diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index e5eac44..3f70542 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@
 
 	ACTIVE_INPUT_TASK = test_user;
 	ThreadHandle* h = kmalloc(sizeof(ThreadHandle));
+	h->refcount = 1;
 	h->task = test_user;
 	h->exited = false;
 	memset(&h->lock, 0, sizeof(Mutex));
diff --git a/src/sched/process.c b/src/sched/process.c
index 280cb1a..6b26ccd 100644
--- a/src/sched/process.c
+++ b/src/sched/process.c
@@ -165,8 +165,13 @@ void process_destroy(Process* process) {
 
 		switch (type) {
 			case HANDLE_TYPE_THREAD:
-				kfree(data, sizeof(ThreadHandle));
+			{
+				ThreadHandle* h = (ThreadHandle*) data;
+				if (--h->refcount == 0) {
+					kfree(data, sizeof(ThreadHandle));
+				}
 				break;
+			}
 			case HANDLE_TYPE_DEVICE:
 				((GenericDevice*) data)->refcount -= 1;
 				break;
diff --git a/src/sched/task.h b/src/sched/task.h
index 63beebb..78f8163 100644
--- a/src/sched/task.h
+++ b/src/sched/task.h
@@ -23,8 +23,9 @@ typedef struct {
 		Task* task;
 		int status;
 	};
-	bool exited;
 	Mutex lock;
+	usize refcount;
+	bool exited;
 } ThreadHandle;
 
 typedef struct {
diff --git a/src/sys/syscalls.c b/src/sys/syscalls.c
index 74f773d..4fed49d 100644
--- a/src/sys/syscalls.c
+++ b/src/sys/syscalls.c
@@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ Handle sys_create_thread(void (*fn)(void*), void* arg) {
 		mutex_unlock(&process->threads_lock);
 		return INVALID_HANDLE;
 	}
+	handle->refcount = 1;
 
 	Task* task = arch_create_user_task(self->process, "user thread", fn, arg);
 	if (!task) {
@@ -433,8 +434,13 @@ int sys_close(Handle handle) {
 	if (handle_tab_close(&arch_get_cur_task()->process->handle_table, handle)) {
 		switch (type) {
 			case HANDLE_TYPE_THREAD:
-				kfree(data, sizeof(ThreadHandle));
+			{
+				ThreadHandle* h = (ThreadHandle*) data;
+				if (--h->refcount == 0) {
+					kfree(data, sizeof(ThreadHandle));
+				}
 				break;
+			}
 			case HANDLE_TYPE_DEVICE:
 				((GenericDevice*) data)->refcount -= 1;
 				break;
diff --git a/src/utils/handle.c b/src/utils/handle.c
index 28c59d1..3edc3ec 100644
--- a/src/utils/handle.c
+++ b/src/utils/handle.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "sys/dev.h"
 #include "fs/vfs.h"
 #include "sys/fs.h"
+#include "sched/task.h"
 
 Handle handle_tab_insert(HandleTable* self, void* data, HandleType type) {
 	mutex_lock(&self->lock);
@@ -131,9 +132,13 @@ bool handle_tab_duplicate(HandleTable* self, HandleTable* ret) {
 
 		switch (type) {
 			case HANDLE_TYPE_THREAD:
-				//kfree(data, sizeof(ThreadHandle));
-				// todo refcount
+			{
+				ThreadHandle* h = (ThreadHandle*) data;
+				if (--h->refcount == 0) {
+					kfree(data, sizeof(ThreadHandle));
+				}
 				break;
+			}
 			case HANDLE_TYPE_DEVICE:
 				((GenericDevice*) data)->refcount += 1;
 				break;