diff --git a/libs/libc/pthread/pthread_barrierdestroy.c b/libs/libc/pthread/pthread_barrierdestroy.c
index ca10b652afd..c9192e485ca 100644
--- a/libs/libc/pthread/pthread_barrierdestroy.c
+++ b/libs/libc/pthread/pthread_barrierdestroy.c
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
 int pthread_barrier_destroy(FAR pthread_barrier_t *barrier)
 {
   int ret = OK;
+  int semcount;
 
   if (!barrier)
     {
@@ -84,8 +85,16 @@ int pthread_barrier_destroy(FAR pthread_barrier_t *barrier)
     }
   else
     {
-      sem_destroy(&barrier->sem);
-      barrier->count = 0;
+      nxsem_get_value(&barrier->sem, &semcount);
+      if (semcount == 0)
+        {
+          sem_destroy(&barrier->sem);
+          barrier->count = 0;
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          ret = EBUSY;
+        }
     }
 
   return ret;
diff --git a/libs/libc/pthread/pthread_barrierinit.c b/libs/libc/pthread/pthread_barrierinit.c
index 0590feff342..e39a77d9ff0 100644
--- a/libs/libc/pthread/pthread_barrierinit.c
+++ b/libs/libc/pthread/pthread_barrierinit.c
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ int pthread_barrier_init(FAR pthread_barrier_t *barrier,
                          FAR const pthread_barrierattr_t *attr, unsigned int count)
 {
   int ret = OK;
+  int semcount;
 
   if (!barrier || count == 0)
     {
@@ -95,8 +96,16 @@ int pthread_barrier_init(FAR pthread_barrier_t *barrier,
     }
   else
     {
-      sem_init(&barrier->sem, 0, 0);
-      barrier->count = count;
+      nxsem_get_value(&barrier->sem, &semcount);
+      if (semcount == 0)
+        {
+          sem_init(&barrier->sem, 0, 0);
+          barrier->count = count;
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          ret = EBUSY;
+        }
     }
 
   return ret;