diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_nexthop.c b/bgpd/bgp_nexthop.c
index 20302e3..33de365 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_nexthop.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_nexthop.c
@@ -1402,7 +1402,7 @@
 void
 bgp_scan_init (void)
 {
-  zlookup = zclient_new ();
+  zlookup = zclient_new (master);
   zlookup->sock = -1;
   zlookup->t_connect = thread_add_event (master, zlookup_connect, zlookup, 0);
 
diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
index 2616351..e534bee 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
@@ -1094,10 +1094,10 @@
 }
 
 void
-bgp_zebra_init (void)
+bgp_zebra_init (struct thread_master *master)
 {
   /* Set default values. */
-  zclient = zclient_new ();
+  zclient = zclient_new (master);
   zclient_init (zclient, ZEBRA_ROUTE_BGP);
   zclient->zebra_connected = bgp_zebra_connected;
   zclient->router_id_update = bgp_router_id_update;
diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.h b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.h
index 8099193..50f727d 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.h
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 
 extern struct stream *bgp_nexthop_buf;
 
-extern void bgp_zebra_init (void);
+extern void bgp_zebra_init (struct thread_master *master);
 extern int bgp_if_update_all (void);
 extern int bgp_config_write_maxpaths (struct vty *, struct bgp *, afi_t,
 				      safi_t, int *);
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.c b/bgpd/bgpd.c
index 0068037..af8bdb4 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.c
@@ -5421,7 +5421,7 @@
   bgp_vty_init ();
 
   /* Init zebra. */
-  bgp_zebra_init ();
+  bgp_zebra_init (master);
 
   /* BGP inits. */
   bgp_attr_init ();
diff --git a/isisd/isis_main.c b/isisd/isis_main.c
index e1af71f..fba7b10 100644
--- a/isisd/isis_main.c
+++ b/isisd/isis_main.c
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@
   /* create the global 'isis' instance */
   isis_new (1);
 
-  isis_zebra_init ();
+  isis_zebra_init (master);
 
   /* parse config file */
   /* this is needed three times! because we have interfaces before the areas */
diff --git a/isisd/isis_zebra.c b/isisd/isis_zebra.c
index 6d0c157..8a78417 100644
--- a/isisd/isis_zebra.c
+++ b/isisd/isis_zebra.c
@@ -602,9 +602,9 @@
 }
 
 void
-isis_zebra_init ()
+isis_zebra_init (struct thread_master *master)
 {
-  zclient = zclient_new ();
+  zclient = zclient_new (master);
   zclient_init (zclient, ZEBRA_ROUTE_ISIS);
   zclient->zebra_connected = isis_zebra_connected;
   zclient->router_id_update = isis_router_id_update_zebra;
diff --git a/isisd/isis_zebra.h b/isisd/isis_zebra.h
index 889cd9b..0011478 100644
--- a/isisd/isis_zebra.h
+++ b/isisd/isis_zebra.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 extern struct zclient *zclient;
 
-void isis_zebra_init (void);
+void isis_zebra_init (struct thread_master *);
 void isis_zebra_route_update (struct prefix *prefix,
 			      struct isis_route_info *route_info);
 int isis_distribute_list_update (int routetype);
diff --git a/lib/zclient.c b/lib/zclient.c
index 0ce46fe..bfff9a3 100644
--- a/lib/zclient.c
+++ b/lib/zclient.c
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@
 /* Prototype for event manager. */
 static void zclient_event (enum event, struct zclient *);
 
-extern struct thread_master *master;
-
 const char *zclient_serv_path = NULL;
 
 /* This file local debug flag. */
@@ -48,7 +46,7 @@
 
 /* Allocate zclient structure. */
 struct zclient *
-zclient_new ()
+zclient_new (struct thread_master *master)
 {
   struct zclient *zclient;
   zclient = XCALLOC (MTYPE_ZCLIENT, sizeof (struct zclient));
@@ -56,6 +54,7 @@
   zclient->ibuf = stream_new (ZEBRA_MAX_PACKET_SIZ);
   zclient->obuf = stream_new (ZEBRA_MAX_PACKET_SIZ);
   zclient->wb = buffer_new(0);
+  zclient->master = master;
 
