diff --git a/php_threads.go b/php_threads.go
index 6282b19f2..6233adf1c 100644
--- a/php_threads.go
+++ b/php_threads.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func initPHPThreads(numThreads int) error {
 	shutdownWG.Add(len(phpThreads))
 	for _, thread := range phpThreads {
 		thread.setInactive()
-		if !C.frankenphp_new_php_thread(C.uintptr_t(thread.threadIndex)) {
+		if !bool(C.frankenphp_new_php_thread(C.uintptr_t(thread.threadIndex))) {
 			panic(fmt.Sprintf("unable to create thread %d", thread.threadIndex))
 		}
 	}