diff --git a/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.cpp b/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.cpp
index 3262a9ddc8b..43263d1400c 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.cpp
@@ -510,8 +510,10 @@ struct tm* os::gmtime_pd(const time_t* clock, struct tm* res) {
 JNIEXPORT
 LONG WINAPI topLevelExceptionFilter(struct _EXCEPTION_POINTERS* exceptionInfo);
 
-// Thread start routine for all newly created threads
-static unsigned __stdcall thread_native_entry(Thread* thread) {
+// Thread start routine for all newly created threads.
+// Called with the associated Thread* as the argument.
+unsigned __stdcall os::win32::thread_native_entry(void* t) {
+  Thread* thread = static_cast<Thread*>(t);
 
   thread->record_stack_base_and_size();
   thread->initialize_thread_current();
@@ -744,7 +746,7 @@ bool os::create_thread(Thread* thread, ThreadType thr_type,
     thread_handle =
       (HANDLE)_beginthreadex(NULL,
                              (unsigned)stack_size,
-                             (unsigned (__stdcall *)(void*)) thread_native_entry,
+                             &os::win32::thread_native_entry,
                              thread,
                              initflag,
                              &thread_id);
diff --git a/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.hpp b/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.hpp
index 94d7c3c5e2d..197797078d7 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/os/windows/os_windows.hpp
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ typedef void (*signal_handler_t)(int);
 
 class os::win32 {
   friend class os;
-  friend unsigned __stdcall thread_native_entry(Thread*);
 
  protected:
   static int    _processor_type;
@@ -70,6 +69,10 @@ class os::win32 {
   static HINSTANCE load_Windows_dll(const char* name, char *ebuf, int ebuflen);
 
  private:
+  // The handler passed to _beginthreadex().
+  // Called with the associated Thread* as the argument.
+  static unsigned __stdcall thread_native_entry(void*);
+
   enum Ept { EPT_THREAD, EPT_PROCESS, EPT_PROCESS_DIE };
   // Wrapper around _endthreadex(), exit() and _exit()
   static int exit_process_or_thread(Ept what, int exit_code);