diff --git a/server/request.c b/server/request.c
index 62b15e9a4c..fa9ccc7767 100644
--- a/server/request.c
+++ b/server/request.c
@@ -76,23 +76,13 @@ static void call_req_handler( struct thread *thread, enum request req, int fd )
     if (req < REQ_NB_REQUESTS)
     {
         req_handlers[req].handler( current->buffer, fd );
-        if (current && current->state != SLEEPING) send_reply( current );
+        if (current && !current->wait) send_reply( current );
         current = NULL;
         return;
     }
     fatal_protocol_error( current, "bad request %d\n", req );
 }
 
-/* handle a client timeout */
-void call_timeout_handler( void *thread )
-{
-    current = (struct thread *)thread;
-    if (debug_level) trace_timeout();
-    clear_error();
-    thread_timeout();
-    current = NULL;
-}
-
 /* set the fd to pass to the thread */
 void set_reply_fd( struct thread *thread, int pass_fd )
 {
@@ -103,7 +93,7 @@ void set_reply_fd( struct thread *thread, int pass_fd )
 /* send a reply to a thread */
 void send_reply( struct thread *thread )
 {
-    if (thread->state == SLEEPING) thread->state = RUNNING;
+    assert( !thread->wait );
     if (debug_level) trace_reply( thread );
     if (!write_request( thread )) set_select_events( &thread->obj, POLLOUT );
 }
diff --git a/server/request.h b/server/request.h
index 766b9247b5..da50d444e4 100644
--- a/server/request.h
+++ b/server/request.h
@@ -29,12 +29,10 @@
 extern void read_request( struct thread *thread );
 extern int write_request( struct thread *thread );
 extern void fatal_protocol_error( struct thread *thread, const char *err, ... );
-extern void call_timeout_handler( void *thread );
 extern void set_reply_fd( struct thread *thread, int pass_fd );
 extern void send_reply( struct thread *thread );
 
 extern void trace_request( enum request req, int fd );
-extern void trace_timeout(void);
 extern void trace_kill( struct thread *thread );
 extern void trace_reply( struct thread *thread );
 
diff --git a/server/thread.c b/server/thread.c
index baaff4c255..39cd5cfd76 100644
--- a/server/thread.c
+++ b/server/thread.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ struct thread_wait
     int                     flags;
     struct timeval          timeout;
     struct timeout_user    *user;
+    sleep_reply             reply;      /* function to build the reply */
     struct wait_queue_entry queues[1];
 };
 
@@ -117,8 +118,6 @@ static struct thread *create_thread( int fd, struct process *process, int suspen
     thread->teb         = NULL;
     thread->mutex       = NULL;
     thread->debug_ctx   = NULL;
-    thread->debug_event = NULL;
-    thread->exit_event  = NULL;
     thread->wait        = NULL;
     thread->apc         = NULL;
     thread->apc_count   = 0;
@@ -330,24 +329,19 @@ static void end_wait( struct thread *thread )
 }
 
 /* build the thread wait structure */
-static int wait_on( struct thread *thread, int count,
-                    int *handles, int flags, int timeout )
+static int wait_on( int count, struct object *objects[], int flags,
+                    int timeout, sleep_reply func )
 {
     struct thread_wait *wait;
     struct wait_queue_entry *entry;
-    struct object *obj;
     int i;
 
-    if ((count < 0) || (count > MAXIMUM_WAIT_OBJECTS))
-    {
-        set_error( ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER );
-        return 0;
-    }
     if (!(wait = mem_alloc( sizeof(*wait) + (count-1) * sizeof(*entry) ))) return 0;
-    thread->wait  = wait;
+    current->wait = wait;
     wait->count   = count;
     wait->flags   = flags;
     wait->user    = NULL;
+    wait->reply   = func;
     if (flags & SELECT_TIMEOUT)
     {
         gettimeofday( &wait->timeout, 0 );
@@ -356,33 +350,27 @@ static int wait_on( struct thread *thread, int count,
 
     for (i = 0, entry = wait->queues; i < count; i++, entry++)
     {
-        if (!(obj = get_handle_obj( thread->process, handles[i],
-                                    SYNCHRONIZE, NULL )))
-        {
-            wait->count = i - 1;
-            end_wait( thread );
-            return 0;
-        }
-        entry->thread = thread;
+        struct object *obj = objects[i];
+        entry->thread = current;
         if (!obj->ops->add_queue( obj, entry ))
         {
-            wait->count = i - 1;
-            end_wait( thread );
+            wait->count = i;
+            end_wait( current );
             return 0;
         }
-        release_object( obj );
     }
     return 1;
 }
 
