diff --git a/source/lib/res/tex.cpp b/source/lib/res/tex.cpp
index 44ba3cab9b..4fd9c2ddb7 100755
--- a/source/lib/res/tex.cpp
+++ b/source/lib/res/tex.cpp
@@ -518,8 +518,8 @@ static int dds_encode(TexInfo* UNUSED(t), const char* UNUSED(fn), u8* UNUSED(img
 
 enum TgaImgType
 {
-	TGA_TRUE_COLOR = 2,		// uncompressed 24 or 32 bit direct RGB
-	TGA_GREY       = 3		// uncompressed 8 bit direct greyscale
+	TGA_TRUE_COLOUR = 2,	// uncompressed 24 or 32 bit direct RGB
+	TGA_GREY        = 3		// uncompressed 8 bit direct greyscale
 };
 
 enum TgaImgDesc
@@ -532,9 +532,9 @@ enum TgaImgDesc
 typedef struct
 {
 	u8 img_id_len;			// 0 - no image identifier present
-	u8 color_map_type;		// 0 - no color map present
+	u8 colour_map_type;		// 0 - no colour map present
 	u8 img_type;			// see TgaImgType
-	u8 color_map[5];		// unused
+	u8 colour_map[5];		// unused
 
 	u16 x_origin;			// unused
 	u16 y_origin;			// unused
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ typedef struct
 }
 TgaHeader;
 
-// TGA file: header [img id] [color map] image data
+// TGA file: header [img id] [colour map] image data
 
 
 #pragma pack(pop)
@@ -561,12 +561,12 @@ static inline bool tga_fmt(const u8* ptr, size_t size)
 
 	TgaHeader* hdr = (TgaHeader*)ptr;
 
-	// not direct color
-	if(hdr->color_map_type != 0)
+	// not direct colour
+	if(hdr->colour_map_type != 0)
 		return false;
 
-	// wrong color type (not uncompressed greyscale or RGB)
-	if(hdr->img_type != TGA_TRUE_COLOR && hdr->img_type != TGA_GREY)
+	// wrong colour type (not uncompressed greyscale or RGB)
+	if(hdr->img_type != TGA_TRUE_COLOUR && hdr->img_type != TGA_GREY)
 		return false;
 
 	return true;
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ static inline bool tga_ext(const char* ext)
 }
 
 
-// requirements: uncompressed, direct color, bottom up
+// requirements: uncompressed, direct colour, bottom up
 static int tga_decode(TexInfo* t, const char* fn, u8* file, size_t file_size)
 {
 	const char* err = 0;
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ fail:
 		flags |= TEX_ALPHA;
 	if(bpp == 8)
 		flags |= TEX_GREY;
-	if(type == TGA_TRUE_COLOR)
+	if(type == TGA_TRUE_COLOUR)
 		flags |= TEX_BGR;
 
 	// storing right-to-left is just stupid;
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ static int tga_encode(TexInfo* t, const char* fn, u8* img, size_t img_size)
 	u8 img_desc = (t->flags & TEX_TOP_DOWN)? TGA_TOP_DOWN : TGA_BOTTOM_UP;
 	if(t->bpp == 32)
 		img_desc |= 8;	// size of alpha channel
-	TgaImgType img_type = (t->flags & TEX_GREY)? TGA_GREY : TGA_TRUE_COLOR;
+	TgaImgType img_type = (t->flags & TEX_GREY)? TGA_GREY : TGA_TRUE_COLOUR;
 
 	// transform
 	int transforms = t->flags;
@@ -659,9 +659,9 @@ static int tga_encode(TexInfo* t, const char* fn, u8* img, size_t img_size)
 	TgaHeader hdr =
 	{
 		0,				// no image identifier present
-		0,				// no color map present
+		0,				// no colour map present
 		(u8)img_type,
-		{0,0,0,0,0},	// unused (color map)
+		{0,0,0,0,0},	// unused (colour map)
 		0, 0,			// unused (origin)
 		t->w,
 		t->h,
@@ -737,7 +737,7 @@ static inline bool bmp_ext(const char* ext)
 }
 
