diff --git a/src/counters.c b/src/counters.c
index ae0f302b9e..9a845795dd 100644
--- a/src/counters.c
+++ b/src/counters.c
@@ -406,9 +406,8 @@ static void *StatsMgmtThread(void *arg)
     SCLogDebug("stats_thread_data %p", &stats_thread_data);
 
     TmThreadsSetFlag(tv_local, THV_INIT_DONE | THV_RUNNING);
-    while (1) {
-        TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(tv_local);
-
+    bool run = TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(tv_local);
+    while (run) {
         struct timeval cur_timev;
         gettimeofday(&cur_timev, NULL);
         struct timespec cond_time = FROM_TIMEVAL(cur_timev);
@@ -483,10 +482,9 @@ static void *StatsWakeupThread(void *arg)
     }
 
     TmThreadsSetFlag(tv_local, THV_INIT_DONE | THV_RUNNING);
+    bool run = TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(tv_local);
 
-    while (1) {
-        TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(tv_local);
-
+    while (run) {
         struct timeval cur_timev;
         gettimeofday(&cur_timev, NULL);
         struct timespec cond_time = FROM_TIMEVAL(cur_timev);
diff --git a/src/detect-engine-loader.c b/src/detect-engine-loader.c
index 6f588deb07..950812a187 100644
--- a/src/detect-engine-loader.c
+++ b/src/detect-engine-loader.c
@@ -595,10 +595,8 @@ static TmEcode DetectLoader(ThreadVars *th_v, void *thread_data)
 
     TmThreadsSetFlag(th_v, THV_INIT_DONE | THV_RUNNING);
     SCLogDebug("loader thread started");
-    while (1)
-    {
-        TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(th_v);
-
+    bool run = TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(th_v);
+    while (run) {
         /* see if we have tasks */
 
         DetectLoaderControl *loader = &loaders[ftd->instance];
diff --git a/src/flow-bypass.c b/src/flow-bypass.c
index 3e0123c810..a57909c6ff 100644
--- a/src/flow-bypass.c
+++ b/src/flow-bypass.c
@@ -94,9 +94,9 @@ static TmEcode BypassedFlowManager(ThreadVars *th_v, void *thread_data)
         return TM_ECODE_OK;
 
     TmThreadsSetFlag(th_v, THV_RUNNING);
+    bool run = TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(th_v);
 
-    while (1) {
-        TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(th_v);
+    while (run) {
         SCLogDebug("Dumping the table");
         gettimeofday(&tv, NULL);
         TIMEVAL_TO_TIMESPEC(&tv, &curtime);
diff --git a/src/flow-manager.c b/src/flow-manager.c
index 9448450416..ae60849a84 100644
--- a/src/flow-manager.c
+++ b/src/flow-manager.c
@@ -817,11 +817,9 @@ static TmEcode FlowManager(ThreadVars *th_v, void *thread_data)
     StatsSetUI64(th_v, ftd->cnt.flow_mgr_rows_sec, rows_sec);
 
     TmThreadsSetFlag(th_v, THV_RUNNING);
+    bool run = TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(th_v);
 
-    while (1)
-    {
-        TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(th_v);
-
+    while (run) {
         bool emerg = ((SC_ATOMIC_GET(flow_flags) & FLOW_EMERGENCY) != 0);
 
         /* Get the time */
@@ -1078,10 +1076,9 @@ static TmEcode FlowRecycler(ThreadVars *th_v, void *thread_data)
     FlowQueuePrivate ret_queue = { NULL, NULL, 0 };
 
     TmThreadsSetFlag(th_v, THV_RUNNING);
+    bool run = TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(th_v);
 
