diff --git a/src/tests/wayland-client-tests.c b/src/tests/wayland-client-tests.c
index 82653b49b..a2231187a 100644
--- a/src/tests/wayland-client-tests.c
+++ b/src/tests/wayland-client-tests.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ meta_test_wayland_client_indirect_self_terminate (void)
 {
   g_autoptr (MetaWaylandClient) client = NULL;
   g_autoptr (GError) error = NULL;
-  g_autoptr (GThread) thread = NULL;
+  GThread *thread;
   int fd;
   gboolean client_destroyed = FALSE;
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ meta_test_wayland_client_indirect_destroy (void)
   DestroyTestData data;
   g_autoptr (MetaWaylandClient) client = NULL;
   g_autoptr (GError) error = NULL;
-  g_autoptr (GThread) thread = NULL;
+  GThread *thread;
   int fd;
   gboolean client_destroyed = FALSE;
 
diff --git a/src/tests/wayland-unit-tests.c b/src/tests/wayland-unit-tests.c
index 606f4aeb6..fc863d58b 100644
--- a/src/tests/wayland-unit-tests.c
+++ b/src/tests/wayland-unit-tests.c
@@ -765,9 +765,9 @@ wayland_registry_filter (void)
   g_autoptr (MetaWaylandClient) client1 = NULL;
   g_autoptr (MetaWaylandClient) client2 = NULL;
   g_autoptr (MetaWaylandClient) client3 = NULL;
-  g_autoptr (GThread) thread1 = NULL;
-  g_autoptr (GThread) thread2 = NULL;
-  g_autoptr (GThread) thread3 = NULL;
+  GThread *thread1;
+  GThread *thread2;
+  GThread *thread3;
   gboolean client1_destroyed = FALSE;
   gboolean client2_destroyed = FALSE;
   gboolean client3_destroyed = FALSE;