diff --git a/gc.c b/gc.c
index a98219ff..87263319 100644
--- a/gc.c
+++ b/gc.c
@@ -731,11 +731,30 @@ void gc_collector()
   //sweep : 
   max_freed = gc_sweep(Cyc_get_heap(), &freed);
 #if GC_DEBUG_CONCISE_PRINTFS
-    printf("sweep done, freed = %d, max_freed = %d, elapsed = %ld\n", freed, max_freed, time(NULL) - sweep_start);
+    printf("sweep done, freed = %d, max_freed = %d, elapsed = %ld\n", 
+      freed, max_freed, time(NULL) - sweep_start);
 #endif
   gc_stage = STAGE_RESTING;
 }
 
+void *collector_main(void *arg)
+{
+  while (1) {
+    gc_collector();
+    sleep(1); // TODO: how to schedule this thread?
+  }
+}
+
+static pthread_t collector_thread;
+
+void gc_start_collector()
+{
+  if (pthread_create(&collector_thread, NULL, collector_main, &collector_thread)) {
+    fprintf(stderr, "Error creating collector thread\n");
+    exit(1);
+  }
+}
+
 /////////////////////////////////////////////
 // END tri-color marking section
 /////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/include/cyclone/runtime-main.h b/include/cyclone/runtime-main.h
index 9f7edf8e..2ab0b1ab 100644
--- a/include/cyclone/runtime-main.h
+++ b/include/cyclone/runtime-main.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ static void Cyc_heap_init(long heap_size)
 #endif
   Cyc_heap = gc_heap_create(heap_size / 2, 0, 0);
   gc_init_mutators();
+  gc_start_collector();
 }
 
 #endif /* CYCLONE_RUNTIME_MAIN_H */
diff --git a/include/cyclone/types.h b/include/cyclone/types.h
index c680fbdc..a1bfc527 100644
--- a/include/cyclone/types.h
+++ b/include/cyclone/types.h
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ void gc_empty_collector_stack();
 void gc_handshake(gc_status_type s);
 void gc_post_handshake(gc_status_type s);
 void gc_wait_handshake();
+void gc_start_collector();
 gc_heap *Cyc_get_heap();
 
 /////////////////////////////////////////////