   return zclient;
 }
@@ -258,8 +257,8 @@
       return zclient_failed(zclient);
       break;
     case BUFFER_PENDING:
-      zclient->t_write = thread_add_write(master, zclient_flush_data,
-					  zclient, zclient->sock);
+      zclient->t_write = thread_add_write (zclient->master, zclient_flush_data,
+					   zclient, zclient->sock);
       break;
     case BUFFER_EMPTY:
       break;
@@ -284,8 +283,8 @@
       THREAD_OFF(zclient->t_write);
       break;
     case BUFFER_PENDING:
-      THREAD_WRITE_ON(master, zclient->t_write,
-		      zclient_flush_data, zclient, zclient->sock);
+      THREAD_WRITE_ON (zclient->master, zclient->t_write,
+		       zclient_flush_data, zclient, zclient->sock);
       break;
     }
   return 0;
@@ -1092,7 +1091,7 @@
     case ZCLIENT_SCHEDULE:
       if (! zclient->t_connect)
 	zclient->t_connect =
-	  thread_add_event (master, zclient_connect, zclient, 0);
+	  thread_add_event (zclient->master, zclient_connect, zclient, 0);
       break;
     case ZCLIENT_CONNECT:
       if (zclient->fail >= 10)
@@ -1102,12 +1101,12 @@
 		   zclient->fail < 3 ? 10 : 60);
       if (! zclient->t_connect)
 	zclient->t_connect = 
-	  thread_add_timer (master, zclient_connect, zclient,
+	  thread_add_timer (zclient->master, zclient_connect, zclient,
 			    zclient->fail < 3 ? 10 : 60);
       break;
     case ZCLIENT_READ:
       zclient->t_read = 
-	thread_add_read (master, zclient_read, zclient, zclient->sock);
+	thread_add_read (zclient->master, zclient_read, zclient, zclient->sock);
       break;
     }
 }
diff --git a/lib/zclient.h b/lib/zclient.h
index 3490b32..aa935c1 100644
--- a/lib/zclient.h
+++ b/lib/zclient.h
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@
 /* Structure for the zebra client. */
 struct zclient
 {
+  /* The thread master we schedule ourselves on */
+  struct thread_master *master;
+
   /* Socket to zebra daemon. */
   int sock;
 
@@ -132,7 +135,7 @@
 };
 
 /* Prototypes of zebra client service functions. */
-extern struct zclient *zclient_new (void);
+extern struct zclient *zclient_new (struct thread_master *);
 extern void zclient_init (struct zclient *, int);
 extern int zclient_start (struct zclient *);
 extern void zclient_stop (struct zclient *);
diff --git a/ospf6d/ospf6_zebra.c b/ospf6d/ospf6_zebra.c
index 951e11d..d37e508 100644
--- a/ospf6d/ospf6_zebra.c
+++ b/ospf6d/ospf6_zebra.c
@@ -578,10 +578,10 @@
 }
 
 void
-ospf6_zebra_init (void)
+ospf6_zebra_init (struct thread_master *master)
 {
   /* Allocate zebra structure. */
-  zclient = zclient_new ();
+  zclient = zclient_new (master);
   zclient_init (zclient, ZEBRA_ROUTE_OSPF6);
   zclient->zebra_connected = ospf6_zebra_connected;
   zclient->router_id_update = ospf6_router_id_update_zebra;
diff --git a/ospf6d/ospf6_zebra.h b/ospf6d/ospf6_zebra.h
index a219450..05694d3 100644
--- a/ospf6d/ospf6_zebra.h
+++ b/ospf6d/ospf6_zebra.h
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 extern void ospf6_zebra_no_redistribute (int);
 #define ospf6_zebra_is_redistribute(type) \
     vrf_bitmap_check (zclient->redist[type], VRF_DEFAULT)
-extern void ospf6_zebra_init (void);
+extern void ospf6_zebra_init(struct thread_master *);
 
 extern int config_write_ospf6_debug_zebra (struct vty *vty);
 extern void install_element_ospf6_debug_zebra (void);
diff --git a/ospf6d/ospf6d.c b/ospf6d/ospf6d.c
index 3cdd5c1..c2baa31 100644
--- a/ospf6d/ospf6d.c
+++ b/ospf6d/ospf6d.c
@@ -1764,7 +1764,7 @@
   ospf6_area_init ();
   ospf6_interface_init ();
   ospf6_neighbor_init ();
-  ospf6_zebra_init ();
+  ospf6_zebra_init (master);
 
   ospf6_lsa_init ();
   ospf6_spf_init ();
diff --git a/ospfd/ospf_main.c b/ospfd/ospf_main.c
index 826fc98..10565fe 100644
--- a/ospfd/ospf_main.c
+++ b/ospfd/ospf_main.c
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@
 
