--- a/hotspot/src/share/vm/gc_implementation/g1/concurrentMark.cpp	Tue Dec 10 16:18:26 2013 -0500
+++ b/hotspot/src/share/vm/gc_implementation/g1/concurrentMark.cpp	Mon Dec 09 08:20:45 2013 +0100
@@ -553,6 +553,9 @@
   _cmThread = new ConcurrentMarkThread(this);
   assert(cmThread() != NULL, "CM Thread should have been created");
   assert(cmThread()->cm() != NULL, "CM Thread should refer to this cm");
+  if (_cmThread->osthread() == NULL) {
+      vm_shutdown_during_initialization("Could not create ConcurrentMarkThread");
+  }
 
   assert(CGC_lock != NULL, "Where's the CGC_lock?");
   assert(_markBitMap1.covers(heap_rs), "_markBitMap1 inconsistency");