diff --git a/src/draw/lv_draw.c b/src/draw/lv_draw.c
index 02b2034bc6..8b22893442 100644
--- a/src/draw/lv_draw.c
+++ b/src/draw/lv_draw.c
@@ -147,17 +147,17 @@ void lv_draw_finalize_task_creation(lv_layer_t * layer, lv_draw_task_t * t)
 void lv_draw_dispatch(void)
 {
     LV_PROFILER_BEGIN;
-    bool one_taken = false;
+    bool render_running = false;
     lv_display_t * disp = lv_display_get_next(NULL);
     while(disp) {
         lv_layer_t * layer = disp->layer_head;
         while(layer) {
-            bool ret = lv_draw_dispatch_layer(disp, layer);
-            if(ret) one_taken = true;
+            if(lv_draw_dispatch_layer(disp, layer))
+                render_running = true;
             layer = layer->next;
         }
 
-        if(!one_taken) {
+        if(!render_running) {
             lv_draw_dispatch_request();
         }
         disp = lv_display_get_next(disp);
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ bool lv_draw_dispatch_layer(struct _lv_display_t * disp, lv_layer_t * layer)
         t = t_next;
     }
 
-    bool one_taken = false;
+    bool render_running = false;
 
     /*This layer is ready, enable blending its buffer*/
     if(layer->parent && layer->all_tasks_added && layer->draw_task_head == NULL) {
@@ -261,17 +261,13 @@ bool lv_draw_dispatch_layer(struct _lv_display_t * disp, lv_layer_t * layer)
             lv_draw_unit_t * u = _draw_info.unit_head;
             while(u) {
                 int32_t taken_cnt = u->dispatch_cb(u, layer);
-                if(taken_cnt < 0) {
-                    break;
-                }
-                if(taken_cnt > 0) one_taken = true;
+                if(taken_cnt >= 0) render_running = true;
                 u = u->next;
             }
         }
     }
 
-    return one_taken;
-
+    return render_running;
 }
 
 void lv_draw_dispatch_wait_for_request(void)
diff --git a/src/draw/lv_draw.h b/src/draw/lv_draw.h
index 7ea0ac5fa7..df06b629a9 100644
--- a/src/draw/lv_draw.h
+++ b/src/draw/lv_draw.h
@@ -117,9 +117,13 @@ typedef struct _lv_draw_unit_t {
      * A draw task should be assign only if the draw unit can draw it too
      * @param draw_unit     pointer to the draw unit
      * @param layer         pointer to a layer on which the draw task should be drawn
-     * @return              >=0:    The number of taken draw task
-     *                      -1:     There where no available draw tasks at all.
-     *                              Also means to no call the dispatcher of the other draw units as there is no draw task to take
+     * @return              >=0:    The number of taken draw task:
+     *                                  0 means the task has not yet been completed.
+     *                                  1 means a new task has been accepted.
+     *                      -1:     The draw unit wanted to work on a task but couldn't do that
+     *                              due to some errors (e.g. out of memory).
+     *                              It signals that LVGL should call the dispatcher later again
+     *                              to let draw unit try to start the rendering again.
      */
     int32_t (*dispatch_cb)(struct _lv_draw_unit_t * draw_unit, struct _lv_layer_t * layer);
 
diff --git a/src/draw/sw/lv_draw_sw.c b/src/draw/sw/lv_draw_sw.c
index d07d4ecdb4..dee466746e 100644
--- a/src/draw/sw/lv_draw_sw.c
+++ b/src/draw/sw/lv_draw_sw.c
@@ -95,6 +95,14 @@ static int32_t lv_draw_sw_delete(lv_draw_unit_t * draw_unit)
 {
 #if LV_USE_OS
     lv_draw_sw_unit_t * draw_sw_unit = (lv_draw_sw_unit_t *) draw_unit;
+
+    LV_LOG_INFO("cancel software rendering thread");
+    draw_sw_unit->exit_status = true;
+
+    if(draw_sw_unit->inited) {
+        lv_thread_sync_signal(&draw_sw_unit->sync);
+    }
+
     return lv_thread_delete(&draw_sw_unit->thread);
 #else
     LV_UNUSED(draw_unit);
@@ -128,7 +136,7 @@ static int32_t lv_draw_sw_dispatch(lv_draw_unit_t * draw_unit, lv_layer_t * laye
 
 #if LV_USE_OS
     /*Let the render thread work*/
-    lv_thread_sync_signal(&draw_sw_unit->sync);
+    if(draw_sw_unit->inited) lv_thread_sync_signal(&draw_sw_unit->sync);
 #else
     execute_drawing(draw_sw_unit);
 
@@ -148,12 +156,21 @@ static void render_thread_cb(void * ptr)
     lv_draw_sw_unit_t * u = ptr;
 
     lv_thread_sync_init(&u->sync);
+    u->inited = true;
 
     while(1) {
         while(u->task_act == NULL) {
+            if(u->exit_status) {
+                break;
+            }
             lv_thread_sync_wait(&u->sync);
         }
 
+        if(u->exit_status) {
+            LV_LOG_INFO("ready to exit software rendering thread");
+            break;
+        }
+
         execute_drawing(u);
 
         /*Cleanup*/
@@ -163,6 +180,10 @@ static void render_thread_cb(void * ptr)
         /*The draw unit is free now. Request a new dispatching as it can get a new task*/
         lv_draw_dispatch_request();
     }
+
+    u->inited = false;
+    lv_thread_sync_delete(&u->sync);
+    LV_LOG_INFO("exit software rendering thread");
 }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/draw/sw/lv_draw_sw.h b/src/draw/sw/lv_draw_sw.h
index 19b507afe1..a51c7df836 100644
--- a/src/draw/sw/lv_draw_sw.h
+++ b/src/draw/sw/lv_draw_sw.h
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ typedef struct {
 #if LV_USE_OS
     lv_thread_sync_t sync;
     lv_thread_t thread;
+    volatile bool inited;
+    volatile bool exit_status;
 #endif
     uint32_t idx;
 } lv_draw_sw_unit_t;
diff --git a/src/osal/lv_pthread.c b/src/osal/lv_pthread.c
index df89259df0..68676c9467 100644
--- a/src/osal/lv_pthread.c
+++ b/src/osal/lv_pthread.c
@@ -51,8 +51,12 @@ lv_result_t lv_thread_init(lv_thread_t * thread, lv_thread_prio_t prio, void (*c
 
 lv_result_t lv_thread_delete(lv_thread_t * thread)
 {
-    LV_UNUSED(thread);
-    /*How?*/
+    int ret = pthread_join(thread->thread, NULL);
+    if(ret != 0) {
+        LV_LOG_WARN("Error: %d", ret);
+        return LV_RESULT_INVALID;
+    }
+
     return LV_RESULT_OK;
 }