diff --git a/src/xitk/panel.c b/src/xitk/panel.c
--- a/src/xitk/panel.c
+++ b/src/xitk/panel.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
-
+#include <signal.h>
 #include "common.h"
 
 
@@ -360,8 +360,6 @@ static __attribute__((noreturn)) void *s
   int status, speed;
   int pos, secs;
   int i = 0;
-  
-  pthread_detach(pthread_self());
 
   while(gGui->on_quit == 0) {
 
@@ -518,6 +516,18 @@ static __attribute__((noreturn)) void *s
 }
 
 /*
+ * Check if the slider loop has ended
+ */
+void slider_loop_deinit(void) {
+  /* For reasons I don't know and I don't wanna know, the slider thread runs detached
+   * hence is not joinable. We have to poll.
+   */
+  while (pthread_kill(panel->slider_thread, 0) == 0)
+    xine_usec_sleep(10000);
+}
+
+
+/*
  * Boolean about panel visibility.
  */
 int panel_is_visible(void) {
@@ -1055,6 +1065,7 @@ void panel_add_mixer_control(void) {
 }
 
 void panel_deinit(void) {
+  slider_loop_deinit();
   if(panel_is_visible())
     _panel_toggle_visibility(NULL, NULL);
   panel_exit(NULL, NULL);
diff --git a/src/xitk/panel.h b/src/xitk/panel.h
--- a/src/xitk/panel.h
+++ b/src/xitk/panel.h
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ unsigned long panel_get_tips_timeout(voi
 
 void panel_deinit(void);
 void panel_init (void);
+void slider_loop_deinit(void);
 
 void panel_change_skins(int);