diff --git a/vvp/vthread.cc b/vvp/vthread.cc
index 6343a88e5..5c91f3ce2 100644
--- a/vvp/vthread.cc
+++ b/vvp/vthread.cc
@@ -3730,7 +3730,7 @@ bool of_ZOMBIE(vthread_t thr, vvp_code_t)
 {
       thr->pc = codespace_null();
       if ((thr->parent == 0) && (thr->child == 0))
-	    delete thr;
+	    schedule_del_thr(thr);
 
       return false;
 }