diff --git a/base-hw/include/kernel/interface.h b/base-hw/include/kernel/interface.h
index 3001d99990..d5a7252a8e 100644
--- a/base-hw/include/kernel/interface.h
+++ b/base-hw/include/kernel/interface.h
@@ -90,15 +90,12 @@ namespace Kernel
 	 *
 	 * \param thread_id  kernel name of the targeted thread or 0
 	 *
-	 * \retval  0  succeeded
-	 * \retval -1  the targeted thread does not exist or is still active
-	 *
 	 * If thread_id is set to 0 the caller targets itself. If the caller
 	 * doesn't target itself, the call is restricted to core threads.
 	 */
-	inline int pause_thread(unsigned const thread_id)
+	inline void pause_thread(unsigned const thread_id)
 	{
-		return call(call_id_pause_thread(), thread_id);
+		call(call_id_pause_thread(), thread_id);
 	}
 
 
diff --git a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.cc b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.cc
index dae8a7ad70..8c57d1f898 100644
--- a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.cc
+++ b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.cc
@@ -386,7 +386,6 @@ void Thread::_call_pause_thread()
 	unsigned const thread_id = user_arg_1();
 	if (!thread_id || thread_id == id()) {
 		_pause();
-		user_arg_0(0);
 		return;
 	}
 	/* check permissions */
@@ -399,12 +398,11 @@ void Thread::_call_pause_thread()
 	Thread * const thread = Thread::pool()->object(thread_id);
 	if (!thread) {
 		PWRN("failed to lookup thread");
-		user_arg_0(-1);
+		_stop();
 		return;
 	}
 	/* pause thread */
 	thread->_pause();
-	user_arg_0(0);
 }