diff --git a/lib/Threading/Thread.php b/lib/Threading/Thread.php
index d0bd962..c50a529 100644
--- a/lib/Threading/Thread.php
+++ b/lib/Threading/Thread.php
@@ -143,19 +143,21 @@ class Thread implements Strand {
 
         list($channel, $this->socket) = $sockets;
 
-        $this->thread = $thread = new Internal\Thread($this->socket, $this->function, $this->args);
+        $this->thread = new Internal\Thread($this->socket, $this->function, $this->args);
 
         if (!$this->thread->start(PTHREADS_INHERIT_INI)) {
             throw new ContextException('Failed to start the thread.');
         }
 
-        $this->channel = $channel = new ChannelledSocket($channel, $channel);
+        $this->channel = new ChannelledSocket($channel, $channel);
 
-        $this->watcher = Loop::repeat(self::EXIT_CHECK_FREQUENCY, static function () use ($thread, $channel) {
-            if (!$thread->isRunning()) {
-                $channel->close();
+        $this->watcher = Loop::repeat(self::EXIT_CHECK_FREQUENCY, function () {
+            if (!$this->thread->isRunning()) {
+                $this->channel->close();
             }
         });
+
+        Loop::disable($this->watcher);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -200,6 +202,7 @@ class Thread implements Strand {
      *
      * @throws StatusError Thrown if the context has not been started.
      * @throws SynchronizationError Thrown if an exit status object is not received.
+     * @throws ContextException If the context stops responding.
      */
     public function join(): Promise {
         if ($this->channel == null || $this->thread === null) {
@@ -214,9 +217,12 @@ class Thread implements Strand {
      *
      * @return \Generator
      *
-     * @throws \Amp\Parallel\SynchronizationError If the thread does not send an exit status.
+     * @throws SynchronizationError If the thread does not send an exit status.
+     * @throws ContextException If the context stops responding.
      */
     private function doJoin(): \Generator {
+        Loop::enable($this->watcher);
+
         try {
             $response = yield $this->channel->receive();
 
@@ -232,6 +238,7 @@ class Thread implements Strand {
             $this->kill();
             throw $exception;
         } finally {
+            Loop::disable($this->watcher);
             $this->close();
         }
 
@@ -250,12 +257,16 @@ class Thread implements Strand {
     }
 
     private function doReceive() {
+        Loop::enable($this->watcher);
+
         try {
             $data = yield $this->channel->receive();
         } catch (ChannelException $exception) {
             throw new ContextException(
                 "The context stopped responding, potentially due to a fatal error or calling exit", 0, $exception
             );
+        } finally {
+            Loop::disable($this->watcher);
         }
 
         if ($data instanceof ExitResult) {