diff --git a/libs/pbd/pbd/pthread_utils.h b/libs/pbd/pbd/pthread_utils.h
index f17c5d59f6..ed6628123b 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pbd/pthread_utils.h
+++ b/libs/pbd/pbd/pthread_utils.h
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
 # define PBD_RT_PRI_MIDI pbd_pthread_priority (THREAD_MIDI)
 # define PBD_RT_PRI_PROC pbd_pthread_priority (THREAD_PROC)
 
-LIBPBD_API int  pthread_create_and_store (std::string name, pthread_t  *thread, void * (*start_routine)(void *), void * arg);
+LIBPBD_API int  pthread_create_and_store (std::string name, pthread_t  *thread, void * (*start_routine)(void *), void * arg, uint32_t stacklimit = 0x80000 /*512kB*/);
 LIBPBD_API void pthread_cancel_one (pthread_t thread);
 LIBPBD_API void pthread_cancel_all ();
 LIBPBD_API void pthread_kill_all (int signum);
diff --git a/libs/pbd/pthread_utils.cc b/libs/pbd/pthread_utils.cc
index 33054a4222..af6af46065 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pthread_utils.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/pthread_utils.cc
@@ -117,14 +117,16 @@ fake_thread_start (void* arg)
 }
 
 int
-pthread_create_and_store (string name, pthread_t* thread, void* (*start_routine) (void*), void* arg)
+pthread_create_and_store (string name, pthread_t* thread, void* (*start_routine) (void*), void* arg, uint32_t stacklimit)
 {
 	pthread_attr_t default_attr;
 	int            ret;
 
 	/* set default stack size to sensible default for memlocking */
 	pthread_attr_init (&default_attr);
-	pthread_attr_setstacksize (&default_attr, 0x80000); // 512kB
+	if (stacklimit > 0) {
+		pthread_attr_setstacksize (&default_attr, stacklimit);
+	}
 
 	ThreadStartWithName* ts = new ThreadStartWithName (start_routine, arg, name);