diff --git a/lib/curl_setup.h b/lib/curl_setup.h
index 01f91c0223..8381324aa2 100644
--- a/lib/curl_setup.h
+++ b/lib/curl_setup.h
@@ -643,9 +643,11 @@
 #if defined(CURL_WINDOWS_UWP) || defined(UNDER_CE)
 #define CURL_THREAD_RETURN_T DWORD
 typedef HANDLE curl_win_thread_handle_t;
+#define CURL_WIN_BEGINTHREAD CreateThread
 #else
 #define CURL_THREAD_RETURN_T unsigned int
 typedef uintptr_t curl_win_thread_handle_t;
+#define CURL_WIN_BEGINTHREAD _beginthreadex
 #endif
 
 /*
diff --git a/lib/curl_threads.c b/lib/curl_threads.c
index 6fef025182..cc91f68bc3 100644
--- a/lib/curl_threads.c
+++ b/lib/curl_threads.c
@@ -135,11 +135,7 @@ curl_thread_t Curl_thread_create(CURL_THREAD_RETURN_T
 {
   curl_thread_t t;
   curl_win_thread_handle_t thread_handle;
-#if defined(CURL_WINDOWS_UWP) || defined(UNDER_CE)
-  thread_handle = CreateThread(NULL, 0, func, arg, 0, NULL);
-#else
-  thread_handle = _beginthreadex(NULL, 0, func, arg, 0, NULL);
-#endif
+  thread_handle = CURL_WIN_BEGINTHREAD(NULL, 0, func, arg, 0, NULL);
   t = (curl_thread_t)thread_handle;
   if((t == 0) || (t == LongToHandle(-1L))) {
 #ifdef UNDER_CE
diff --git a/tests/libtest/lib3026.c b/tests/libtest/lib3026.c
index 3e95ebec19..92d637aa7c 100644
--- a/tests/libtest/lib3026.c
+++ b/tests/libtest/lib3026.c
@@ -58,11 +58,7 @@ static CURLcode test_lib3026(const char *URL)
   for(i = 0; i < tid_count; i++) {
     curl_win_thread_handle_t th;
     results[i] = CURL_LAST; /* initialize with invalid value */
-#if defined(CURL_WINDOWS_UWP) || defined(UNDER_CE)
-    th = CreateThread(NULL, 0, t3026_run_thread, &results[i], 0, NULL);
-#else
-    th = _beginthreadex(NULL, 0, t3026_run_thread, &results[i], 0, NULL);
-#endif
+    th = CURL_WIN_BEGINTHREAD(NULL, 0, t3026_run_thread, &results[i], 0, NULL);
     if(!th) {
       curl_mfprintf(stderr, "%s:%d Couldn't create thread, errno %lu\n",
                     __FILE__, __LINE__, GetLastError());
diff --git a/tests/server/sockfilt.c b/tests/server/sockfilt.c
index 7867b66d59..a16f032e04 100644
--- a/tests/server/sockfilt.c
+++ b/tests/server/sockfilt.c
@@ -568,7 +568,8 @@ static HANDLE select_ws_wait(HANDLE handle, HANDLE signal, HANDLE abort)
     data->abort = abort;
 
     /* launch waiting thread */
-    thread = _beginthreadex(NULL, 0, &select_ws_wait_thread, data, 0, NULL);
+    thread = CURL_WIN_BEGINTHREAD(NULL, 0, &select_ws_wait_thread, data, 0,
+                                  NULL);
 
     /* free data if thread failed to launch */
     if(!thread) {
diff --git a/tests/server/util.c b/tests/server/util.c
index f35f6fa4fb..72e91f9f8d 100644
--- a/tests/server/util.c
+++ b/tests/server/util.c
@@ -625,8 +625,9 @@ void install_signal_handlers(bool keep_sigalrm)
 #if !defined(CURL_WINDOWS_UWP) && !defined(UNDER_CE)
   {
     curl_win_thread_handle_t thread;
-    thread = _beginthreadex(NULL, 0, &main_window_loop,
-                            (void *)GetModuleHandle(NULL), 0, &thread_main_id);
+    thread = CURL_WIN_BEGINTHREAD(NULL, 0, &main_window_loop,
+                                  (void *)GetModuleHandle(NULL), 0,
+                                  &thread_main_id);
     thread_main_window = (HANDLE)thread;
     if(!thread_main_window || !thread_main_id)
       logmsg("cannot start main window loop");