptr, ThreadEntry, this);
+  CHECK_EQ(0, result);
   ASSERT(data_->thread_ != kNoThread);
 }