diff --git a/cl-todo.lisp b/cl-todo.lisp
index 32212da..f876765 100644
--- a/cl-todo.lisp
+++ b/cl-todo.lisp
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
 
 (defun launch ()
 	(setf *task-list* (load-task-file))
-	(make-gui))
+	(make-gui)
+	(bt:join-thread (gtk-thread)))
 
 (defun load-task-file (&optional (file-name *runfile*))
 	"Load a list of (task) strings from the run file"

diff --git a/cl-todo.lisp b/cl-todo.lisp
index 32212da..f876765 100644
--- a/cl-todo.lisp
+++ b/cl-todo.lisp
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
 
 (defun launch ()
 	(setf *task-list* (load-task-file))
-	(make-gui))
+	(make-gui)
+	(bt:join-thread (gtk-thread)))
 
 (defun load-task-file (&optional (file-name *runfile*))
 	"Load a list of (task) strings from the run file"
diff --git a/gtk-ui.lisp b/gtk-ui.lisp
index 0461be7..795e138 100644
--- a/gtk-ui.lisp
+++ b/gtk-ui.lisp
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@
 (in-package :cl-todo)
 
 (defun make-gui (&optional (decorated NIL))
+	;;TODO split up this function
+	;;initialise widgets
 	(within-main-loop
-		;;initialise widgets
 		(let ((window (make-instance 'gtk-window
 						  :type :toplevel
 						  :title "cl-todo"
@@ -74,5 +75,11 @@
 		(gtk-box-pack-start box task-button)
 		task-button))
 
+(defun gtk-thread ()
+	"Return the thread object running the GTK main loop"
+	(dolist (th (bt:all-threads))
+		(when (equalp (bt:thread-name th) "cl-cffi-gtk main thread")
+			(return-from gtk-thread th))))
+
 ;;TODO two-step delete?
 ;;TODO help window (gtk-shortcuts-window)

diff --git a/cl-todo.lisp b/cl-todo.lisp
index 32212da..f876765 100644
--- a/cl-todo.lisp
+++ b/cl-todo.lisp
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
 
 (defun launch ()
 	(setf *task-list* (load-task-file))
-	(make-gui))
+	(make-gui)
+	(bt:join-thread (gtk-thread)))
 
 (defun load-task-file (&optional (file-name *runfile*))
 	"Load a list of (task) strings from the run file"
diff --git a/gtk-ui.lisp b/gtk-ui.lisp
index 0461be7..795e138 100644
--- a/gtk-ui.lisp
+++ b/gtk-ui.lisp
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@
 (in-package :cl-todo)
 
 (defun make-gui (&optional (decorated NIL))
+	;;TODO split up this function
+	;;initialise widgets
 	(within-main-loop
-		;;initialise widgets
 		(let ((window (make-instance 'gtk-window
 						  :type :toplevel
 						  :title "cl-todo"
@@ -74,5 +75,11 @@
 		(gtk-box-pack-start box task-button)
 		task-button))
 
+(defun gtk-thread ()
+	"Return the thread object running the GTK main loop"
+	(dolist (th (bt:all-threads))
+		(when (equalp (bt:thread-name th) "cl-cffi-gtk main thread")
+			(return-from gtk-thread th))))
+
 ;;TODO two-step delete?
 ;;TODO help window (gtk-shortcuts-window)
diff --git a/package.lisp b/package.lisp
index 1c48a26..a5663dc 100644
--- a/package.lisp
+++ b/package.lisp
@@ -9,5 +9,5 @@
 (defpackage :cl-todo
 	(:documentation "A simple TODO widget for the GNOME desktop")
 	(:nicknames :todo)
-	(:use :common-lisp :gtk :gdk :gobject :glib) ;;XXX pare down
+	(:use :common-lisp :bordeaux-threads :gtk :gdk :gobject :glib) ;;XXX pare down
 	(:export launch +runfile+))