diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/mm/pkey_sighandler_tests.c b/tools/testing/selftests/mm/pkey_sighandler_tests.c
index 8f98e6d9349f..cbc24d6cf770 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/mm/pkey_sighandler_tests.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/mm/pkey_sighandler_tests.c
@@ -220,7 +220,11 @@ static void test_sigsegv_handler_with_pkey0_disabled(void)
 	pthread_attr_init(&attr);
 	pthread_attr_setdetachstate(&attr, PTHREAD_CREATE_DETACHED);
 
-	pthread_create(&thr, &attr, thread_segv_with_pkey0_disabled, NULL);
+	ret = pthread_create(&thr, &attr, thread_segv_with_pkey0_disabled, NULL);
+	if (ret) {
+		errno = ret;
+		pkey_assert(0);
+	}
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
 	while (siginfo.si_signo == 0)
@@ -259,7 +263,11 @@ static void test_sigsegv_handler_cannot_access_stack(void)
 	pthread_attr_init(&attr);
 	pthread_attr_setdetachstate(&attr, PTHREAD_CREATE_DETACHED);
 
-	pthread_create(&thr, &attr, thread_segv_pkuerr_stack, NULL);
+	ret = pthread_create(&thr, &attr, thread_segv_pkuerr_stack, NULL);
+	if (ret) {
+		errno = ret;
+		pkey_assert(0);
+	}
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
 	while (siginfo.si_signo == 0)