diff --git a/lib/libkse/thread/thr_join.c b/lib/libkse/thread/thr_join.c
index 1a3452e6e374..554c5c6099a8 100644
--- a/lib/libkse/thread/thr_join.c
+++ b/lib/libkse/thread/thr_join.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ _pthread_join(pthread_t pthread, void **thread_return)
 		THR_SCHED_UNLOCK(curthread, pthread);
 		/* Remove the reference and return an error: */
 		_thr_ref_delete(curthread, pthread);
-		ret = ESRCH;
+		ret = EINVAL;
 	} else {
 		/* Lock the target thread while checking its state. */
 		if (pthread->state == PS_DEAD) {
diff --git a/lib/libpthread/thread/thr_join.c b/lib/libpthread/thread/thr_join.c
index 1a3452e6e374..554c5c6099a8 100644
--- a/lib/libpthread/thread/thr_join.c
+++ b/lib/libpthread/thread/thr_join.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ _pthread_join(pthread_t pthread, void **thread_return)
 		THR_SCHED_UNLOCK(curthread, pthread);
 		/* Remove the reference and return an error: */
 		_thr_ref_delete(curthread, pthread);
-		ret = ESRCH;
+		ret = EINVAL;
 	} else {
 		/* Lock the target thread while checking its state. */
 		if (pthread->state == PS_DEAD) {
diff --git a/lib/libthr/thread/thr_join.c b/lib/libthr/thread/thr_join.c
index 92a3b6222e69..139c74c7925c 100644
--- a/lib/libthr/thread/thr_join.c
+++ b/lib/libthr/thread/thr_join.c
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ join_common(pthread_t pthread, void **thread_return,
 	if ((ret = _thr_find_thread(curthread, pthread, 1)) != 0) {
 		ret = ESRCH;
 	} else if ((pthread->tlflags & TLFLAGS_DETACHED) != 0) {
-		ret = ESRCH;
+		ret = EINVAL;
 	} else if (pthread->joiner != NULL) {
 		/* Multiple joiners are not supported. */
 		ret = ENOTSUP;