@@ -643,11 +643,11 @@
     (debug:print-info 4 *default-log-port* "test-records=" (hash-table->alist test-records))
     (let ((reglen (configf:lookup *configdat* "setup" "runqueue")))
       (if (> (length (hash-table-keys test-records)) 0)
 	  (let* ((keep-going        #t)
 		 (run-queue-retries 5)
-		 (th1        (make-thread (lambda ()
+		 #;(th1        (make-thread (lambda ()
 					    (handle-exceptions
 						exn
 						(begin
 						  (print-call-chain)
 						  (print " message: " ((condition-property-accessor 'exn 'message) exn)))
@@ -663,13 +663,16 @@
 							       exn
 							       (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* "error in calling find-and-mark-incomplete for run-id " run-id)
 							       (rmt:find-and-mark-incomplete run-id #f)))) ;; ovr-deadtime))) ;; could be root of https://hsdes.intel.com/appstore/article/#/220546828/main -- Title: Megatest jobs show DEAD even though they are still running (1.64/27)
 							run-ids)))
 					  "runs: mark-incompletes")))
-	    (thread-start! th1)
+	    ;; (thread-start! th1)
 	    (thread-start! th2)
-	    (thread-join! th1)
+	    ;; (thread-join! th1)
+	    ;; just do the main stuff in the main thread
+	    (runs:run-tests-queue run-id runname test-records keyvals flags test-patts required-tests
+								    (any->number reglen) all-tests-registry)
 	    (set! keep-going #f)
 	    (thread-join! th2)
 	    ;; if run-count > 0 call, set -preclean and -rerun STUCK/DEAD
 	    (if (> run-count 0) ;; handle reruns
 		(begin