diff --git a/core/thread/thread_pool.odin b/core/thread/thread_pool.odin
index d7a03d04c..ea772c725 100644
--- a/core/thread/thread_pool.odin
+++ b/core/thread/thread_pool.odin
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ Task :: struct {
 	allocator:  mem.Allocator,
 }
 
+Thread_Init_Proc :: #type proc(thread_index: int, user_data: rawptr)
+Thread_Fini_Proc :: #type proc(thread_index: int, user_data: rawptr)
+
 // Do not access the pool's members directly while the pool threads are running,
 // since they use different kinds of locking and mutual exclusion devices.
 // Careless access can and will lead to nasty bugs. Once initialized, the
@@ -36,6 +39,13 @@ Pool :: struct {
 	num_done:          int,
 	// end of atomics
 
+	// called once per thread at startup
+	thread_init_proc: Thread_Init_Proc,
+	thread_init_data: rawptr,
+	// called once per thread at shutdown
+	thread_fini_proc: Thread_Fini_Proc,
+	thread_fini_data: rawptr,
+
 	is_running: bool,
 
 	threads: []^Thread,
@@ -55,6 +65,10 @@ pool_thread_runner :: proc(t: ^Thread) {
 	data := cast(^Pool_Thread_Data)t.data
 	pool := data.pool
 
+	if pool.thread_init_proc != nil {
+		pool.thread_init_proc(t.user_index, pool.thread_init_data)
+	}
+
 	for intrinsics.atomic_load(&pool.is_running) {
 		sync.wait(&pool.sem_available)
 
@@ -66,6 +80,10 @@ pool_thread_runner :: proc(t: ^Thread) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if pool.thread_fini_proc != nil {
+		pool.thread_fini_proc(t.user_index, pool.thread_fini_data)
+	}
+
 	sync.post(&pool.sem_available, 1)
 }
 
@@ -73,13 +91,26 @@ pool_thread_runner :: proc(t: ^Thread) {
 // it is destroyed.
 //
 // The thread pool requires an allocator which it either owns, or which is thread safe.
-pool_init :: proc(pool: ^Pool, allocator: mem.Allocator, thread_count: int) {
+pool_init :: proc(
+	pool: ^Pool,
+	allocator: mem.Allocator,
+	thread_count: int,
+	init_proc: Thread_Init_Proc = nil,
+	init_data: rawptr = nil,
+	fini_proc: Thread_Init_Proc = nil,
+	fini_data: rawptr = nil,
+){
 	context.allocator = allocator
 	pool.allocator = allocator
 	queue.init(&pool.tasks)
 	pool.tasks_done = make([dynamic]Task)
 	pool.threads    = make([]^Thread, max(thread_count, 1))
 
+	pool.thread_init_proc = init_proc
+	pool.thread_fini_proc = fini_proc
+	pool.thread_init_data = init_data
+	pool.thread_fini_data = fini_data
+
 	pool.is_running = true
 
 	for _, i in pool.threads {