diff --git a/src/threadvars.h b/src/threadvars.h
index 578770c1aa..c72dcc734d 100644
--- a/src/threadvars.h
+++ b/src/threadvars.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ struct TmSlot_;
 /** \brief Per thread variable structure */
 typedef struct ThreadVars_ {
     pthread_t t;
-    char *name;
+    char name[16];
     char *thread_group_name;
 
     SC_ATOMIC_DECLARE(unsigned int, flags);
diff --git a/src/tm-threads.c b/src/tm-threads.c
index ad460232a7..b21357871e 100644
--- a/src/tm-threads.c
+++ b/src/tm-threads.c
@@ -1162,9 +1162,8 @@ ThreadVars *TmThreadCreate(char *name, char *inq_name, char *inqh_name,
     SC_ATOMIC_INIT(tv->flags);
     SCMutexInit(&tv->perf_public_ctx.m, NULL);
 
-    tv->name = SCStrdup(name);
-    if (unlikely(tv->name == NULL))
-        goto error;
+    strlcpy(tv->name, name, sizeof(tv->name));
+
     /* default state for every newly created thread */
     TmThreadsSetFlag(tv, THV_PAUSE);
     TmThreadsSetFlag(tv, THV_USE);
@@ -1793,7 +1792,6 @@ void TmThreadFree(ThreadVars *tv)
     }
 
     TmThreadsUnregisterThread(tv->id);
-    SCFree(tv->name);
     SCFree(tv);
 }