diff --git a/include/re_thread.h b/include/re_thread.h
index 59dda8480..cff6e4782 100644
--- a/include/re_thread.h
+++ b/include/re_thread.h
@@ -255,11 +255,21 @@ void tss_delete(tss_t key);
 
 
 /******************************************************************************
- * Extra
+ * Extra - non C11 helpers
  *****************************************************************************/
 /* int thrd_prio(enum thrd_prio prio) */
 /* void thrd_print(struct re_printf *pf, void *unused); */
 
+/**
+ * Allocates and initializes a new mutex
+ *
+ * @param mtx   Pointer to new mutex
+ *
+ * @return 0 if success, otherwise errorcode
+ */
+int mtx_alloc(mtx_t **mtx);
+
+
 /**
  * Creates a new thread with name
  *
diff --git a/src/thread/thread.c b/src/thread/thread.c
index 6d2b4c261..41d06af25 100644
--- a/src/thread/thread.c
+++ b/src/thread/thread.c
@@ -3,6 +3,40 @@
 #include <re_thread.h>
 
 
+static void mtx_destructor(void *data)
+{
+	mtx_t *mtx = data;
+
+	mtx_destroy(mtx);
+}
+
+
+int mtx_alloc(mtx_t **mtx)
+{
+	mtx_t *m;
+	int err;
+
+	if (!mtx)
+		return EINVAL;
+
+	m = mem_alloc(sizeof(mtx_t), mtx_destructor);
+	if (!m)
+		return ENOMEM;
+
+	err = mtx_init(m, mtx_plain);
+	if (err)
+		goto out;
+
+	*mtx = m;
+
+out:
+	if (err)
+		mem_deref(m);
+
+	return err;
+}
+
+
 int thrd_create_name(thrd_t *thr, const char *name, thrd_start_t func,
 		     void *arg)
 {