diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/ntdll_misc.h b/dlls/ntdll/ntdll_misc.h
index 61299627562..34ae2d62d55 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/ntdll_misc.h
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/ntdll_misc.h
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ extern size_t server_init_thread( void *entry_point );
 extern void DECLSPEC_NORETURN server_protocol_error( const char *err, ... );
 extern void DECLSPEC_NORETURN server_protocol_perror( const char *err );
 extern void DECLSPEC_NORETURN abort_thread( int status );
+extern void DECLSPEC_NORETURN exit_thread( int status );
 extern sigset_t server_block_set;
 extern void server_enter_uninterrupted_section( RTL_CRITICAL_SECTION *cs, sigset_t *sigset );
 extern void server_leave_uninterrupted_section( RTL_CRITICAL_SECTION *cs, sigset_t *sigset );
diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/signal_i386.c b/dlls/ntdll/signal_i386.c
index 0efce897121..ff251fa3d0a 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/signal_i386.c
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/signal_i386.c
@@ -2274,7 +2274,7 @@ __ASM_GLOBAL_FUNC(call_thread_func,
                   "call *8(%ebp)\n\t"
                   "leal -4(%ebp),%esp\n\t"
                   "pushl %eax\n\t"
-                  "call " __ASM_NAME("RtlExitUserThread") "\n\t"
+                  "call " __ASM_NAME("exit_thread") "\n\t"
                   "int $3" )
 
 /***********************************************************************
@@ -2294,6 +2294,13 @@ void call_thread_entry_point( LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE entry, void *arg )
     abort();  /* should not be reached */
 }
 
+/***********************************************************************
+ *           RtlExitUserThread  (NTDLL.@)
+ */
+void WINAPI RtlExitUserThread( ULONG status )
+{
+    exit_thread( status );
+}
 
 /**********************************************************************
  *		DbgBreakPoint   (NTDLL.@)
diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/signal_powerpc.c b/dlls/ntdll/signal_powerpc.c
index 4401006edc4..92288ad558a 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/signal_powerpc.c
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/signal_powerpc.c
@@ -1093,7 +1093,7 @@ void call_thread_entry_point( LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE entry, void *arg )
 {
     __TRY
     {
-        RtlExitUserThread( entry( arg ));
+        exit_thread( entry( arg ));
     }
     __EXCEPT(unhandled_exception_filter)
     {
@@ -1103,6 +1103,14 @@ void call_thread_entry_point( LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE entry, void *arg )
     abort();  /* should not be reached */
 }
 
+/***********************************************************************
+ *           RtlExitUserThread  (NTDLL.@)
+ */
+void WINAPI RtlExitUserThread( ULONG status )
+{
+    exit_thread( status );
+}
+
 /**********************************************************************
  *              DbgBreakPoint   (NTDLL.@)
  */
diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/signal_sparc.c b/dlls/ntdll/signal_sparc.c
index 17bfc542f4a..55b2a791913 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/signal_sparc.c
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/signal_sparc.c
@@ -835,7 +835,7 @@ void call_thread_entry_point( LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE entry, void *arg )
 {
     __TRY
     {
-        RtlExitUserThread( entry( arg ));
+        exit_thread( entry( arg ));
     }
     __EXCEPT(unhandled_exception_filter)
     {
@@ -845,6 +845,14 @@ void call_thread_entry_point( LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE entry, void *arg )
     abort();  /* should not be reached */
 }
 
+/***********************************************************************
+ *           RtlExitUserThread  (NTDLL.@)
+ */
+void WINAPI RtlExitUserThread( ULONG status )
+{
+    exit_thread( status );
+}
+
 /**********************************************************************
  *              DbgBreakPoint   (NTDLL.@)
  */
diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/signal_x86_64.c b/dlls/ntdll/signal_x86_64.c
index 7ff38aff4d1..716efea3401 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/signal_x86_64.c
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/signal_x86_64.c
@@ -2558,7 +2558,7 @@ void call_thread_entry_point( LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE entry, void *arg )
 {
     __TRY
     {
-        RtlExitUserThread( entry( arg ));
+        exit_thread( entry( arg ));
     }
     __EXCEPT(unhandled_exception_filter)
     {
@@ -2569,6 +2569,15 @@ void call_thread_entry_point( LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE entry, void *arg )
 }
 
 
+/***********************************************************************
+ *           RtlExitUserThread  (NTDLL.@)
+ */
+void WINAPI RtlExitUserThread( ULONG status )
+{
+    exit_thread( status );
+}
+
+
 /**********************************************************************
  *              __wine_enter_vm86   (NTDLL.@)
  */
diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/thread.c b/dlls/ntdll/thread.c
index cd54b31e251..0b924b2cf7e 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/thread.c
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/thread.c
@@ -353,11 +353,29 @@ void abort_thread( int status )
 /***********************************************************************
  *           exit_thread
  */
-static void DECLSPEC_NORETURN exit_thread( int status )
+void exit_thread( int status )
 {
     static void *prev_teb;
     TEB *teb;
 
+    if (status)  /* send the exit code to the server (0 is already the default) */
+    {
+        SERVER_START_REQ( terminate_thread )
+        {
+            req->handle    = wine_server_obj_handle( GetCurrentThread() );
+            req->exit_code = status;
+            wine_server_call( req );
+        }
+        SERVER_END_REQ;
+    }
+
+    if (interlocked_xchg_add( &nb_threads, -1 ) <= 1)
+    {
+        LdrShutdownProcess();
+        exit( status );
+    }
+
+    LdrShutdownThread();
     RtlAcquirePebLock();
     RemoveEntryList( &NtCurrentTeb()->TlsLinks );
     RtlReleasePebLock();
@@ -365,7 +383,6 @@ static void DECLSPEC_NORETURN exit_thread( int status )
     RtlFreeHeap( GetProcessHeap(), 0, NtCurrentTeb()->TlsExpansionSlots );
 
     pthread_sigmask( SIG_BLOCK, &server_block_set, NULL );
-    if (interlocked_xchg_add( &nb_threads, -1 ) <= 1) exit( status );
 
     if ((teb = interlocked_xchg_ptr( &prev_teb, NtCurrentTeb() )))
     {
@@ -566,36 +583,6 @@ error:
 }
 
 
-/***********************************************************************
- *           RtlExitUserThread  (NTDLL.@)
- */
-void WINAPI RtlExitUserThread( ULONG status )
-{
-    BOOL last;
-
-    SERVER_START_REQ( terminate_thread )
-    {
-        /* send the exit code to the server */
-        req->handle    = wine_server_obj_handle( GetCurrentThread() );
-        req->exit_code = status;
-        wine_server_call( req );
-        last = reply->last;
-    }
-    SERVER_END_REQ;
-
-    if (last)
-    {
-        LdrShutdownProcess();
-        exit( status );
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        LdrShutdownThread();
-        exit_thread( status );
-    }
-}
-
-
 /***********************************************************************
  *              NtOpenThread   (NTDLL.@)
  *              ZwOpenThread   (NTDLL.@)