diff --git a/src/slurmctld/backup.c b/src/slurmctld/backup.c
index caf18a5667ab54fac6192df7e13aa257baa13278..dab44f4e655a3316fd9d9a684826a4b0bb29864c 100644
--- a/src/slurmctld/backup.c
+++ b/src/slurmctld/backup.c
@@ -237,6 +237,7 @@ static void *_background_rpc_mgr(void *no_data)
 	debug3("_background_rpc_mgr shutting down");
 	slurm_close_accepted_conn(sockfd);	/* close the main socket */
 	pthread_exit((void *) 0);
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 /* _background_process_msg - process an RPC to the backup_controller */
diff --git a/src/slurmctld/controller.c b/src/slurmctld/controller.c
index 8d971029f5c5de3341f85873feadd64bfba8178d..91b4b856d634dd206a1092684a998d660058d33b 100644
--- a/src/slurmctld/controller.c
+++ b/src/slurmctld/controller.c
@@ -502,6 +502,7 @@ static void *_slurmctld_rpc_mgr(void *no_data)
 	(void) slurm_shutdown_msg_engine(sockfd);
 	_free_server_thread();
 	pthread_exit((void *) 0);
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 /*