--- a/lib/util/pthread_create_blocking_np.c
+++ b/lib/util/pthread_create_blocking_np.c
@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ struct wrapped_cookie {
 	int rc_sync;		/* non-zero if synchronization failed. */
 };
 
+#ifdef __ANDROID__
+static void
+thread_signal_handler(int signum)
+{
+	pthread_exit(0);
+}
+#endif
+
 /* Routine which is executed by pthread_create(). */
 static void *
 wrapped_thread(void * cookie)
@@ -27,6 +35,15 @@ wrapped_thread(void * cookie)
 	void * arg;
 	int rc;
 
+#ifdef __ANDROID__
+	struct sigaction actions;
+	memset(&actions, 0, sizeof(actions));
+	sigemptyset(&actions.sa_mask);
+	actions.sa_flags = 0;
+	actions.sa_handler = thread_signal_handler;
+	sigaction(SIGUSR2, &actions, NULL);
+#endif
+
 	/*
 	 * Copy the user-supplied parameters, because U will not be valid
 	 * after we signal the parent thread that we have started running.
@@ -148,7 +165,11 @@ err5:
 	 */
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&U->mutex);
 err4:
+#ifndef __ANDROID__
 	pthread_cancel(*thread);
+#else
+	pthread_kill(*thread, SIGUSR2);
+#endif
 	pthread_join(*thread, NULL);
 err3:
 	pthread_cond_destroy(&U->cond);
--- a/spipe/main.c
+++ b/spipe/main.c
@@ -71,7 +71,11 @@ callback_graceful_shutdown(void * cookie
 
 	/* Cancel the threads. */
 	for (i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
+#ifndef __ANDROID__
 		if ((rc = pthread_cancel(ET->threads[i])) != 0) {
+#else
+		if ((rc = pthread_kill(ET->threads[i], SIGUSR2)) != 0) {
+#endif
 			/*
 			 * According to the POSIX standard, a Thread ID should
 			 * still be valid after pthread_exit has been invoked
@@ -310,12 +314,20 @@ main(int argc, char * argv[])
 	exit(0);
 
 err6:
+#ifndef __ANDROID__
 	if ((rc = pthread_cancel(ET.threads[0])) != 0)
+#else
+	if ((rc = pthread_kill(ET.threads[0], SIGUSR2)) != 0)
+#endif
 		warn0("pthread_cancel: %s", strerror(rc));
 	if ((rc = pthread_join(ET.threads[0], NULL)) != 0)
 		warn0("pthread_join: %s", strerror(rc));
 err5:
+#ifndef __ANDROID__
 	if ((rc = pthread_cancel(ET.threads[1])) != 0)
+#else
+	if ((rc = pthread_kill(ET.threads[1], SIGUSR2)) != 0)
+#endif
 		warn0("pthread_cancel: %s", strerror(rc));
 	if ((rc = pthread_join(ET.threads[1], NULL)) != 0)
 		warn0("pthread_join: %s", strerror(rc));