diff --git a/clients/qt4/qt4client.cpp b/clients/qt4/qt4client.cpp
index 5bf80c7e..41be49c1 100644
--- a/clients/qt4/qt4client.cpp
+++ b/clients/qt4/qt4client.cpp
@@ -3398,6 +3398,11 @@ void QtClient::loadWindows(const char* file)
     }
 }
 
+bool QtClient::isUIThread()
+{
+    return (QApplication::instance() && QApplication::instance()->thread() == QThread::currentThread());
+}
+
 // Open a file open dialog window
 // Parameters that can be specified include 'caption',
 //  'dir', 'filter', 'selectedfilter', 'confirmoverwrite', 'choosedir'
@@ -4271,8 +4276,8 @@ void QtClient::setWidgetHeight(QWidget* w, const String& height)
 /**
  * QtDriver
  */
-QtDriver::QtDriver()
-    : m_init(false)
+QtDriver::QtDriver(bool buildClientThread)
+    : m_init(false), m_clientThread(buildClientThread)
 {
     qInstallMsgHandler(qtMsgHandler);
 }
@@ -4289,7 +4294,8 @@ void QtDriver::initialize()
     if (!QtClient::self()) {
 	debugCopy();
 	new QtClient;
-	QtClient::self()->startup();
+	if (m_clientThread)
+	    QtClient::self()->startup();
     }
     if (!m_init) {
 	m_init = true;
diff --git a/clients/qt4/qt4client.h b/clients/qt4/qt4client.h
index 7fa538f6..d7473aa7 100644
--- a/clients/qt4/qt4client.h
+++ b/clients/qt4/qt4client.h
@@ -152,8 +152,7 @@ public:
     virtual void quit() {
 	    if (m_app)
 		m_app->quit();
-	    else
-		Engine::halt(0);
+	    Engine::halt(0);
 	}
 
     /**
@@ -546,6 +545,7 @@ public:
 
 protected:
     virtual void loadWindows(const char* file = 0);
+    virtual bool isUIThread();
 private:
     QApplication* m_app;
     ObjList m_events;                    // Proxy events objects
@@ -554,11 +554,12 @@ private:
 class YQT4_API QtDriver : public ClientDriver
 {
 public:
-    QtDriver();
+    QtDriver(bool buildClientThread = true);
     virtual ~QtDriver();
     virtual void initialize();
 private:
     bool m_init;                         // Already initialized flag
+    bool m_clientThread;                 // does the client need a thread to run on?
 };
 
 class YQT4_API QtWindow : public QWidget, public Window
diff --git a/engine/Client.cpp b/engine/Client.cpp
index c34dba08..9dfad649 100644
--- a/engine/Client.cpp
+++ b/engine/Client.cpp
@@ -155,6 +155,52 @@ private:
     TrayIconDef() : NamedPointer("") {}  // No default constructor
 };
 
+namespace { // anonymous
+/**
+ * Helper class providing a thread on which the Client to run on
+ * A thread for the client
+ */
+class ClientThread : public Thread
+{
+public:
+    /**
+     * Constructor
+     * @param name Static name of the thread (for debugging purpose only)
+     * @param prio Thread priority
+     */
+    ClientThread(Client* client, Priority prio = Normal)
+    : Thread("Client",prio),
+      m_client(client)
+    { }
+
+    /**
+     * Destructor
+     */
+    inline ~ClientThread()
+    {}
+
+    /**
+     * Run thread, inherited from Thread
+     */
+    virtual void run()
+    {
+	m_client->run();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Clean up, inherited from Thread
+     */
+    virtual void cleanup()
+    {
+	m_client->cleanup();
+	m_client->setThread(0);
+    }
+
+private:
+    Client* m_client;
+};
+
+}; // anonymous namespace
 
 /**
  * Static classes/function/data
@@ -869,8 +915,8 @@ bool ClientThreadProxy::execute()
  */
 // Constructor
 Client::Client(const char *name)
-    : Thread(name), m_initialized(false), m_line(0), m_oneThread(true),
-    m_defaultLogic(0)
+    : m_initialized(false), m_line(0), m_oneThread(true),
+    m_defaultLogic(0), m_clientThread(0)
 {
     s_client = this;
 
