diff --git a/fnlz_mlc.c b/fnlz_mlc.c
index 110439d39..2ab918a3d 100644
--- a/fnlz_mlc.c
+++ b/fnlz_mlc.c
@@ -134,9 +134,6 @@ GC_API GC_ATTR_MALLOC void * GC_CALL GC_finalized_malloc(size_t lb,
 
 # ifdef BUFFERED_FINALIZATION
 
-STATIC GC_finalization_buffer_hdr* start_buffer;
-STATIC struct GC_current_buffer cur_buffer;
-
 static void* init_finalize_thread(void *arg)
 {
     while (1) {
@@ -176,28 +173,28 @@ STATIC int GC_CALLBACK GC_push_object_to_fin_buffer(void *obj)
         return 0;
     }
 
-    if (start_buffer == NULL) {
+    if (GC_finalizer_buffer_head == NULL) {
         /* This can happen for two reasons:
          *   1) This is first time a finalizable object is unreachable and no
          *   finalization buffers have been created yet.
          *
          *   2) The buffer(s) have already passed to a finalization thread
          *   which is processing them. We must start again. */
-        start_buffer = GC_new_buffer();
-        cur_buffer.hdr = start_buffer;
-        cur_buffer.cursor = (void**) (start_buffer + 1);
+        GC_finalizer_buffer_head = GC_new_buffer();
+        GC_finalizer_buffer_current.hdr = GC_finalizer_buffer_head;
+        GC_finalizer_buffer_current.cursor = (void**) (GC_finalizer_buffer_head + 1);
     }
 
-    void** last = (void**) ((void *)cur_buffer.hdr + GC_page_size);
-    if (cur_buffer.cursor == last) {
+    void** last = (void**) ((void *)GC_finalizer_buffer_current.hdr + GC_page_size);
+    if (GC_finalizer_buffer_current.cursor == last) {
         GC_finalization_buffer_hdr* next = GC_new_buffer();
-        cur_buffer.hdr->next = next;
-        cur_buffer.hdr = next;
-        cur_buffer.cursor = (void**) (next + 1);
+        GC_finalizer_buffer_current.hdr->next = next;
+        GC_finalizer_buffer_current.hdr = next;
+        GC_finalizer_buffer_current.cursor = (void**) (next + 1);
     }
 
-    *cur_buffer.cursor = obj;
-    cur_buffer.cursor++;
+    *GC_finalizer_buffer_current.cursor = obj;
+    GC_finalizer_buffer_current.cursor++;
 
     return 1;
 }
@@ -225,8 +222,6 @@ GC_API void GC_CALL GC_init_buffered_finalization(void)
 
     GC_register_disclaim_proc_inner(GC_fin_q_kind, GC_push_object_to_fin_buffer, TRUE);
     UNLOCK();
-    pthread_t t;
-    pthread_create(&t, NULL, init_finalize_thread, NULL /* arg */);
 }
 
 void GC_finalize_buffer(GC_finalization_buffer_hdr* buffer) {
@@ -256,8 +251,8 @@ GC_API void GC_CALL GC_finalize_objects(void) {
      * collection, so the finalisation thread will always load the up-to-date
      * version of this global. */
     GC_disable();
-    GC_finalization_buffer_hdr* buffer = start_buffer;
-    start_buffer = NULL;
+    GC_finalization_buffer_hdr* buffer = GC_finalizer_buffer_head;
+    GC_finalizer_buffer_head = NULL;
     GC_enable();
 
     while(buffer != NULL)
@@ -270,6 +265,16 @@ GC_API void GC_CALL GC_finalize_objects(void) {
     }
 }
 
+GC_INNER void GC_maybe_spawn_finalize_thread()
+{
+    if (GC_finalizer_thread_exists || !GC_finalizer_buffer_head)
+        return;
+
+    pthread_t t;
+    pthread_create(&t, NULL, init_finalize_thread, NULL /* arg */);
+    GC_finalizer_thread_exists = 1;
+}
+
 # endif
 