 
-// requirements: uncompressed, direct color, bottom up
+// requirements: uncompressed, direct colour, bottom up
 static int bmp_decode(TexInfo* t, const char* fn, u8* file, size_t file_size)
 {
 	const char* err = 0;
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ fail:
 	if(compress != BI_RGB)
 		err = "compressed";
 	if(bpp != 24 && bpp != 32)
-		err = "invalid bpp (not direct color)";
+		err = "invalid bpp (not direct colour)";
 	if(file_size < ofs+img_size)
 		err = "image not completely read";
 	if(err)
@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ static int raw_decode(TexInfo* t, const char* fn, u8* file, size_t file_size)
 {
 	// TODO: allow 8 bit format. problem: how to differentiate from 32? filename?
 
-	// find a color depth that matches file_size
+	// find a colour depth that matches file_size
 	uint i, dim;
 	for(i = 2; i <= 4; i++)
 	{
@@ -968,8 +968,8 @@ static int png_decode_impl(TexInfo* t, u8* file, size_t file_size,
 	// read header and determine format
 	png_read_info(png_ptr, info_ptr);
 	png_uint_32 w, h;
-	int bit_depth, color_type;
-	png_get_IHDR(png_ptr, info_ptr, &w, &h, &bit_depth, &color_type, 0, 0, 0);
+	int bit_depth, colour_type;
+	png_get_IHDR(png_ptr, info_ptr, &w, &h, &bit_depth, &colour_type, 0, 0, 0);
 	const size_t pitch = png_get_rowbytes(png_ptr, info_ptr);
 	const u32 bpp = (u32)(pitch / w * 8);
 
@@ -980,8 +980,8 @@ static int png_decode_impl(TexInfo* t, u8* file, size_t file_size,
 	// make sure format is acceptable
 	if(bit_depth != 8)
 		msg = "channel precision != 8 bits";
-	if(color_type & PNG_COLOR_MASK_PALETTE)
-		msg = "color type is invalid (must be direct color)";
+	if(colour_type & PNG_COLOR_MASK_PALETTE)
+		msg = "colour type is invalid (must be direct colour)";
 	if(msg)
 		return -1;
 
@@ -1095,20 +1095,20 @@ static int png_encode_impl(TexInfo* t, const char* fn, u8* img,
 	const png_uint_32 w = t->w, h = t->h;
 	const size_t pitch = w * t->bpp / 8;
 
-	int color_type;
+	int colour_type;
 	switch(t->flags & (TEX_GREY|TEX_ALPHA))
 	{
 	case TEX_GREY|TEX_ALPHA:
-		color_type = PNG_COLOR_TYPE_GRAY_ALPHA;
+		colour_type = PNG_COLOR_TYPE_GRAY_ALPHA;
 		break;
 	case TEX_GREY:
-		color_type = PNG_COLOR_TYPE_GRAY;
+		colour_type = PNG_COLOR_TYPE_GRAY;
 		break;
 	case TEX_ALPHA:
-		color_type = PNG_COLOR_TYPE_RGB_ALPHA;
+		colour_type = PNG_COLOR_TYPE_RGB_ALPHA;
 		break;
 	default:
-		color_type = PNG_COLOR_TYPE_RGB;
+		colour_type = PNG_COLOR_TYPE_RGB;
 		break;
 	}
 
@@ -1116,7 +1116,7 @@ static int png_encode_impl(TexInfo* t, const char* fn, u8* img,
 	CHECK_ERR(hf);
 	png_set_write_fn(png_ptr, &hf, png_write, png_flush);
 
-	png_set_IHDR(png_ptr, info_ptr, w, h, 8, color_type,
+	png_set_IHDR(png_ptr, info_ptr, w, h, 8, colour_type,
 		PNG_INTERLACE_NONE, PNG_COMPRESSION_TYPE_DEFAULT, PNG_FILTER_TYPE_DEFAULT);
 
 	const int transforms = TEX_TOP_DOWN ^ t->flags;
@@ -1418,7 +1418,7 @@ fail:
 	int bpp = cinfo.num_components * 8;
 		// preliminary; set below to reflect output params
 