 /* check if the thread waiting condition is satisfied */
-static int check_wait( struct thread *thread, int *signaled )
+static int check_wait( struct thread *thread, struct object **object )
 {
-    int i;
+    int i, signaled;
     struct thread_wait *wait = thread->wait;
     struct wait_queue_entry *entry = wait->queues;
 
     assert( wait );
+    *object = NULL;
     if (wait->flags & SELECT_ALL)
     {
         int not_ok = 0;
@@ -392,11 +380,11 @@ static int check_wait( struct thread *thread, int *signaled )
             not_ok |= !entry->obj->ops->signaled( entry->obj, thread );
         if (not_ok) goto other_checks;
         /* Wait satisfied: tell it to all objects */
-        *signaled = 0;
+        signaled = 0;
         for (i = 0, entry = wait->queues; i < wait->count; i++, entry++)
             if (entry->obj->ops->satisfied( entry->obj, thread ))
-                *signaled = STATUS_ABANDONED_WAIT_0;
-        return 1;
+                signaled = STATUS_ABANDONED_WAIT_0;
+        return signaled;
     }
     else
     {
@@ -404,75 +392,97 @@ static int check_wait( struct thread *thread, int *signaled )
         {
             if (!entry->obj->ops->signaled( entry->obj, thread )) continue;
             /* Wait satisfied: tell it to the object */
-            *signaled = i;
+            signaled = i;
+            *object = entry->obj;
             if (entry->obj->ops->satisfied( entry->obj, thread ))
-                *signaled = i + STATUS_ABANDONED_WAIT_0;
-            return 1;
+                signaled = i + STATUS_ABANDONED_WAIT_0;
+            return signaled;
         }
     }
 
  other_checks:
-    if ((wait->flags & SELECT_ALERTABLE) && thread->apc)
-    {
-        *signaled = STATUS_USER_APC;
-        return 1;
-    }
+    if ((wait->flags & SELECT_ALERTABLE) && thread->apc) return STATUS_USER_APC;
     if (wait->flags & SELECT_TIMEOUT)
     {
         struct timeval now;
         gettimeofday( &now, NULL );
-        if (!time_before( &now, &wait->timeout ))
-        {
-            *signaled = STATUS_TIMEOUT;
-            return 1;
-        }
+        if (!time_before( &now, &wait->timeout )) return STATUS_TIMEOUT;
     }
-    return 0;
+    return -1;
+}
+
+/* build a reply to the select request */
+static void build_select_reply( struct thread *thread, struct object *obj, int signaled )
+{
+    struct select_request *req = get_req_ptr( thread );
+    req->signaled = signaled;
 }
 
 /* attempt to wake up a thread */
 /* return 1 if OK, 0 if the wait condition is still not satisfied */
 static int wake_thread( struct thread *thread )
 {
-    struct select_request *req = get_req_ptr( thread );
-
-    if (!check_wait( thread, &req->signaled )) return 0;
+    int signaled;
+    struct object *object;
+    if ((signaled = check_wait( thread, &object )) == -1) return 0;
+    thread->error = 0;
+    thread->wait->reply( thread, object, signaled );
     end_wait( thread );
     return 1;
 }
 
-/* sleep on a list of objects */
-static void sleep_on( struct thread *thread, int count, int *handles, int flags, int timeout )
+/* thread wait timeout */
+static void thread_timeout( void *ptr )
 {
-    struct select_request *req;
-    assert( !thread->wait );
-    if (!wait_on( thread, count, handles, flags, timeout )) goto error;
-    if (wake_thread( thread )) return;
+    struct thread *thread = ptr;
+    if (debug_level) fprintf( stderr, "%08x: *timeout*\n", (unsigned int)thread );
+    assert( thread->wait );
+    thread->error = 0;
+    thread->wait->user = NULL;
+    thread->wait->reply( thread, NULL, STATUS_TIMEOUT );
+    end_wait( thread );
+    send_reply( thread );
+}
+
+/* sleep on a list of objects */
+int sleep_on( int count, struct object *objects[], int flags, int timeout, sleep_reply func )
+{
+    assert( !current->wait );
+    if (!wait_on( count, objects, flags, timeout, func )) return 0;
+    if (wake_thread( current )) return 1;
     /* now we need to wait */
     if (flags & SELECT_TIMEOUT)
     {
-        if (!(thread->wait->user = add_timeout_user( &thread->wait->timeout,
-                                                     call_timeout_handler, thread )))
-            goto error;
+        if (!(current->wait->user = add_timeout_user( &current->wait->timeout,
+                                                      thread_timeout, current )))
+        {
+            end_wait( current );
+            return 0;
+        }
     }
-    thread->state = SLEEPING;
-    return;
-
- error:
-    req = get_req_ptr( thread );
-    req->signaled = -1;
+    return 1;
 }
 
