diff --git a/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.cpp b/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.cpp
index 0a8454fee..9ac4a5adc 100644
--- a/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.cpp
+++ b/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 
 namespace Kernel {
 
-Handle g_main_thread = 0;
+Thread* g_main_thread = nullptr;
 HandleTable g_handle_table;
 u64 g_program_id = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.h b/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.h
index 7f86fd07d..244527154 100644
--- a/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.h
+++ b/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.h
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ const Handle INVALID_HANDLE = 0;
 
 namespace Kernel {
 
+class Thread;
+
 // TODO: Verify code
 const ResultCode ERR_OUT_OF_HANDLES(ErrorDescription::OutOfMemory, ErrorModule::Kernel,
         ErrorSummary::OutOfResource, ErrorLevel::Temporary);
@@ -189,7 +191,7 @@ private:
 };
 
 extern HandleTable g_handle_table;
-extern Handle g_main_thread;
+extern Thread* g_main_thread;
 
 /// The ID code of the currently running game
 /// TODO(Subv): This variable should not be here, 
diff --git a/src/core/hle/kernel/thread.cpp b/src/core/hle/kernel/thread.cpp
index 7a235a64b..f39c497d0 100644
--- a/src/core/hle/kernel/thread.cpp
+++ b/src/core/hle/kernel/thread.cpp
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ void DebugThreadQueue() {
     }
 }
 
-ResultVal<Handle> Thread::Create(const char* name, u32 entry_point, s32 priority, u32 arg,
+ResultVal<Thread*> Thread::Create(const char* name, u32 entry_point, s32 priority, u32 arg,
         s32 processor_id, u32 stack_top, int stack_size) {
     _dbg_assert_(Kernel, name != nullptr);
 
@@ -319,6 +319,7 @@ ResultVal<Handle> Thread::Create(const char* name, u32 entry_point, s32 priority
 
     Thread* thread = new Thread;
 
+    // TODO(yuriks): Thread requires a handle to be inserted into the various scheduling queues for now.
     ResultVal<Handle> handle = Kernel::g_handle_table.Create(thread);
     // TODO(yuriks): Plug memory leak
     if (handle.Failed())
@@ -342,7 +343,7 @@ ResultVal<Handle> Thread::Create(const char* name, u32 entry_point, s32 priority
     ResetThread(thread, arg, 0);
     CallThread(thread);
 
-    return MakeResult<Handle>(*handle);
+    return MakeResult<Thread*>(thread);
 }
 
 /// Set the priority of the thread specified by handle
@@ -372,14 +373,13 @@ void Thread::SetPriority(s32 priority) {
 }
 
 /// Sets up the primary application thread
-Handle SetupMainThread(s32 priority, int stack_size) {
+Thread* SetupMainThread(s32 priority, int stack_size) {
     // Initialize new "main" thread
-    ResultVal<Handle> handle = Thread::Create("main", Core::g_app_core->GetPC(), priority, 0,
+    ResultVal<Thread*> thread_res = Thread::Create("main", Core::g_app_core->GetPC(), priority, 0,
         THREADPROCESSORID_0, Memory::SCRATCHPAD_VADDR_END, stack_size);
     // TODO(yuriks): Propagate error
-    _dbg_assert_(Kernel, handle.Succeeded());
-
-    Thread* thread = Kernel::g_handle_table.Get<Thread>(*handle);
+    _dbg_assert_(Kernel, thread_res.Succeeded());
+    Thread* thread = *thread_res;
 
     // If running another thread already, set it to "ready" state
     Thread* cur = GetCurrentThread();
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ Handle SetupMainThread(s32 priority, int stack_size) {
     thread->status = THREADSTATUS_RUNNING;
     LoadContext(thread->context);
 
-    return *handle;
+    return thread;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/core/hle/kernel/thread.h b/src/core/hle/kernel/thread.h
index 3fdb27965..27f85f53a 100644
--- a/src/core/hle/kernel/thread.h
+++ b/src/core/hle/kernel/thread.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ namespace Kernel {
 
 class Thread : public Kernel::Object {
 public:
-    static ResultVal<Handle> Create(const char* name, u32 entry_point, s32 priority, u32 arg,
+    static ResultVal<Thread*> Create(const char* name, u32 entry_point, s32 priority, u32 arg,
         s32 processor_id, u32 stack_top, int stack_size = Kernel::DEFAULT_STACK_SIZE);
 
     std::string GetName() const override { return name; }
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ private:
 };
 
 /// Sets up the primary application thread
-Handle SetupMainThread(s32 priority, int stack_size=Kernel::DEFAULT_STACK_SIZE);
+Thread* SetupMainThread(s32 priority, int stack_size = Kernel::DEFAULT_STACK_SIZE);
 
 /// Reschedules to the next available thread (call after current thread is suspended)
 void Reschedule();
diff --git a/src/core/hle/svc.cpp b/src/core/hle/svc.cpp
index 760bcb878..a2a46ce6a 100644
--- a/src/core/hle/svc.cpp
+++ b/src/core/hle/svc.cpp
@@ -229,16 +229,17 @@ static Result CreateThread(u32 priority, u32 entry_point, u32 arg, u32 stack_top
         name = Common::StringFromFormat("unknown-%08x", entry_point);
     }
 
-    ResultVal<Handle> thread = Kernel::Thread::Create(name.c_str(), entry_point, priority, arg,
+    ResultVal<Kernel::Thread*> thread_res = Kernel::Thread::Create(name.c_str(), entry_point, priority, arg,
             processor_id, stack_top);
-    if (thread.Failed())
-        return thread.Code().raw;
+    if (thread_res.Failed())
+        return thread_res.Code().raw;
+    Kernel::Thread* thread = *thread_res;
 
-    Core::g_app_core->SetReg(1, *thread);
+    Core::g_app_core->SetReg(1, thread->GetHandle());
 
     LOG_TRACE(Kernel_SVC, "called entrypoint=0x%08X (%s), arg=0x%08X, stacktop=0x%08X, "
         "threadpriority=0x%08X, processorid=0x%08X : created handle=0x%08X", entry_point,
-        name.c_str(), arg, stack_top, priority, processor_id, *thread);
+        name.c_str(), arg, stack_top, priority, processor_id, thread->GetHandle());
 
     return 0;
 }