-	// make sure we get a color format we know
+	// make sure we get a colour format we know
 	// (exception: if bpp = 8, go greyscale below)
 	// necessary to support non-standard CMYK files written by Photoshop.
 	cinfo.out_color_space = JCS_RGB;
diff --git a/source/lib/sysdep/win/win_internal.h b/source/lib/sysdep/win/win_internal.h
index 2b7de23a85..77f20c8aaf 100755
--- a/source/lib/sysdep/win/win_internal.h
+++ b/source/lib/sysdep/win/win_internal.h
@@ -391,6 +391,7 @@ enum
 	WAIO_CS,
 	WIN_CS,
 	WDBG_CS,
+	WPTHREAD_CS,
 
 	NUM_CS
 };
diff --git a/source/lib/sysdep/win/wpthread.cpp b/source/lib/sysdep/win/wpthread.cpp
index 3f59c5b7cb..b13db26b59 100644
--- a/source/lib/sysdep/win/wpthread.cpp
+++ b/source/lib/sysdep/win/wpthread.cpp
@@ -28,12 +28,12 @@
 #include "../cpu.h"	// CAS
 
 
-static HANDLE pthread_t_to_HANDLE(pthread_t p)
+static HANDLE HANDLE_from_pthread(pthread_t p)
 {
 	return (HANDLE)((char*)0 + p);
 }
 
-static pthread_t HANDLE_to_pthread_t(HANDLE h)
+static pthread_t pthread_from_HANDLE(HANDLE h)
 {
 	return (pthread_t)(uintptr_t)h;
 }
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ static pthread_t HANDLE_to_pthread_t(HANDLE h)
 
 pthread_t pthread_self(void)
 {
-	return HANDLE_to_pthread_t(GetCurrentThread());
+	return pthread_from_HANDLE(GetCurrentThread());
 }
 
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ int pthread_getschedparam(pthread_t thread, int* policy, struct sched_param* par
 	}
 	if(param)
 	{
-		const HANDLE hThread = pthread_t_to_HANDLE(thread);
+		const HANDLE hThread = HANDLE_from_pthread(thread);
 		param->sched_priority = GetThreadPriority(hThread);
 	}
 
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ int pthread_setschedparam(pthread_t thread, int policy, const struct sched_param
 	SetPriorityClass(GetCurrentProcess(), pri_class);
 
 	// choose fixed Windows values from pri
-	const HANDLE hThread = pthread_t_to_HANDLE(thread);
+	const HANDLE hThread = HANDLE_from_pthread(thread);
 	SetThreadPriority(hThread, pri);
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -128,18 +128,20 @@ int pthread_key_create(pthread_key_t* key, void (*dtor)(void*))
 	debug_assert(idx < TLS_LIMIT);
 	*key = (pthread_key_t)idx;
 
-	// store dtor
+	// acquire a free dtor slot
 	for(uint i = 0; i < MAX_DTORS; i++)
-		// .. successfully acquired the slot
+	{
 		if(CAS(&dtors[i].dtor, 0, dtor))
-		{
-			dtors[i].key = *key;
-			return 0;
-		}
+			goto have_slot;
+	}
 
 	// not enough slots; we have a valid key, but its dtor won't be called.
 	debug_warn("increase pthread MAX_DTORS");
 	return -1;
+
+have_slot:
+	dtors[i].key = *key;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 
@@ -229,51 +231,50 @@ again:
 //
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-// POD (allocated via malloc - see below)
-struct ThreadFunc
+// _beginthreadex cannot call the user's thread function directly due to
+// differences in calling convention; we need to pass its address and
+// the user-specified data pointer to our trampoline.
+// a) a local variable in pthread_create isn't safe because the
+//    new thread might not start before pthread_create returns.
+// b) allocating on the heap would work but we're trying to keep that
+//    to a minimum.
+// c) we therefore use static data protected by a critical section.
+static struct FuncAndArg
 {
 	void*(*func)(void*);
-	void* user_arg;
-};
+	void* arg;
+}
+func_and_arg;
 