-/* timeout for the current thread */
-void thread_timeout(void)
+/* select on a list of handles */
+static int select_on( int count, int *handles, int flags, int timeout )
 {
-    struct select_request *req = get_req_ptr( current );
+    int ret = 0;
+    int i;
+    struct object *objects[MAXIMUM_WAIT_OBJECTS];
 
-    assert( current->wait );
-    current->wait->user = NULL;
-    end_wait( current );
-    req->signaled = STATUS_TIMEOUT;
-    send_reply( current );
+    if ((count < 0) || (count > MAXIMUM_WAIT_OBJECTS))
+    {
+        set_error( ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER );
+        return 0;
+    }
+    for (i = 0; i < count; i++)
+    {
+        if (!(objects[i] = get_handle_obj( current->process, handles[i], SYNCHRONIZE, NULL )))
+            break;
+    }
+    if (i == count) ret = sleep_on( count, objects, flags, timeout, build_select_reply );
+    while (--i >= 0) release_object( objects[i] );
+    return ret;
 }
 
 /* attempt to wake threads sleeping on the object wait queue */
@@ -642,7 +652,8 @@ DECL_HANDLER(resume_thread)
 /* select on a handle list */
 DECL_HANDLER(select)
 {
-    sleep_on( current, req->count, req->handles, req->flags, req->timeout );
+    if (!select_on( req->count, req->handles, req->flags, req->timeout ))
+        req->signaled = -1;
 }
 
 /* queue an APC for a thread */
diff --git a/server/thread.h b/server/thread.h
index f847fc4981..c19b9d40ff 100644
--- a/server/thread.h
+++ b/server/thread.h
@@ -20,12 +20,10 @@ struct thread_wait;
 struct thread_apc;
 struct mutex;
 struct debug_ctx;
-struct debug_event;
 
 enum run_state
 {
     RUNNING,    /* running normally */
-    SLEEPING,   /* sleeping waiting for a request to terminate */
     TERMINATED  /* terminated */
 };
 
@@ -40,8 +38,6 @@ struct thread
     struct process     *process;
     struct mutex       *mutex;       /* list of currently owned mutexes */
     struct debug_ctx   *debug_ctx;   /* debugger context if this thread is a debugger */
-    struct debug_event *debug_event; /* pending debug event for this thread */
-    struct debug_event *exit_event;  /* pending debug exit event for this thread */
     struct thread_wait *wait;      /* current wait condition if sleeping */
     struct thread_apc  *apc;       /* list of async procedure calls */
     int                 apc_count; /* number of outstanding APCs */
@@ -59,6 +55,9 @@ struct thread
     enum request        last_req;  /* last request received (for debugging) */
 };
 
+/* callback function for building the thread reply when sleep_on is finished */
+typedef void (*sleep_reply)( struct thread *thread, struct object *obj, int signaled );
+
 extern struct thread *current;
 
 /* thread functions */
@@ -74,8 +73,9 @@ extern void resume_all_threads( void );
 extern int add_queue( struct object *obj, struct wait_queue_entry *entry );
 extern void remove_queue( struct object *obj, struct wait_queue_entry *entry );
 extern void kill_thread( struct thread *thread, int exit_code );
-extern void thread_timeout(void);
 extern void wake_up( struct object *obj, int max );
+extern int sleep_on( int count, struct object *objects[], int flags,
+                     int timeout, sleep_reply func );
 
 /* ptrace functions */
 
diff --git a/server/trace.c b/server/trace.c
index c9643e9452..36d7c0f059 100644
--- a/server/trace.c
+++ b/server/trace.c
@@ -1336,11 +1336,6 @@ void trace_request( enum request req, int fd )
     else fprintf( stderr, " )\n" );
 }
 
-void trace_timeout(void)
-{
-    fprintf( stderr, "%08x: *timeout*\n", (unsigned int)current );
-}
-
 void trace_kill( struct thread *thread )
 {
     fprintf( stderr,"%08x: *killed* exit_code=%d\n",