diff --git a/py/modthread.c b/py/modthread.c
index 4e654dfe89..930ca45bbb 100644
--- a/py/modthread.c
+++ b/py/modthread.c
@@ -154,6 +154,9 @@ STATIC void *thread_entry(void *args_in) {
     mp_stack_set_top(&ts + 1); // need to include ts in root-pointer scan
     mp_stack_set_limit(16 * 1024); // fixed stack limit for now
 
+    // signal that we are set up and running
+    mp_thread_start();
+
     // TODO set more thread-specific state here:
     //  mp_pending_exception? (root pointer)
     //  cur_exception (root pointer)
@@ -182,6 +185,9 @@ STATIC void *thread_entry(void *args_in) {
 
     DEBUG_printf("[thread] finish ts=%p\n", &ts);
 
+    // signal that we are finished
+    mp_thread_finish();
+
     return NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/py/mpthread.h b/py/mpthread.h
index a92f2d0797..d0164ea29e 100644
--- a/py/mpthread.h
+++ b/py/mpthread.h
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ struct _mp_state_thread_t;
 struct _mp_state_thread_t *mp_thread_get_state(void);
 void mp_thread_set_state(void *state);
 void mp_thread_create(void *(*entry)(void*), void *arg, size_t stack_size);
+void mp_thread_start(void);
+void mp_thread_finish(void);
 void mp_thread_mutex_init(mp_thread_mutex_t *mutex);
 int mp_thread_mutex_lock(mp_thread_mutex_t *mutex, int wait);
 void mp_thread_mutex_unlock(mp_thread_mutex_t *mutex);