 #endif /* ENABLE_DISCLAIM */
diff --git a/include/gc/gc_disclaim.h b/include/gc/gc_disclaim.h
index 334008106..ebc6f16d1 100644
--- a/include/gc/gc_disclaim.h
+++ b/include/gc/gc_disclaim.h
@@ -69,17 +69,6 @@ GC_API GC_ATTR_MALLOC GC_ATTR_ALLOC_SIZE(1) void * GC_CALL
             const struct GC_finalizer_closure * /* fc */) GC_ATTR_NONNULL(2);
 
 
-typedef struct GC_finalization_buffer_hdr GC_finalization_buffer_hdr;
-
-struct GC_finalization_buffer_hdr {
-    GC_finalization_buffer_hdr* next;
-};
-
-struct GC_current_buffer {
-    GC_finalization_buffer_hdr* hdr;
-    void** cursor;
-};
-
 /* This API is defined only if the library has been suitably compiled   */
 /* (i.e. with ENABLE_DISCLAIM defined).                                 */
 
diff --git a/include/private/gc_priv.h b/include/private/gc_priv.h
index 2fcabefaf..6c6b199c3 100644
--- a/include/private/gc_priv.h
+++ b/include/private/gc_priv.h
@@ -324,6 +324,23 @@ typedef unsigned int unsigned32;
 
 #include "gc/gc_inline.h"
 
+#ifdef BUFFERED_FINALIZATION
+
+typedef struct GC_finalization_buffer_hdr GC_finalization_buffer_hdr;
+
+struct GC_finalization_buffer_hdr {
+    GC_finalization_buffer_hdr* next;
+};
+
+struct GC_current_buffer {
+    GC_finalization_buffer_hdr* hdr;
+    void** cursor;
+};
+
+GC_INNER void GC_maybe_spawn_finalize_thread();
+
+#endif
+
 /*********************************/
 /*                               */
 /* Definitions for conservative  */
@@ -368,7 +385,11 @@ typedef unsigned int unsigned32;
 EXTERN_C_BEGIN
 
 #ifndef GC_NO_FINALIZATION
+#ifdef BUFFERED_FINALIZATION
+# define GC_INVOKE_FINALIZERS() GC_maybe_spawn_finalize_thread()
+#else
 # define GC_INVOKE_FINALIZERS() GC_notify_or_invoke_finalizers()
+#endif
   GC_INNER void GC_notify_or_invoke_finalizers(void);
                         /* If GC_finalize_on_demand is not set, invoke  */
                         /* eligible finalizers. Otherwise:              */
@@ -1557,8 +1578,16 @@ struct _GC_arrays {
 # ifdef ENABLE_DISCLAIM
 #   define GC_finalized_kind GC_arrays._finalized_kind
     unsigned _finalized_kind;
+# ifdef BUFFERED_FINALIZATION
 #   define GC_fin_q_kind GC_arrays._fin_q_kind
     unsigned _fin_q_kind;
+#   define GC_finalizer_buffer_head GC_arrays._fin_buffer_head
+    GC_finalization_buffer_hdr* _fin_buffer_head;
+#   define GC_finalizer_buffer_current GC_arrays._fin_buffer_current
+    struct GC_current_buffer _fin_buffer_current;
+#   define GC_finalizer_thread_exists GC_arrays._fin_thread_exists
+    int _fin_thread_exists;
+# endif
 # endif
 # define n_root_sets GC_arrays._n_root_sets
 # define GC_excl_table_entries GC_arrays._excl_table_entries
diff --git a/misc.c b/misc.c
index 6a3b589d5..61f33577d 100644
--- a/misc.c
+++ b/misc.c
@@ -2069,9 +2069,11 @@ GC_API void GC_CALL GC_enable(void)
     LOCK();
     GC_ASSERT(GC_dont_gc != 0); /* ensure no counter underflow */
     GC_dont_gc--;
+#ifndef BUFFERED_FINALIZATION
     if (!GC_dont_gc && GC_heapsize > GC_heapsize_on_gc_disable)
       WARN("Heap grown by %" WARN_PRIuPTR " KiB while GC was disabled\n",
            (GC_heapsize - GC_heapsize_on_gc_disable) >> 10);
+#endif
     UNLOCK();
 }