diff --git a/runloop_data.c b/runloop_data.c
index bd44c081c2..63d4749297 100644
--- a/runloop_data.c
+++ b/runloop_data.c
@@ -181,10 +181,10 @@ static void data_thread_loop(void *data)
 #endif
 
 #ifdef HAVE_THREADS
-static bool rarch_main_data_thread_init(void)
+static void rarch_main_data_thread_init(void)
 {
-   if (g_data_runloop.thread_inited)
-      return false;
+   if (!g_data_runloop.thread_inited)
+      return;
 
    g_data_runloop.lock            = slock_new();
    g_data_runloop.cond_lock       = slock_new();
@@ -205,11 +205,10 @@ static bool rarch_main_data_thread_init(void)
    g_data_runloop.thread_code     = THREAD_CODE_ALIVE;
    slock_unlock(g_data_runloop.lock);
 
-   return true;
+   return;
 
 error:
    data_runloop_thread_deinit();
-   return false;
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -364,7 +363,9 @@ void rarch_main_data_msg_queue_push(unsigned type,
 #ifdef HAVE_THREADS
    if (settings->threaded_data_runloop_enable)
    {
-      if (!rarch_main_data_thread_init())
+      if (!g_data_runloop.thread_inited)
+         rarch_main_data_thread_init();
+      else
       {
          slock_lock(g_data_runloop.cond_lock);
          scond_signal(g_data_runloop.cond);