diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/CPU/CPUThread.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/CPU/CPUThread.cpp
index 0e0a063194..7098776a53 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/CPU/CPUThread.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/CPU/CPUThread.cpp
@@ -1312,7 +1312,10 @@ bool cpu_thread::suspend_work::push(cpu_thread* _this) noexcept
 
 void cpu_thread::cleanup() noexcept
 {
-	ensure(!s_cpu_counter);
+	if (u64 count = s_cpu_counter)
+	{
+		fmt::throw_exception("cpu_thread::cleanup(): %u threads are still active! (created=%u, destroyed=%u)", count, +g_threads_created, +g_threads_deleted);
+	}
 
 	sys_log.notice("All CPU threads have been stopped. [+: %u]", +g_threads_created);
 
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/SPUThread.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/SPUThread.cpp
index af86f12b8a..06973dc2ca 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/SPUThread.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/SPUThread.cpp
@@ -1767,11 +1767,8 @@ void spu_thread::cleanup()
 	// Free range lock (and signals cleanup was called to the destructor)
 	vm::free_range_lock(range_lock);
 
-	// Signal the debugger about the termination
-	if (!state.test_and_set(cpu_flag::exit))
-	{
-		state.notify_one();
-	}
+	// Terminate and join thread
+	static_cast<named_thread<spu_thread>&>(*this) = thread_state::finished;
 }
 
 spu_thread::~spu_thread()