diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ec6f61b..32ea983 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@ BIN := kexp.bin
 SRC_DIR := src
 BUILD_DIR := build
 
+KEXP_NO_PTHREADS ?= 0
 CFLAGS := -O3 -Iinclude \
 		-fPIE -fcommon -fno-omit-frame-pointer -fno-zero-initialized-in-bss \
 		-ffreestanding -nostdlib -nostartfiles \
-	    -Wall -Wextra -Werror -Wno-int-conversion
+	    -Wall -Wextra -Werror -Wno-int-conversion \
+		-DKEXP_NO_PTHREADS=$(KEXP_NO_PTHREADS)
 
 SRCS := $(wildcard $(SRC_DIR)/*.c)
 OBJS := $(patsubst $(SRC_DIR)/%.c,$(BUILD_DIR)/%.o,$(SRCS)) $(BUILD_DIR)/syscalls.o
@@ -22,7 +24,7 @@ $(BUILD_DIR)/%.o: $(SRC_DIR)/%.c
 
 $(BUILD_DIR)/%.o: $(SRC_DIR)/%.S
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
-	
+
 $(BUILD_DIR)/$(BIN): $(OBJS) script.ld
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -Tscript.ld $(OBJS) -o $@
 
diff --git a/src/loader.c b/src/loader.c
index 9a8ecc2..c572114 100644
--- a/src/loader.c
+++ b/src/loader.c
@@ -251,6 +251,12 @@ int init_loader_args() {
 }
 
 int run_loader() {
+
+#if defined(KEXP_NO_PTHREADS) && KEXP_NO_PTHREADS == 1
+  log("calling elfldr entry directly @ %#lx", loader_ctx.entry);
+  int (*entry)(void *) = (int (*)(void *))loader_ctx.entry;
+  entry((void *)&loader_ctx.args);
+# else
   uintptr_t pthread;
   uint32_t pthread_id;
 
@@ -267,6 +273,7 @@ int run_loader() {
     notify("failed to join thread !!");
     return -1;
   }
+#endif
 
   notify("elfldr returned %#lx !!", *(uint64_t *)loader_ctx.args.ret);