diff --git a/definitions/objects/thread.def b/definitions/objects/thread.def
index 8ac3c8c..757b527 100644
--- a/definitions/objects/thread.def
+++ b/definitions/objects/thread.def
@@ -13,9 +13,7 @@ object thread : object {
 
     method kill [destructor cap:kill]
 
-    method exit [static] {
-        param status int32
-    }
+    method exit [static]
 
     method sleep [static] {
         param duration uint64
diff --git a/src/kernel/objects/process.cpp b/src/kernel/objects/process.cpp
index 03d4a39..724ef53 100644
--- a/src/kernel/objects/process.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/objects/process.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ process::exit(int32_t code)
     m_return_code = code;
 
     for (auto *thread : m_threads) {
-        thread->exit(code);
+        thread->exit();
     }
 
     if (this == current_cpu().process)
@@ -68,21 +68,17 @@ process::update()
     kassert(m_threads.count() > 0, "process::update with zero threads!");
 
     size_t i = 0;
-    uint32_t status = 0;
     while (i < m_threads.count()) {
         thread *th = m_threads[i];
         if (th->has_state(thread::state::exited)) {
-            status = th->m_return_code;
             m_threads.remove_swap_at(i);
             continue;
         }
         i++;
     }
 
-    if (m_threads.count() == 0) {
-        // TODO: What really is the return code in this case?
-        exit(status);
-    }
+    if (m_threads.count() == 0)
+        exit(-1);
 }
 
 thread *
@@ -106,7 +102,6 @@ bool
 process::thread_exited(thread *th)
 {
     kassert(&th->m_parent == this, "Process got thread_exited for non-child!");
-    uint32_t status = th->m_return_code;
     m_threads.remove_swap(th);
     remove_handle(th->self_handle());
     delete th;
@@ -114,7 +109,7 @@ process::thread_exited(thread *th)
     // TODO: delete the thread's stack VMA
 
     if (m_threads.count() == 0) {
-        exit(status);
+        exit(-1);
         return true;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/objects/thread.cpp b/src/kernel/objects/thread.cpp
index 56001eb..e24934d 100644
--- a/src/kernel/objects/thread.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/objects/thread.cpp
@@ -71,11 +71,11 @@ thread::wake_only()
 }
 
 void
-thread::exit(int32_t code)
+thread::exit()
 {
-    m_return_code = code;
     m_wake_timeout = 0;
     set_state(state::exited);
+    m_join_queue.clear();
     block();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/objects/thread.h b/src/kernel/objects/thread.h
index e23ccc9..9b2abbe 100644
--- a/src/kernel/objects/thread.h
+++ b/src/kernel/objects/thread.h
@@ -138,8 +138,7 @@ public:
     inline process & parent() { return m_parent; }
 
     /// Terminate this thread.
-    /// \arg code   The return code to exit with.
-    void exit(int32_t code);
+    void exit();
 
     /// Add a stack header that returns to the given address in kernel space.
     /// \arg rip  The address to return to, must be kernel space
@@ -188,10 +187,6 @@ private:
 
     state m_state;
 
-    // There should be 3 bytes of padding here
-
-    int32_t m_return_code;
-
     uint64_t m_wake_value;
     uint64_t m_wake_timeout;
     message_data m_message_data;
diff --git a/src/kernel/syscalls/thread.cpp b/src/kernel/syscalls/thread.cpp
index d1af3d4..bb1467a 100644
--- a/src/kernel/syscalls/thread.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/syscalls/thread.cpp
@@ -28,25 +28,25 @@ thread_create(j6_handle_t *self, process *proc, uintptr_t stack_top, uintptr_t e
     return j6_status_ok;
 }
 
-j6_status_t
-thread_exit(int32_t status)
-{
-    thread &th = thread::current();
-    log::verbose(logs::task, "Thread %llx exiting with code %d", th.koid(), status);
-    th.exit(status);
-
-    log::error(logs::task, "returned to exit syscall");
-    return j6_err_unexpected;
-}
-
 j6_status_t
 thread_kill(thread *self)
 {
     log::verbose(logs::task, "Killing thread %llx", self->koid());
-    self->exit(-1);
+    self->exit();
     return j6_status_ok;
 }
 
+j6_status_t
+thread_exit()
+{
+    thread &th = thread::current();
+    log::verbose(logs::task, "Thread %llx exiting", th.koid());
+    th.exit();
+
+    log::error(logs::task, "returned to exit syscall");
+    return j6_err_unexpected;
+}
+
 j6_status_t
 thread_sleep(uint64_t duration)
 {
diff --git a/src/user/drv.uart/main.cpp b/src/user/drv.uart/main.cpp
index ecf1285..70dbd4c 100644
--- a/src/user/drv.uart/main.cpp
+++ b/src/user/drv.uart/main.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ channel_pump_loop()
 void
 pump_proc()
 {
-    j6_thread_exit(channel_pump_loop());
+    j6_process_exit(channel_pump_loop());
 }
 
 int