diff --git a/src/libutil/util.cc b/src/libutil/util.cc
index 5468d1ed1..defb77a10 100644
--- a/src/libutil/util.cc
+++ b/src/libutil/util.cc
@@ -1205,7 +1205,7 @@ void closeOnExec(int fd)
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 
-bool _isInterrupted = false;
+std::atomic<bool> _isInterrupted = false;
 
 static thread_local bool interruptThrown = false;
 thread_local std::function<bool()> interruptCheck;
diff --git a/src/libutil/util.hh b/src/libutil/util.hh
index 708e01cf8..0bdb37a79 100644
--- a/src/libutil/util.hh
+++ b/src/libutil/util.hh
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ void closeOnExec(int fd);
 
 /* User interruption. */
 
-extern bool _isInterrupted;
+extern std::atomic<bool> _isInterrupted;
 
 extern thread_local std::function<bool()> interruptCheck;