Index: programs/mythbackend/autoexpire.h
===================================================================
--- programs/mythbackend/autoexpire.h	(revision 13559)
+++ programs/mythbackend/autoexpire.h	(working copy)
@@ -74,13 +74,14 @@
                         QDateTime starttime);
 
     // main expire info
-    set<QString>  dont_expire_set;
-    pthread_t     expire_thread;
-    QMutex        instance_lock;
-    size_t        desired_space;
-    uint          desired_freq;
-    size_t        max_record_rate; // bytes/sec
-    bool          expire_thread_running;
+    set<QString>   dont_expire_set;
+    pthread_t      expire_thread;
+    QMutex         instance_lock;
+    QWaitCondition instance_cond;
+    size_t         desired_space;
+    uint           desired_freq;
+    size_t         max_record_rate; // bytes/sec
+    bool           expire_thread_running;
 
     // update info
     bool          update_pending;
Index: programs/mythbackend/autoexpire.cpp
===================================================================
--- programs/mythbackend/autoexpire.cpp	(revision 13559)
+++ programs/mythbackend/autoexpire.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -57,13 +57,8 @@
 
     Init();
 
-    pthread_attr_t attr;
-    pthread_attr_init(&attr);
-    pthread_attr_setdetachstate(&attr, PTHREAD_CREATE_JOINABLE);
-
-    pthread_create(&expire_thread, &attr, ExpirerThread, this);
+    pthread_create(&expire_thread, NULL, ExpirerThread, this);
     gContext->addListener(this);
-
 }
 
 /** \fn AutoExpire::AutoExpire()
@@ -92,8 +87,11 @@
  */
 AutoExpire::~AutoExpire()
 {
+    instance_lock.lock();
     while (update_pending)
-        usleep(500);
+        instance_cond.wait(&instance_lock);
+    instance_lock.unlock();
+
     if (expire_thread_running)
     {
         gContext->removeListener(this);
@@ -920,6 +918,7 @@
     ae->CalcParams();
     ae->instance_lock.lock();
     ae->update_pending = false;
+    ae->instance_cond.wakeAll();
     ae->instance_lock.unlock();
     return NULL;
 }
@@ -941,13 +940,8 @@
     // make sure there is only one update pending
     expirer->instance_lock.lock();
     while (expirer->update_pending)
-    {
-        expirer->instance_lock.unlock();
-        usleep(500);
-        expirer->instance_lock.lock();
-    }
+        expirer->instance_cond.wait(&expirer->instance_lock);
     expirer->update_pending = true;
-        
     expirer->instance_lock.unlock();
 
     // do it..