diff --git a/include/pthread.h b/include/pthread.h
index 214ad454fe9..30c96bab9c8 100644
--- a/include/pthread.h
+++ b/include/pthread.h
@@ -143,12 +143,42 @@
 #define PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT          SEM_PRIO_INHERIT
 #define PTHREAD_PRIO_PROTECT          SEM_PRIO_PROTECT
 
+/* Values for robust argument of pthread_mutexattr_get/setrobust
+ *
+ * PTHREAD_MUTEX_STALLED - No special actions are taken if the owner of the
+ * mutex is terminated while holding the mutex lock. This can lead to
+ * deadlocks if no other thread can unlock the mutex.  This is the standard
+ * default value (NuttX permits you to override that default behavior
+ * with a configuration option).
+ *
+ * PTHREAD_MUTEX_ROBUST - If the process containing the owning thread of a
+ * robust mutex terminates while holding the mutex lock, the next thread
+ * that acquires the mutex will be notified about the termination by the
+ * return value EOWNERDEAD from the locking function. If the owning thread
+ * of a robust mutex terminates while holding the mutex lock, the next
+ * thread that attempts to acquire the mutex may be notified about the
+ * termination by the return value EOWNERDEAD. The notified thread can
+ * then attempt to make the state protected by the mutex consistent again,
+ * and if successful can mark the mutex state as consistent by calling
+ * pthread_mutex_consistent(). After a subsequent successful call to
+ * pthread_mutex_unlock(), the mutex lock will be released and can be used
+ * normally by other threads. If the mutex is unlocked without a call to
+ * pthread_mutex_consistent(), it will be in a permanently unusable state
+ * and all attempts to lock the mutex will fail with the error
+ * ENOTRECOVERABLE. The only permissible operation on such a mutex is
+ * pthread_mutex_destroy().
+ */
+
+#define PTHREAD_MUTEX_STALLED         0
+#define PTHREAD_MUTEX_ROBUST          1
+
 /* Values for struct pthread_mutex_s flags.  These are non-standard and
  * intended only for internal use within the OS.
  */
 
-#define _PTHREAD_MFLAGS_INCONSISTENT  (1 << 0) /* Mutex is in an inconsistent state */
-#define _PTHREAD_MFLAGS_NOTRECOVRABLE (1 << 1) /* Inconsistent mutex has been unlocked */
+#define _PTHREAD_MFLAGS_ROBUST        (1 << 0) /* Robust (NORMAL) mutex */
+#define _PTHREAD_MFLAGS_INCONSISTENT  (1 << 1) /* Mutex is in an inconsistent state */
+#define _PTHREAD_MFLAGS_NOTRECOVRABLE (1 << 2) /* Inconsistent mutex has been unlocked */
 
 /* Definitions to map some non-standard, BSD thread management interfaces to
  * the non-standard Linux-like prctl() interface.  Since these are simple
@@ -226,12 +256,15 @@ typedef struct pthread_cond_s pthread_cond_t;
 
 struct pthread_mutexattr_s
 {
-  uint8_t pshared;  /* PTHREAD_PROCESS_PRIVATE or PTHREAD_PROCESS_SHARED */
+  uint8_t pshared : 1;  /* PTHREAD_PROCESS_PRIVATE or PTHREAD_PROCESS_SHARED */
 #ifdef CONFIG_PRIORITY_INHERITANCE
-  uint8_t proto;    /* See PTHREAD_PRIO_* definitions */
+  uint8_t proto   : 2;  /* See PTHREAD_PRIO_* definitions */
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_MUTEX_TYPES
-  uint8_t type;     /* Type of the mutex.  See PTHREAD_MUTEX_* definitions */
+  uint8_t type    : 2;  /* Type of the mutex.  See PTHREAD_MUTEX_* definitions */
+#endif
+#ifdef CONFIG_PTHREAD_MUTEX_BOTH
+  uint8_t robust  : 1;  /* PTHREAD_MUTEX_STALLED or PTHREAD_MUTEX_ROBUST */
 #endif
 };
 
@@ -432,6 +465,10 @@ int pthread_mutexattr_getprotocol(FAR const pthread_mutexattr_t *attr,
                                   FAR int *protocol);
 int pthread_mutexattr_setprotocol(FAR pthread_mutexattr_t *attr,
                                   int protocol);
+int pthread_mutexattr_getrobust(FAR const pthread_mutexattr_t *attr,
+                                FAR int *robust);
+int pthread_mutexattr_setrobust(FAR pthread_mutexattr_t *attr,
+                                int robust);
 
