diff --git a/unix/Makefile b/unix/Makefile
index 3e0d299d82..72f35c38cd 100644
--- a/unix/Makefile
+++ b/unix/Makefile
@@ -93,6 +93,10 @@ ifeq ($(MICROPY_PY_SOCKET),1)
 CFLAGS_MOD += -DMICROPY_PY_SOCKET=1
 SRC_MOD += modsocket.c
 endif
+ifeq ($(MICROPY_PY_THREAD),1)
+CFLAGS_MOD += -DMICROPY_PY_THREAD=1
+LDFLAGS_MOD += -lpthread
+endif
 
 ifeq ($(MICROPY_PY_FFI),1)
 
@@ -128,6 +132,7 @@ SRC_C = \
 	main.c \
 	gccollect.c \
 	unix_mphal.c \
+	mpthreadport.c \
 	input.c \
 	file.c \
 	modmachine.c \
diff --git a/unix/main.c b/unix/main.c
index dedee28e7f..a463d2e10a 100644
--- a/unix/main.c
+++ b/unix/main.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 #include "py/gc.h"
 #include "py/stackctrl.h"
 #include "py/mphal.h"
+#include "py/mpthread.h"
 #include "extmod/misc.h"
 #include "genhdr/mpversion.h"
 #include "input.h"
@@ -379,6 +380,9 @@ STATIC void set_sys_argv(char *argv[], int argc, int start_arg) {
 MP_NOINLINE int main_(int argc, char **argv);
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {
+    #if MICROPY_PY_THREAD
+    mp_thread_init();
+    #endif
     // We should capture stack top ASAP after start, and it should be
     // captured guaranteedly before any other stack variables are allocated.
     // For this, actual main (renamed main_) should not be inlined into
diff --git a/unix/mpconfigport.mk b/unix/mpconfigport.mk
index 5db627b680..4dc59f2fac 100644
--- a/unix/mpconfigport.mk
+++ b/unix/mpconfigport.mk
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ MICROPY_USE_READLINE = 1
 # Whether to enable FatFs VFS
 MICROPY_FATFS = 1
 
+# _thread module using pthreads
+MICROPY_PY_THREAD = 1
+
 # Subset of CPython termios module
 MICROPY_PY_TERMIOS = 1
 
diff --git a/unix/mpthreadport.c b/unix/mpthreadport.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..af75be1aa1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unix/mpthreadport.c
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the MicroPython project, http://micropython.org/
+ *
+ * The MIT License (MIT)
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2016 Damien P. George on behalf of Pycom Ltd
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ * of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+ * in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+ * to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+ * copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+ * all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+ * THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+#include <errno.h>
+
+#include "py/mpstate.h"
+#include "py/mpthread.h"
+
+#if MICROPY_PY_THREAD
+
+STATIC pthread_key_t tls_key;
+
+void mp_thread_init(void) {
+    pthread_key_create(&tls_key, NULL);
+    pthread_setspecific(tls_key, &mp_state_ctx.thread);
+}
+
+mp_state_thread_t *mp_thread_get_state(void) {
+    return (mp_state_thread_t*)pthread_getspecific(tls_key);
+}
+
+void mp_thread_set_state(void *state) {
+    pthread_setspecific(tls_key, state);
+}
+
+void mp_thread_create(void *(*entry)(void*), void *arg) {
+    pthread_t id;
+    pthread_create(&id, NULL, entry, arg);
+}
+
+#endif // MICROPY_PY_THREAD
diff --git a/unix/mpthreadport.h b/unix/mpthreadport.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c506755c16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unix/mpthreadport.h
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the MicroPython project, http://micropython.org/
+ *
+ * The MIT License (MIT)
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2016 Damien P. George on behalf of Pycom Ltd
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ * of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+ * in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+ * to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+ * copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+ * all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+ * THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+#ifndef __MICROPY_INCLUDED_UNIX_MPTHREADPORT_H__
+#define __MICROPY_INCLUDED_UNIX_MPTHREADPORT_H__
+
+#include <pthread.h>
+
+typedef pthread_mutex_t mp_thread_mutex_t;
+
+void mp_thread_init(void);
+
+#endif // __MICROPY_INCLUDED_UNIX_MPTHREADPORT_H__