diff --git a/db_stress_tool/db_stress_driver.cc b/db_stress_tool/db_stress_driver.cc
index b944214ec6d..6620b1e4cdb 100644
--- a/db_stress_tool/db_stress_driver.cc
+++ b/db_stress_tool/db_stress_driver.cc
@@ -68,22 +68,25 @@ bool RunStressTest(StressTest* stress) {
   }
 #endif
 
-  uint32_t n = shared.GetNumThreads();
+  uint32_t n = FLAGS_threads;
 
   uint64_t now = clock->NowMicros();
   fprintf(stdout, "%s Initializing worker threads\n",
           clock->TimeToString(now / 1000000).c_str());
   std::vector<ThreadState*> threads(n);
   for (uint32_t i = 0; i < n; i++) {
+    shared.IncThreads();
     threads[i] = new ThreadState(i, &shared);
     db_stress_env->StartThread(ThreadBody, threads[i]);
   }
   ThreadState bg_thread(0, &shared);
   if (FLAGS_compaction_thread_pool_adjust_interval > 0) {
+    shared.IncBgThreads();
     db_stress_env->StartThread(PoolSizeChangeThread, &bg_thread);
   }
   ThreadState continuous_verification_thread(0, &shared);
   if (FLAGS_continuous_verification_interval > 0) {
+    shared.IncBgThreads();
     db_stress_env->StartThread(DbVerificationThread,
                                &continuous_verification_thread);
   }
diff --git a/db_stress_tool/db_stress_shared_state.h b/db_stress_tool/db_stress_shared_state.h
index 1f1542f3680..d48aeb131a6 100644
--- a/db_stress_tool/db_stress_shared_state.h
+++ b/db_stress_tool/db_stress_shared_state.h
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class SharedState {
         seed_(static_cast<uint32_t>(FLAGS_seed)),
         max_key_(FLAGS_max_key),
         log2_keys_per_lock_(static_cast<uint32_t>(FLAGS_log2_keys_per_lock)),
-        num_threads_(FLAGS_threads),
+        num_threads_(0),
         num_initialized_(0),
         num_populated_(0),
         vote_reopen_(0),
@@ -163,14 +163,6 @@ class SharedState {
         ptr.reset(new port::Mutex);
       }
     }
-    if (FLAGS_compaction_thread_pool_adjust_interval > 0) {
-      ++num_bg_threads_;
-      fprintf(stdout, "Starting compaction_thread_pool_adjust_thread\n");
-    }
-    if (FLAGS_continuous_verification_interval > 0) {
-      ++num_bg_threads_;
-      fprintf(stdout, "Starting continuous_verification_thread\n");
-    }
 #ifndef NDEBUG
     if (FLAGS_read_fault_one_in) {
       SyncPoint::GetInstance()->SetCallBack("FaultInjectionIgnoreError",
@@ -199,6 +191,8 @@ class SharedState {
 
   uint32_t GetNumThreads() const { return num_threads_; }
 
+  void IncThreads() { num_threads_++; }
+
   void IncInitialized() { num_initialized_++; }
 
   void IncOperated() { num_populated_++; }
@@ -317,6 +311,8 @@ class SharedState {
 
   bool ShouldStopBgThread() { return should_stop_bg_thread_; }
 
+  void IncBgThreads() { ++num_bg_threads_; }
+
   void IncBgThreadsFinished() { ++bg_thread_finished_; }
 
   bool BgThreadsFinished() const {
@@ -347,7 +343,7 @@ class SharedState {
   const uint32_t seed_;
   const int64_t max_key_;
   const uint32_t log2_keys_per_lock_;
-  const int num_threads_;
+  int num_threads_;
   long num_initialized_;
   long num_populated_;
   long vote_reopen_;