diff --git a/knots/thread-pool.scm b/knots/thread-pool.scm
index 029a34b..7dad3d8 100644
--- a/knots/thread-pool.scm
+++ b/knots/thread-pool.scm
@@ -371,7 +371,11 @@ from there, or #f if that would be an empty string."
 
   (for-each
    (lambda (i)
-     (start-thread i channel))
+     (if use-default-io-waiters?
+         (call-with-default-io-waiters
+          (lambda ()
+            (start-thread i channel)))
+         (start-thread i channel)))
    (iota size))
 
   (fixed-size-thread-pool channel