diff --git a/headers/private/kernel/thread_types.h b/headers/private/kernel/thread_types.h
index 1da7cd5c5d..2fa6b0090e 100644
--- a/headers/private/kernel/thread_types.h
+++ b/headers/private/kernel/thread_types.h
@@ -96,8 +96,6 @@ struct team_watcher {
 
 #define MAX_DEAD_CHILDREN	32
 	// this is a soft limit for the number of child death entries in a team
-#define MAX_DEAD_THREADS	32
-	// this is a soft limit for the number of thread death entries in a team
 
 
 struct job_control_entry : DoublyLinkedListLinkImpl<job_control_entry> {
@@ -238,7 +236,6 @@ struct Team : TeamThreadIteratorEntry<team_id>, KernelReferenceable,
 	struct xsi_sem_context *xsi_sem_context;
 	struct team_death_entry *death_entry;	// protected by fLock
 	struct list		dead_threads;
-	int				dead_threads_count;
 
 	// protected by the team's fLock
 	team_dead_children dead_children;
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/team.cpp b/src/system/kernel/team.cpp
index 8fc10a8087..e791a27c30 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/team.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/team.cpp
@@ -470,7 +470,6 @@ Team::Team(team_id id, bool kernel)
 
 	// dead threads
 	list_init(&dead_threads);
-	dead_threads_count = 0;
 
 	// dead children
 	dead_children.count = 0;
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/thread.cpp b/src/system/kernel/thread.cpp
index b8e6d2ac96..1f10548ff9 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/thread.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/thread.cpp
@@ -2139,17 +2139,8 @@ thread_exit(void)
 				threadDeathEntry->thread = thread->id;
 				threadDeathEntry->status = thread->exit.status;
 
-				// add entry -- remove an old one, if we hit the limit
+				// add entry to dead thread list
 				list_add_item(&team->dead_threads, threadDeathEntry);
-				team->dead_threads_count++;
-				threadDeathEntry = NULL;
-
-				if (team->dead_threads_count > MAX_DEAD_THREADS) {
-					threadDeathEntry
-						= (thread_death_entry*)list_remove_head_item(
-							&team->dead_threads);
-					team->dead_threads_count--;
-				}
 			}
 
 			threadCreationLocker.Unlock();
@@ -2164,8 +2155,6 @@ thread_exit(void)
 			thread->id));
 	}
 
-	free(threadDeathEntry);
-
 	// delete the team if we're its main thread
 	if (deleteTeam) {
 		team_delete_team(team, debuggerPort);
@@ -2505,7 +2494,6 @@ wait_for_thread_etc(thread_id id, uint32 flags, bigtime_t timeout,
 					&team->dead_threads, threadDeathEntry)) != NULL) {
 				if (threadDeathEntry->thread == id) {
 					list_remove_item(&team->dead_threads, threadDeathEntry);
-					team->dead_threads_count--;
 					death.status = threadDeathEntry->status;
 					free(threadDeathEntry);
 					break;