   /* OSPFd inits. */
   ospf_if_init ();
-  ospf_zebra_init ();
+  ospf_zebra_init (master);
 
   /* OSPF vty inits. */
   ospf_vty_init ();
diff --git a/ospfd/ospf_zebra.c b/ospfd/ospf_zebra.c
index 588f0fb..cf2ea81 100644
--- a/ospfd/ospf_zebra.c
+++ b/ospfd/ospf_zebra.c
@@ -1304,10 +1304,10 @@
 }
 
 void
-ospf_zebra_init ()
+ospf_zebra_init (struct thread_master *master)
 {
   /* Allocate zebra structure. */
-  zclient = zclient_new ();
+  zclient = zclient_new (master);
   zclient_init (zclient, ZEBRA_ROUTE_OSPF);
   zclient->zebra_connected = ospf_zebra_connected;
   zclient->router_id_update = ospf_router_id_update_zebra;
diff --git a/ospfd/ospf_zebra.h b/ospfd/ospf_zebra.h
index 148f652..32a0271 100644
--- a/ospfd/ospf_zebra.h
+++ b/ospfd/ospf_zebra.h
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
 			      const char *, const char *);
 extern int ospf_distance_unset (struct vty *, struct ospf *, const char *,
 				const char *, const char *);
-extern void ospf_zebra_init (void);
+extern void ospf_zebra_init (struct thread_master *);
 
 #endif /* _ZEBRA_OSPF_ZEBRA_H */
 
diff --git a/pimd/pim_main.c b/pimd/pim_main.c
index 95c1816..5f4711e 100644
--- a/pimd/pim_main.c
+++ b/pimd/pim_main.c
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@
   /*
    * Initialize zclient "update" and "lookup" sockets
    */
-  pim_zebra_init(zebra_sock_path);
+  pim_zebra_init (master, zebra_sock_path);
 
   zlog_notice("Loading configuration - begin");
 
diff --git a/pimd/pim_zebra.c b/pimd/pim_zebra.c
index dfc871b..1a39271 100644
--- a/pimd/pim_zebra.c
+++ b/pimd/pim_zebra.c
@@ -655,7 +655,7 @@
   zclient_send_requests(zclient, VRF_DEFAULT);
 }
 
-void pim_zebra_init(char *zebra_sock_path)
+void pim_zebra_init (struct thread_master *master, char *zebra_sock_path)
 {
   int i;
 
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@
 #endif
 
   /* Socket for receiving updates from Zebra daemon */
-  qpim_zclient_update = zclient_new();
+  qpim_zclient_update = zclient_new (master);
 
   qpim_zclient_update->zebra_connected          = pim_zebra_connected;
   qpim_zclient_update->router_id_update         = pim_router_id_update_zebra;
diff --git a/pimd/pim_zebra.h b/pimd/pim_zebra.h
index d624c86..af5baef 100644
--- a/pimd/pim_zebra.h
+++ b/pimd/pim_zebra.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #include "pim_igmp.h"
 #include "pim_ifchannel.h"
 
-void pim_zebra_init(char *zebra_sock_path);
+void pim_zebra_init (struct thread_master *master, char *zebra_sock_path);
 
 void pim_scan_oil(void);
 
diff --git a/pimd/pim_zlookup.c b/pimd/pim_zlookup.c
index 67896d9..297a2a8 100644
--- a/pimd/pim_zlookup.c
+++ b/pimd/pim_zlookup.c
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@
 {
   struct zclient *zlookup;
 
-  zlookup = zclient_new();
+  zlookup = zclient_new (master);
   if (!zlookup) {
     zlog_err("%s: zclient_new() failure",
 	     __PRETTY_FUNCTION__);
diff --git a/ripd/rip_main.c b/ripd/rip_main.c
index 95b1f6d..4ead9b0 100644
--- a/ripd/rip_main.c
+++ b/ripd/rip_main.c
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@
   /* RIP related initialization. */
   rip_init ();
   rip_if_init ();
-  rip_zclient_init ();
+  rip_zclient_init (master);
   rip_peer_init ();
 
