diff --git a/src/node_device/node_device_udev.c b/src/node_device/node_device_udev.c
index fe25f8235e..010ebf4e74 100644
--- a/src/node_device/node_device_udev.c
+++ b/src/node_device/node_device_udev.c
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ struct _udevEventData {
     virCond threadCond;
     bool threadQuit;
     bool dataReady;
+
+    /* init thread */
+    virThread initThread;
 };
 
 static virClassPtr udevEventDataClass;
@@ -1660,6 +1663,7 @@ nodeStateCleanup(void)
         priv->threadQuit = true;
         virCondSignal(&priv->threadCond);
         virObjectUnlock(priv);
+        virThreadJoin(&priv->initThread);
         virThreadJoin(&priv->th);
     }
 
@@ -1995,7 +1999,6 @@ nodeStateInitialize(bool privileged,
 {
     udevEventDataPtr priv = NULL;
     struct udev *udev = NULL;
-    virThread enumThread;
 
     if (root != NULL) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG, "%s",
@@ -2103,7 +2106,7 @@ nodeStateInitialize(bool privileged,
     if (udevSetupSystemDev() != 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    if (virThreadCreateFull(&enumThread, false, nodeStateInitializeEnumerate,
+    if (virThreadCreateFull(&priv->initThread, true, nodeStateInitializeEnumerate,
                             "nodedev-init", false, udev) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno, "%s",
                              _("failed to create udev enumerate thread"));