diff --git a/src/streamer.rs b/src/streamer.rs
index 3917ce84f1..1f8d3b0128 100644
--- a/src/streamer.rs
+++ b/src/streamer.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use std::net::{SocketAddr, UdpSocket};
 use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
 use std::sync::mpsc;
 use std::sync::{Arc, RwLock};
-use std::thread::{spawn, JoinHandle};
+use std::thread::{Builder, JoinHandle};
 use std::time::Duration;
 
 pub const WINDOW_SIZE: usize = 2 * 1024;
@@ -58,10 +58,13 @@ pub fn receiver(
     if res.is_err() {
         panic!("streamer::receiver set_read_timeout error");
     }
-    spawn(move || {
-        let _ = recv_loop(&sock, &exit, &recycler, &packet_sender);
-        ()
-    })
+    Builder::new()
+        .name("receiver".to_string())
+        .spawn(move || {
+            let _ = recv_loop(&sock, &exit, &recycler, &packet_sender);
+            ()
+        })
+        .unwrap()
 }
 
 fn recv_send(sock: &UdpSocket, recycler: &BlobRecycler, r: &BlobReceiver) -> Result<()> {
@@ -96,11 +99,14 @@ pub fn responder(
     recycler: BlobRecycler,
     r: BlobReceiver,
 ) -> JoinHandle<()> {
-    spawn(move || loop {
-        if recv_send(&sock, &recycler, &r).is_err() && exit.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
-            break;
-        }
-    })
+    Builder::new()
+        .name("responder".to_string())
+        .spawn(move || loop {
+            if recv_send(&sock, &recycler, &r).is_err() && exit.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
+                break;
+            }
+        })
+        .unwrap()
 }
 
 //TODO, we would need to stick block authentication before we create the
@@ -124,12 +130,15 @@ pub fn blob_receiver(
     //1 second timeout on socket read
     let timer = Duration::new(1, 0);
     sock.set_read_timeout(Some(timer))?;
-    let t = spawn(move || loop {
-        if exit.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
-            break;
-        }
-        let _ = recv_blobs(&recycler, &sock, &s);
-    });
+    let t = Builder::new()
+        .name("blob_receiver".to_string())
+        .spawn(move || loop {
+            if exit.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
+                break;
+            }
+            let _ = recv_blobs(&recycler, &sock, &s);
+        })
+        .unwrap();
     Ok(t)
 }
 
@@ -320,35 +329,38 @@ pub fn window(
     s: BlobSender,
     retransmit: BlobSender,
 ) -> JoinHandle<()> {
-    spawn(move || {
-        let mut consumed = 0;
-        let mut received = 0;
-        let mut last = 0;
-        let mut times = 0;
-        loop {
-            if exit.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
-                break;
+    Builder::new()
+        .name("window".to_string())
+        .spawn(move || {
+            let mut consumed = 0;
+            let mut received = 0;
+            let mut last = 0;
+            let mut times = 0;
+            loop {
+                if exit.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
+                    break;
+                }
+                let _ = recv_window(
+                    &window,
+                    &crdt,
+                    &recycler,
+                    &mut consumed,
+                    &mut received,
+                    &r,
+                    &s,
+                    &retransmit,
+                );
+                let _ = repair_window(
+                    &window,
+                    &crdt,
+                    &mut last,
+                    &mut times,
+                    &mut consumed,
+                    &mut received,
+                );
             }
-            let _ = recv_window(
-                &window,
-                &crdt,
-                &recycler,
-                &mut consumed,
-                &mut received,
-                &r,
-                &s,
-                &retransmit,
-            );
-            let _ = repair_window(
-                &window,
-                &crdt,
-                &mut last,
-                &mut times,
-                &mut consumed,
-                &mut received,
-            );
-        }
-    })
+        })
+        .unwrap()
 }
 
 fn broadcast(
@@ -415,15 +427,18 @@ pub fn broadcaster(
     recycler: BlobRecycler,
     r: BlobReceiver,
 ) -> JoinHandle<()> {
-    spawn(move || {
-        let mut transmit_index = 0;
-        loop {
-            if exit.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
-                break;
+    Builder::new()
+        .name("retransmitter".to_string())
+        .spawn(move || {
+            let mut transmit_index = 0;
+            loop {
+                if exit.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
+                    break;
+                }
+                let _ = broadcast(&crdt, &window, &recycler, &r, &sock, &mut transmit_index);
             }
-            let _ = broadcast(&crdt, &window, &recycler, &r, &sock, &mut transmit_index);
-        }
-    })
+        })
+        .unwrap()
 }
 
 fn retransmit(
@@ -463,17 +478,20 @@ pub fn retransmitter(
     recycler: BlobRecycler,
     r: BlobReceiver,
 ) -> JoinHandle<()> {
-    spawn(move || {
-        trace!("retransmitter started");
-        loop {
-            if exit.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
-                break;
+    Builder::new()
+        .name("retransmitter".to_string())
+        .spawn(move || {
+            trace!("retransmitter started");
+            loop {
+                if exit.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
+                    break;
+                }
+                // TODO: handle this error
+                let _ = retransmit(&crdt, &recycler, &r, &sock);
             }
-            // TODO: handle this error
-            let _ = retransmit(&crdt, &recycler, &r, &sock);
-        }
-        trace!("exiting retransmitter");
-    })
+            trace!("exiting retransmitter");
+        })
+        .unwrap()
 }
 
 #[cfg(all(feature = "unstable", test))]