 /* The following routines create, delete, lock and unlock mutexes. */
 
diff --git a/libc/pthread/Make.defs b/libc/pthread/Make.defs
index 089845d8f7e..b8be2927d2f 100644
--- a/libc/pthread/Make.defs
+++ b/libc/pthread/Make.defs
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ CSRCS += pthread_mutexattr_init.c pthread_mutexattr_destroy.c
 CSRCS += pthread_mutexattr_getpshared.c pthread_mutexattr_setpshared.c
 CSRCS += pthread_mutexattr_setprotocol.c pthread_mutexattr_getprotocol.c
 CSRCS += pthread_mutexattr_settype.c pthread_mutexattr_gettype.c
+CSRCS += pthread_mutexattr_setrobust.c pthread_mutexattr_getrobust.c
 CSRCS += pthread_setcancelstate.c pthread_setcanceltype.c
 CSRCS += pthread_testcancel.c
 
diff --git a/libc/pthread/pthread_mutexattr_init.c b/libc/pthread/pthread_mutexattr_init.c
index f1b6bca9c7c..de6183e56c3 100644
--- a/libc/pthread/pthread_mutexattr_init.c
+++ b/libc/pthread/pthread_mutexattr_init.c
@@ -76,11 +76,21 @@ int pthread_mutexattr_init(FAR pthread_mutexattr_t *attr)
   else
     {
       attr->pshared = 0;
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_PRIORITY_INHERITANCE
       attr->proto   = SEM_PRIO_INHERIT;
 #endif
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_MUTEX_TYPES
       attr->type    = PTHREAD_MUTEX_DEFAULT;
+#endif
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_PTHREAD_MUTEX_BOTH
+#ifdef CONFIG_PTHREAD_MUTEX_DEFAULT_UNSAFE
+      attr->robust  = PTHREAD_MUTEX_STALLED;
+#else
+      attr->robust  = PTHREAD_MUTEX_ROBUST;
+#endif
 #endif
     }
 
diff --git a/sched/Kconfig b/sched/Kconfig
index 369e9ac7cd7..60183e67d2c 100644
--- a/sched/Kconfig
+++ b/sched/Kconfig
@@ -549,7 +549,29 @@ choice
 		software you may be porting or, perhaps, if you are trying to minimize
 		footprint.
 
-endchoice # thread mutex robustness
+	config PTHREAD_MUTEX_BOTH
+	bool "Both robust and unsafe mutexes"
+	---help---
+		Support both forms of NORMAL mutexes.
+
+endchoice # pthread mutex robustness
+
+choice
+	prompt "Default NORMAL mutex robustness"
+	default PTHREAD_MUTEX_DEFAULT_ROBUST
+	depends on PTHREAD_MUTEX_BOTH
+
+	config PTHREAD_MUTEX_DEFAULT_ROBUST
+	bool "Robust default"
+	---help---
+		The default is robust NORMAL mutexes (non-standard)
+
+	config PTHREAD_MUTEX_DEFAULT_UNSAFE
+	bool "Unsafe default"
+	---help---
+		The default is traditional unsafe NORMAL mutexes (standard)
+
+endchoice # Default NORMAL mutex robustness
 
 config NPTHREAD_KEYS
 	int "Maximum number of pthread keys"
diff --git a/sched/pthread/pthread_mutexinit.c b/sched/pthread/pthread_mutexinit.c
index 46c9e67356b..e6abe32900f 100644
--- a/sched/pthread/pthread_mutexinit.c
+++ b/sched/pthread/pthread_mutexinit.c
@@ -77,6 +77,13 @@ int pthread_mutex_init(FAR pthread_mutex_t *mutex,
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_PRIORITY_INHERITANCE
   uint8_t proto = PTHREAD_PRIO_INHERIT;
+#endif
+#ifndef CONFIG_PTHREAD_MUTEX_UNSAFE
+#ifdef CONFIG_PTHREAD_MUTEX_DEFAULT_UNSAFE
+  uint8_t robust = PTHREAD_MUTEX_STALLED;
+#else
+  uint8_t robust = PTHREAD_MUTEX_ROBUST;
+#endif
 #endif
   int ret = OK;
   int status;
@@ -99,6 +106,9 @@ int pthread_mutex_init(FAR pthread_mutex_t *mutex,
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_MUTEX_TYPES
           type    = attr->type;
+#endif
+#ifdef CONFIG_PTHREAD_MUTEX_BOTH
+          robust  = attr->robust;
 #endif
         }
 
@@ -128,7 +138,7 @@ int pthread_mutex_init(FAR pthread_mutex_t *mutex,
       /* Initial internal fields of the mutex */
 
       mutex->flink  = NULL;
-      mutex->flags  = 0;
+      mutex->flags  = (robust == PTHREAD_MUTEX_ROBUST ? _PTHREAD_MFLAGS_ROBUST : 0);
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_MUTEX_TYPES