diff --git a/Include/regions.h b/Include/regions.h
index 52a7ec3e9d15a5..1cfc49ce0984b6 100644
--- a/Include/regions.h
+++ b/Include/regions.h
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ PyAPI_FUNC(int) _Py_IsLocal(PyObject *op);
 PyAPI_FUNC(int) _Py_IsCown(PyObject *op);
 #define Py_IsCown(op) _Py_IsCown(_PyObject_CAST(op))
 
+int Py_is_invariant_enabled(void);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_using.py b/Lib/test/test_using.py
index ef005b34c4a2a6..8a1fd9a74a7b5b 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_using.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_using.py
@@ -166,3 +166,25 @@ def _():
             result = c.get().value.value
         if result != 200:
             self.fail()
+
+    def test_thread_creation(self):
+        from using import PyronaThread as T
+
+        class Mutable: pass
+        self.assertRaises(RuntimeError, lambda x: T(target=print, args=(Mutable(),)), None)
+        self.assertRaises(RuntimeError, lambda x: T(target=print, kwargs={'a' : Mutable()}), None)
+        self.assertRaises(RuntimeError, lambda x: T(target=print, args=(Mutable(),), kwargs={'a' : Mutable()}), None)
+        self.assertRaises(RuntimeError, lambda x: T(target=print, args=(Mutable(), 42)), None)
+        self.assertRaises(RuntimeError, lambda x: T(target=print, args=(Mutable(), Cown())), None)
+        self.assertRaises(RuntimeError, lambda x: T(target=print, args=(Mutable(), Region())), None)
+
+        T(target=print, kwargs={'imm' : 42, 'cown' : Cown(), 'region' : Region()})
+        T(target=print, kwargs={'a': 42})
+        T(target=print, kwargs={'a': Cown()})
+        T(target=print, kwargs={'a': Region()})
+
+        T(target=print, args=(42, Cown(), Region()))
+        T(target=print, args=(42,))
+        T(target=print, args=(Cown(),))
+        T(target=print, args=(Region(),))
+        self.assertTrue(True) # To make sure we got here correctly
diff --git a/Lib/using.py b/Lib/using.py
index 30ae93a3bbb1cf..aafc4e30b1e343 100644
--- a/Lib/using.py
+++ b/Lib/using.py
@@ -45,3 +45,58 @@ def decorator(func):
         with CS(cowns, *args):
             return func()
     return decorator
+
+# TODO: this creates a normal Python thread and ensures that all its
+# arguments are moved to the new thread. Eventually we should revisit
+# this behaviour as we go multiple interpreters / multicore.
+# TODO: require RC to be one less when move is upstreamed
+def PyronaThread(group=None, target=None, name=None,
+                 args=(), kwargs=None, *, daemon=None):
+    # Only check when a program uses pyrona
+    from sys import getrefcount as rc
+    from threading import Thread
+    # TODO: improve this check for final version of phase 3
+    # - Revisit the rc checks
+    # - Consider throwing a different kind of error (e.g. RegionError)
+    # - Improve error messages
+    def ok_share(o):
+        if isimmutable(o):
+            return True
+        if isinstance(o, Cown):
+            return True
+        return False
+    def ok_move(o):
+        if isinstance(o, Region):
+            if rc(o) != 5:
+                # rc = 4 because:
+                # 1. ref to o in rc
+                # 2. ref to o on this frame (ok_move)
+                # 3. ref to o on the calling frame (check)
+                # 4. ref to o from iteration over kwargs dictionary or args tuple/list
+                # 5. ref to o from kwargs dictionary or args tuple/list
+                raise RuntimeError("Region passed to thread was not moved into thread")
+            if o.is_open():
+                raise RuntimeError("Region passed to thread was open")
+            return True
+        return False
+
+    def check(a, args):
+      # rc(args) == 4 because we need to know that the args list is moved into the thread too
+      # rc = 4 because:
+      # 1. ref to args in rc
+      # 2. ref to args on this frame
+      # 3. ref to args on the calling framedef check(a, args):
+      # 4. ref from frame calling PyronaThread -- FIXME: not valid; revisit after #45
+      if not (ok_share(a) or (ok_move(a) and rc(args) == 4)):
+        raise RuntimeError("Thread was passed an object which was neither immutable, a cown, or a unique region")
+
+    if kwargs is None:
+        for a in args:
+            check(a, args)
+        return Thread(group, target, name, args, daemon)
+    else:
+        for k in kwargs:
+            # Important to get matching RCs in both paths
+            v = kwargs[k]
+            check(v, kwargs)
+        return Thread(group, target, name, kwargs, daemon)
diff --git a/Objects/regions.c b/Objects/regions.c
index 7f138973965bd3..6cf0ad06a6814e 100644
--- a/Objects/regions.c
+++ b/Objects/regions.c
@@ -50,6 +50,12 @@ static void _PyErr_Region(PyObject *src, PyObject *tgt, const char *msg);
  * Global status for performing the region check.
  */
 bool invariant_do_region_check = false;
+/**
+ * TODO: revisit the definition of this builting function
+ */
+int Py_is_invariant_enabled(void) {
+    return invariant_do_region_check;
+}
 
 // The src object for an edge that invalidated the invariant.
 PyObject* invariant_error_src = Py_None;