diff --git a/src/utils/thread.c b/src/utils/thread.c
index d58f74e5..93f76227 100644
--- a/src/utils/thread.c
+++ b/src/utils/thread.c
@@ -35,6 +35,15 @@ typedef struct {
 } pthread_cond_t;
 #endif  // _WIN32_WINNT >= 0x600
 
+#ifndef WINAPI_FAMILY_PARTITION
+#define WINAPI_PARTITION_DESKTOP 1
+#define WINAPI_FAMILY_PARTITION(x) x
+#endif
+
+#if !WINAPI_FAMILY_PARTITION(WINAPI_PARTITION_DESKTOP)
+#define USE_CREATE_THREAD
+#endif
+
 #else  // !_WIN32
 
 #include <pthread.h>
@@ -66,12 +75,21 @@ struct WebPWorkerImpl {
 static int pthread_create(pthread_t* const thread, const void* attr,
                           unsigned int (__stdcall *start)(void*), void* arg) {
   (void)attr;
+#ifdef USE_CREATE_THREAD
+  *thread = CreateThread(NULL,   /* lpThreadAttributes */
+                         0,      /* dwStackSize */
+                         start,
+                         arg,
+                         0,      /* dwStackSize */
+                         NULL);  /* lpThreadId */
+#else
   *thread = (pthread_t)_beginthreadex(NULL,   /* void *security */
                                       0,      /* unsigned stack_size */
                                       start,
                                       arg,
                                       0,      /* unsigned initflag */
                                       NULL);  /* unsigned *thrdaddr */
+#endif
   if (*thread == NULL) return 1;
   SetThreadPriority(*thread, THREAD_PRIORITY_ABOVE_NORMAL);
   return 0;