 
-// trampoline to switch calling convention.
-// param points to a heap-allocated ThreadFunc (see pthread_create).
+// bridge calling conventions required by _beginthreadex and POSIX.
 static unsigned __stdcall thread_start(void* param)
 {
-	ThreadFunc* f = (ThreadFunc*)param;
-	void*(*func)(void*) = f->func;
-	void* user_arg      = f->user_arg;
-	free(f);
+	void*(*func)(void*) = func_and_arg.func;
+	void* arg           = func_and_arg.arg;
+	win_unlock(WPTHREAD_CS);
 
-	// workaround for stupid "void* -> unsigned cast" warning
-	union { void* p; unsigned u; } v;
-	v.p = func(user_arg);
+	void* ret = func(arg);
 
 	call_tls_dtors();
 
-	return v.u;
+	return (unsigned)(uintptr_t)ret;
 }
 
 
-int pthread_create(pthread_t* thread_id, const void* UNUSED(attr), void*(*func)(void*), void* user_arg)
+int pthread_create(pthread_t* thread_id, const void* UNUSED(attr), void*(*func)(void*), void* arg)
 {
-	// tell the trampoline above what to call.
-	// note: don't stack-allocate this, since the new thread might
-	// not be executed before we tear down our stack frame.
-	ThreadFunc* const f = (ThreadFunc*)malloc(sizeof(ThreadFunc));
-	if(!f)
-		return -EAGAIN;	// SUSv3
-	f->func     = func;
-	f->user_arg = user_arg;
+	win_lock(WPTHREAD_CS);
+	func_and_arg.func = func;
+	func_and_arg.arg  = arg;
 
 	// _beginthreadex has more overhead and no value added vs.
 	// CreateThread, but it avoids small memory leaks in
 	// ExitThread when using the statically-linked CRT (-> MSDN).
-	const uintptr_t id = _beginthreadex(0, 0, thread_start, f, 0, 0);
+	const uintptr_t id = _beginthreadex(0, 0, thread_start, 0, 0, 0);
 	if(!id)
 	{
-		free(f);
+		win_unlock(WPTHREAD_CS);
 		debug_warn("_beginthreadex failed");
 		return -1;
 	}
@@ -288,7 +289,7 @@ int pthread_create(pthread_t* thread_id, const void* UNUSED(attr), void*(*func)(
 
 int pthread_cancel(pthread_t thread)
 {
-	HANDLE hThread = pthread_t_to_HANDLE(thread);
+	HANDLE hThread = HANDLE_from_pthread(thread);
 	TerminateThread(hThread, 0);
 	debug_printf("WARNING: pthread_cancel is unsafe\n");
 	return 0;
@@ -297,7 +298,7 @@ int pthread_cancel(pthread_t thread)
 
 int pthread_join(pthread_t thread, void** value_ptr)
 {
-	HANDLE hThread = pthread_t_to_HANDLE(thread);
+	HANDLE hThread = HANDLE_from_pthread(thread);
 
 	// note: pthread_join doesn't call for a timeout. if this wait
 	// locks up the process, at least it'll be easy to see why.
diff --git a/source/lib/sysdep/win/wsdl.cpp b/source/lib/sysdep/win/wsdl.cpp
index 0b502be16c..432a759396 100755
--- a/source/lib/sysdep/win/wsdl.cpp
+++ b/source/lib/sysdep/win/wsdl.cpp
@@ -687,11 +687,11 @@ keep:
 	//
 
 	const DWORD dwFlags = PFD_SUPPORT_OPENGL|PFD_DRAW_TO_WINDOW|PFD_DOUBLEBUFFER;
-	BYTE cColorBits = (BYTE)bpp;
+	BYTE cColourBits = (BYTE)bpp;
 	BYTE cAlphaBits = 0;
 	if(bpp == 32)
 	{
-		cColorBits = 24;
+		cColourBits = 24;
 		cAlphaBits = 8;
 	}
 	const BYTE cAccumBits   = 0;
@@ -705,7 +705,7 @@ keep:
 		1,								// version
 		dwFlags,
 		PFD_TYPE_RGBA,
-		cColorBits,	0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,	// c*Bits, c*Shift are unused
+		cColourBits, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,	// c*Bits, c*Shift are unused
 		cAlphaBits, 0,					// cAlphaShift is unused
 		cAccumBits,	0, 0, 0, 0,			// cAccum*Bits are unused
 		cDepthBits,