diff --git a/selfdrive/camerad/cameras/camera_qcom.cc b/selfdrive/camerad/cameras/camera_qcom.cc
index 6086ca7bf9..68b9a74dc5 100644
--- a/selfdrive/camerad/cameras/camera_qcom.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/camerad/cameras/camera_qcom.cc
@@ -1557,9 +1557,7 @@ static FrameMetadata get_frame_metadata(CameraState *s, uint32_t frame_id) {
   };
 }
 
-static void* ops_thread(void* arg) {
-  MultiCameraState *s = (MultiCameraState*)arg;
-
+static void ops_thread(MultiCameraState *s) {
   int rear_op_id_last = 0;
   int front_op_id_last = 0;
 
@@ -1584,8 +1582,6 @@ static void* ops_thread(void* arg) {
 
     util::sleep_for(50);
   }
-
-  return NULL;
 }
 
 static void update_lapmap(MultiCameraState *s, const CameraBuf *b, const int cnt) {
@@ -1679,10 +1675,8 @@ void camera_process_frame(MultiCameraState *s, CameraState *c, int cnt) {
 }
 
 void cameras_run(MultiCameraState *s) {
-  pthread_t ops_thread_handle;
-  int err = pthread_create(&ops_thread_handle, NULL, ops_thread, s);
-  assert(err == 0);
   std::vector<std::thread> threads;
+  threads.push_back(std::thread(ops_thread, s));
   threads.push_back(start_process_thread(s, "processing", &s->rear, camera_process_frame));
   threads.push_back(start_process_thread(s, "frontview", &s->front, camera_process_front));
 
@@ -1778,9 +1772,6 @@ void cameras_run(MultiCameraState *s) {
 
   LOG(" ************** STOPPING **************");
 
-  err = pthread_join(ops_thread_handle, NULL);
-  assert(err == 0);
-
   for (auto &t : threads) t.join();
 
   cameras_close(s);
diff --git a/selfdrive/camerad/cameras/camera_qcom2.cc b/selfdrive/camerad/cameras/camera_qcom2.cc
index 90c4496103..8fa0d51e5d 100644
--- a/selfdrive/camerad/cameras/camera_qcom2.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/camerad/cameras/camera_qcom2.cc
@@ -1070,8 +1070,7 @@ void camera_autoexposure(CameraState *s, float grey_frac) {
   cam_exp[s->camera_num].store(tmp);
 }
 
-static void* ae_thread(void* arg) {
-  MultiCameraState *s = (MultiCameraState*)arg;
+static void ae_thread(MultiCameraState *s) {
   CameraState *c_handles[3] = {&s->wide, &s->rear, &s->front};
 
   int op_id_last[3] = {0};
@@ -1090,8 +1089,6 @@ static void* ae_thread(void* arg) {
 
     util::sleep_for(50);
   }
-
-  return NULL;
 }
 
 void camera_process_front(MultiCameraState *s, CameraState *c, int cnt) {
@@ -1135,14 +1132,9 @@ void camera_process_frame(MultiCameraState *s, CameraState *c, int cnt) {
 }
 
 void cameras_run(MultiCameraState *s) {
-  int err;
-  // start threads
   LOG("-- Starting threads");
-  pthread_t ae_thread_handle;
-  err = pthread_create(&ae_thread_handle, NULL,
-                       ae_thread, s);
-  assert(err == 0);
   std::vector<std::thread> threads;
+  threads.push_back(std::thread(ae_thread, s));
   threads.push_back(start_process_thread(s, "processing", &s->rear, camera_process_frame));
   threads.push_back(start_process_thread(s, "frontview", &s->front, camera_process_front));
   threads.push_back(start_process_thread(s, "wideview", &s->wide, camera_process_frame));
@@ -1193,9 +1185,6 @@ void cameras_run(MultiCameraState *s) {
 
   LOG(" ************** STOPPING **************");
 
-  err = pthread_join(ae_thread_handle, NULL);
-  assert(err == 0);
-
   for (auto &t : threads) t.join();
 
   cameras_close(s);