-    while (1)
-    {
-        TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(th_v);
+    while (run) {
         SC_ATOMIC_ADD(flowrec_busy,1);
         FlowQueuePrivate list = FlowQueueExtractPrivate(&flow_recycle_q);
 
diff --git a/src/tm-threads.c b/src/tm-threads.c
index 09bd040d71..84ef7d34ab 100644
--- a/src/tm-threads.c
+++ b/src/tm-threads.c
@@ -231,7 +231,6 @@ static void *TmThreadsSlotPktAcqLoop(void *td)
 {
     ThreadVars *tv = (ThreadVars *)td;
     TmSlot *s = tv->tm_slots;
-    char run = 1;
     TmEcode r = TM_ECODE_OK;
     TmSlot *slot = NULL;
 
@@ -303,21 +302,20 @@ static void *TmThreadsSlotPktAcqLoop(void *td)
     StatsSetupPrivate(tv);
 
     TmThreadsSetFlag(tv, THV_INIT_DONE);
+    bool run = TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(tv);
 
-    while(run) {
-        TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(tv);
-
+    while (run) {
         r = s->PktAcqLoop(tv, SC_ATOMIC_GET(s->slot_data), s);
 
         if (r == TM_ECODE_FAILED) {
             TmThreadsSetFlag(tv, THV_FAILED);
-            run = 0;
+            run = false;
         }
         if (TmThreadsCheckFlag(tv, THV_KILL_PKTACQ) || suricata_ctl_flags) {
-            run = 0;
+            run = false;
         }
         if (r == TM_ECODE_DONE) {
-            run = 0;
+            run = false;
         }
     }
     StatsSyncCounters(tv);
@@ -361,7 +359,7 @@ error:
 /**
  * Also returns if the kill flag is set.
  */
-void TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(ThreadVars *tv)
+bool TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(ThreadVars *tv)
 {
     if (TmThreadsCheckFlag(tv, THV_PAUSE)) {
         TmThreadsSetFlag(tv, THV_PAUSED);
@@ -370,11 +368,13 @@ void TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(ThreadVars *tv)
             SleepUsec(100);
 
             if (TmThreadsCheckFlag(tv, THV_KILL))
-                break;
+                return false;
         }
 
         TmThreadsUnsetFlag(tv, THV_PAUSED);
     }
+
+    return true;
 }
 
 static void *TmThreadsSlotVar(void *td)
@@ -382,7 +382,6 @@ static void *TmThreadsSlotVar(void *td)
     ThreadVars *tv = (ThreadVars *)td;
     TmSlot *s = (TmSlot *)tv->tm_slots;
     Packet *p = NULL;
-    char run = 1;
     TmEcode r = TM_ECODE_OK;
 
     CaptureStatsSetup(tv);
@@ -453,12 +452,11 @@ static void *TmThreadsSlotVar(void *td)
     // enter infinite loops. They use this as the core loop. As a result, at this
     // point the worker threads can be considered both initialized and running.
     TmThreadsSetFlag(tv, THV_INIT_DONE | THV_RUNNING);
+    bool run = TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(tv);
 
     s = (TmSlot *)tv->tm_slots;
 
     while (run) {
-        TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(tv);
-
         /* input a packet */
         p = tv->tmqh_in(tv);
 
@@ -490,7 +488,7 @@ static void *TmThreadsSlotVar(void *td)
         }
 
         if (TmThreadsCheckFlag(tv, THV_KILL)) {
-            run = 0;
+            run = false;
         }
     } /* while (run) */
     StatsSyncCounters(tv);
diff --git a/src/tm-threads.h b/src/tm-threads.h
index 2a46b133c4..63fbef85b0 100644
--- a/src/tm-threads.h
+++ b/src/tm-threads.h
@@ -291,7 +291,9 @@ bool TmThreadsTimeSubsysIsReady(void);
  *
  * Check if a thread should wait to be unpaused and wait if so, or
  * until the thread kill flag is set.
+ *
+ * \returns true if the thread was unpaused, false if killed.
  */
-void TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(ThreadVars *tv);
+bool TmThreadsWaitForUnpause(ThreadVars *tv);
 
 #endif /* SURICATA_TM_THREADS_H */