diff --git a/lddecode/core.py b/lddecode/core.py
index 4cd90d18a..18adfd145 100644
--- a/lddecode/core.py
+++ b/lddecode/core.py
@@ -752,12 +752,10 @@ def __init__(self, rf, infile, loader, cachesize = 128, num_worker_threads=6, MT
     def end(self):            
         # stop workers
         for i in self.threads:
-            if i.is_alive():
-                self.q_in.put(None)
+            self.q_in.put(None)
 
         for t in self.threads:
-            if t.is_alive():
-                t.join()
+            t.join()
 
         self.q_out.put(None)