@@ -912,6 +958,28 @@ Client::~Client()
     Engine::halt(0);
 }
 
+bool Client::startup()
+{
+    DDebug(ClientDriver::self(),DebugAll,"Client::startup() [%p]",this);
+    if (m_clientThread) {
+	Debug(ClientDriver::self(),DebugNote,"Trying to build a client thread when you already have one '%s' [%p]",
+	      m_clientThread->name(),m_clientThread);
+	return true;
+    }
+    else {
+	m_clientThread = new ClientThread(this);
+	if (!m_clientThread->startup()) {
+	    Debug(ClientDriver::self(),DebugWarn,"Failed to startup the client thread '%s' [%p]",m_clientThread->name(),m_clientThread);
+	    delete static_cast<ClientThread*>(m_clientThread);
+	    m_clientThread = 0;
+	    return false;
+	}
+	Debug(ClientDriver::self(),DebugInfo,"Starting up client thread '%s' [%p]",m_clientThread->name(),m_clientThread);
+	return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 // Cleanup before halting
 void Client::cleanup()
 {
@@ -2116,7 +2184,7 @@ bool Client::received(Message& msg, int id)
 // Postpone messages to be redispatched from UI thread
 bool Client::postpone(const Message& msg, int id, bool copyUserData)
 {
-    if (isCurrent())
+    if (isUIThread())
 	return false;
     PostponedMessage* postponed = new PostponedMessage(msg,id,copyUserData);
     s_postponeMutex.lock();
@@ -2323,14 +2391,14 @@ bool Client::driverLock(long maxwait)
 
 bool Client::driverLockLoop()
 {
-    if (!(isCurrent() && ClientDriver::self()))
+    if (!(isUIThread() && ClientDriver::self()))
 	return false;
 
     while (!driverLock()) {
 	if (Engine::exiting() || !ClientDriver::self())
 	    return false;
 	idleActions();
-	yield();
+	Thread::yield();
     }
     return true;
 }
diff --git a/yatecbase.h b/yatecbase.h
index bb693691..caec5e7d 100644
--- a/yatecbase.h
+++ b/yatecbase.h
@@ -762,10 +762,10 @@ private:
 };
 
 /**
- * Singleton class that holds the User Interface's main thread and methods
- * @short Thread that runs the User Interface
+ * Singleton class that holds the User Interface's main  methods
+ * @short Class that runs the User Interface
  */
-class YATE_API Client : public Thread, public MessageReceiver
+class YATE_API Client : public MessageReceiver
 {
     friend class Window;
     friend class ClientChannel;
@@ -843,7 +843,13 @@ public:
     virtual ~Client();
 
     /**
-     * Run the client's thread
+     * Start up the client thread
+     * @return True if the client thread is started, false otherwise
+     */
+    virtual bool startup();
+
+    /**
+     * Run the client's main loop
      */
     virtual void run();
 
@@ -879,6 +885,13 @@ public:
     inline void unlockOther()
 	{ if (!m_oneThread) unlock(); }
 
+    /**
+     * Set the client's thread
+     * @param th The thread on which the client will run on
+     */
+    inline void setThread(Thread* th)
+	{ m_clientThread = th; }
+
     /**
      * Handle all windows closed event from UI
      */
@@ -1269,7 +1282,7 @@ public:
      * @return True if the client is valid (running) or the method is called from client's thread
      */
     static inline bool valid()
-	{ return self() && (self() == Thread::current() || !(exiting() || Engine::exiting())); }
+	{ return self() && (self()->isUIThread() || !(exiting() || Engine::exiting())); }
 
     /**
      * Check if a message is sent by the client
@@ -1712,8 +1725,10 @@ protected:
     virtual void initClient();
     virtual void exitClient()
 	{}
+    virtual bool isUIThread()
+	{ return Thread::current() == m_clientThread; }
     inline bool needProxy() const
-	{ return m_oneThread && !isCurrent(); }
+	{ return m_oneThread && !(Client::self() && Client::self()->isUIThread()); }
     bool driverLockLoop();
     static bool driverLock(long maxwait = 0);
     static void driverUnlock();
@@ -1731,6 +1746,7 @@ protected:
     static int s_changing;
     static ObjList s_logics;
     static bool s_idleLogicsTick;        // Call logics' timerTick()
+    Thread* m_clientThread;
 };
 
 /**