diff --git a/datasette/database.py b/datasette/database.py
index fba81496..becb552c 100644
--- a/datasette/database.py
+++ b/datasette/database.py
@@ -196,6 +196,9 @@ class Database:
             self._write_thread = threading.Thread(
                 target=self._execute_writes, daemon=True
             )
+            self._write_thread.name = "_execute_writes for database {}".format(
+                self.name
+            )
             self._write_thread.start()
         task_id = uuid.uuid5(uuid.NAMESPACE_DNS, "datasette.io")
         reply_queue = janus.Queue()
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index 8cb73dbb..7a25b55e 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -780,7 +780,11 @@ async def test_threads_json(ds_client):
     expected_keys = {"threads", "num_threads"}
     if sys.version_info >= (3, 7, 0):
         expected_keys.update({"tasks", "num_tasks"})
-    assert set(response.json().keys()) == expected_keys
+    data = response.json()
+    assert set(data.keys()) == expected_keys
+    # Should be at least one _execute_writes thread for __INTERNAL__
+    thread_names = [thread["name"] for thread in data["threads"]]
+    assert "_execute_writes for database __INTERNAL__" in thread_names
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio