diff --git a/samples/terminate/CMakeLists.txt b/samples/terminate/CMakeLists.txt
index d9b5a053d..246b835dd 100644
--- a/samples/terminate/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/samples/terminate/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ if (NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
 endif ()
 
 set (WAMR_BUILD_LIBC_WASI 1)
+set (WAMR_BUILD_LIB_WASI_THREADS 1)
 set (WAMR_BUILD_THREAD_MGR 1)
 set (WAMR_BUILD_INTERP 1)
 set (WAMR_BUILD_AOT 1)
diff --git a/samples/terminate/src/main.c b/samples/terminate/src/main.c
index 2dca37f68..4885b0b11 100644
--- a/samples/terminate/src/main.c
+++ b/samples/terminate/src/main.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ print_usage(void)
 }
 
 static void *
-runner(void *vp)
+runner_with_sigleton_exec_env(void *vp)
 {
     wasm_module_inst_t inst = vp;
     bool ok = wasm_runtime_init_thread_env();
@@ -31,6 +31,22 @@ runner(void *vp)
     return inst;
 }
 
+static void *
+runner_with_spawn_exec_env(void *vp)
+{
+    wasm_exec_env_t env = vp;
+    wasm_module_inst_t inst = wasm_runtime_get_module_inst(env);
+    wasm_function_inst_t func;
+    bool ok = wasm_runtime_init_thread_env();
+    assert(ok);
+    func = wasm_runtime_lookup_function(inst, "block_forever", NULL);
+    assert(func != NULL);
+    wasm_runtime_call_wasm(env, func, 0, NULL);
+    wasm_runtime_destroy_spawned_exec_env(env);
+    wasm_runtime_destroy_thread_env();
+    return inst;
+}
+
 int
 main(int argc, char *argv_main[])
 {
@@ -108,6 +124,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv_main[])
                                   pipe_fds[0], -1, -1);
 
     for (i = 0; i < N; i++) {
+        bool use_wasm_runtime_spawn_exec_env = i / 2 == 0;
+        wasm_exec_env_t env;
+
         module_inst[i] = wasm_runtime_instantiate(module, stack_size, heap_size,
                                                   error_buf, sizeof(error_buf));
 
@@ -119,17 +138,33 @@ main(int argc, char *argv_main[])
         /* Note: ensure that module inst has an exec env so that
          * it can receive the termination request.
          */
-        wasm_runtime_get_exec_env_singleton(module_inst[i]);
+        env = wasm_runtime_get_exec_env_singleton(module_inst[i]);
+        assert(env != NULL);
+        if (use_wasm_runtime_spawn_exec_env) {
+            env = wasm_runtime_spawn_exec_env(env);
+            assert(env != NULL);
+        }
 
         if ((i % 2) == 0) {
             printf("terminating thread %u before starting\n", i);
             wasm_runtime_terminate(module_inst[i]);
         }
 
-        printf("starting thread %u\n", i);
-        ret = pthread_create(&th[i], NULL, runner, module_inst[i]);
-        if (ret != 0) {
-            goto fail;
+        if (use_wasm_runtime_spawn_exec_env) {
+            printf("starting thread %u (spawn_exec_env)\n", i);
+            ret = pthread_create(&th[i], NULL, runner_with_spawn_exec_env, env);
+            if (ret != 0) {
+                wasm_runtime_destroy_spawned_exec_env(env);
+                goto fail;
+            }
+        }
+        else {
+            printf("starting thread %u (singleton exec_env)\n", i);
+            ret = pthread_create(&th[i], NULL, runner_with_sigleton_exec_env,
+                                 module_inst[i]);
+            if (ret != 0) {
+                goto fail;
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -148,6 +183,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv_main[])
         void *status;
         ret = pthread_join(th[i], &status);
         if (ret != 0) {
+            printf("pthread_join failed for thread %u\n", i);
             goto fail;
         }
     }
diff --git a/samples/terminate/wasm-apps/testapp.wat b/samples/terminate/wasm-apps/testapp.wat
index 0b75a7c62..349535da7 100644
--- a/samples/terminate/wasm-apps/testapp.wat
+++ b/samples/terminate/wasm-apps/testapp.wat
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 (module
   (func $fd_read (import "wasi_snapshot_preview1" "fd_read") (param i32 i32 i32 i32) (result i32))
-  (func (export "_start")
+  (func $block_forever (export "block_forever")
     ;; read from FD 0
     i32.const 100 ;; iov_base
     i32.const 200 ;; buffer
@@ -18,5 +18,36 @@
     call $fd_read
     unreachable
   )
+  (func (export "_start")
+    call $block_forever
+  )
+
+  ;; a dumb malloc/free implementation
+  (func (export "malloc") (param i32) (result i32)
+    local.get 0
+    i32.const 65535
+    i32.add
+    i32.const 65536
+    i32.div_u
+    memory.grow
+    local.set 0
+    local.get 0
+    i32.const -1
+    i32.eq
+    if
+      i32.const 0
+      return
+    end
+    local.get 0
+    i32.const 65536
+    i32.mul
+  )
+  (func (export "free") (param i32))
+
   (memory (export "memory") 1)
+
+  ;; fake globals to make wasm_set_aux_stack happy
+  (global (export "__heap_base") i32 (i32.const 0x10000))
+  (global (export "__data_end") i32 (i32.const 0x10000))
+  (global (mut i32) (i32.const 0x10000))
 )