   /* Get configuration file. */
diff --git a/ripd/rip_zebra.c b/ripd/rip_zebra.c
index de98162..0b6c22a 100644
--- a/ripd/rip_zebra.c
+++ b/ripd/rip_zebra.c
@@ -710,10 +710,10 @@
 }
 
 void
-rip_zclient_init ()
+rip_zclient_init (struct thread_master *master)
 {
   /* Set default value to the zebra client structure. */
-  zclient = zclient_new ();
+  zclient = zclient_new (master);
   zclient_init (zclient, ZEBRA_ROUTE_RIP);
   zclient->zebra_connected = rip_zebra_connected;
   zclient->interface_add = rip_interface_add;
diff --git a/ripd/ripd.h b/ripd/ripd.h
index 4f40e79..a768ccc 100644
--- a/ripd/ripd.h
+++ b/ripd/ripd.h
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@
 extern void rip_route_map_init (void);
 extern void rip_route_map_reset (void);
 extern void rip_snmp_init (void);
-extern void rip_zclient_init (void);
+extern void rip_zclient_init (struct thread_master *);
 extern void rip_zclient_start (void);
 extern void rip_zclient_reset (void);
 extern void rip_offset_init (void);
diff --git a/ripngd/ripng_main.c b/ripngd/ripng_main.c
index d8f2241..1c184e2 100644
--- a/ripngd/ripng_main.c
+++ b/ripngd/ripng_main.c
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@
 
   /* RIPngd inits. */
   ripng_init ();
-  zebra_init ();
+  zebra_init (master);
   ripng_peer_init ();
 
   /* Get configuration file. */
diff --git a/ripngd/ripng_zebra.c b/ripngd/ripng_zebra.c
index 58f8860..13b1853 100644
--- a/ripngd/ripng_zebra.c
+++ b/ripngd/ripng_zebra.c
@@ -541,10 +541,10 @@
 
 /* Initialize zebra structure and it's commands. */
 void
-zebra_init ()
+zebra_init (struct thread_master *master)
 {
   /* Allocate zebra structure. */
-  zclient = zclient_new ();
+  zclient = zclient_new (master);
   zclient_init (zclient, ZEBRA_ROUTE_RIPNG);
 
   zclient->zebra_connected = ripng_zebra_connected;
diff --git a/ripngd/ripngd.h b/ripngd/ripngd.h
index 28ca41b..6cbbd84 100644
--- a/ripngd/ripngd.h
+++ b/ripngd/ripngd.h
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@
 extern void ripng_route_map_reset (void);
 extern void ripng_terminate (void);
  /* zclient_init() is done by ripng_zebra.c:zebra_init() */
-extern void zebra_init (void);
+extern void zebra_init (struct thread_master *);
 extern void ripng_zclient_start (void);
 extern void ripng_zclient_reset (void);
 extern void ripng_offset_init (void);
diff --git a/tests/bgp_mpath_test.c b/tests/bgp_mpath_test.c
index 3594753..ed54d9c 100644
--- a/tests/bgp_mpath_test.c
+++ b/tests/bgp_mpath_test.c
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@
 global_test_init (void)
 {
   master = thread_master_create ();
-  zclient = zclient_new ();
+  zclient = zclient_new (master);
   bgp_master_init ();
   bgp_option_set (BGP_OPT_NO_LISTEN);
   
diff --git a/zebra/client_main.c b/zebra/client_main.c
index 06afc56..43ab299 100644
--- a/zebra/client_main.c
+++ b/zebra/client_main.c
@@ -193,13 +193,15 @@
 int
 main (int argc, char **argv)
 {
+  struct thread_master *master;
   FILE *fp;
 
   if (argc == 1)
       usage_exit ();
 
+  master = thread_master_create ();
   /* Establish connection to zebra. */
-  zclient = zclient_new ();
+  zclient = zclient_new (master);
   zclient->enable = 1;
 #ifdef HAVE_TCP_ZEBRA
   zclient->sock = zclient_socket ();