diff --git a/cmdline/dry.c b/cmdline/dry.c
index 7a33f317..0f415259 100644
--- a/cmdline/dry.c
+++ b/cmdline/dry.c
@@ -185,15 +185,15 @@ static int state_dry_process(struct snapraid_state* state, struct snapraid_parit
 	countpos = 0;
 	blockcur = blockstart;
 
-	/* start all the worker threads */
-	io_start(&io, blockstart, blockmax, 0);
-
 	int alert = state_progress_begin(state, blockstart, blockmax, countmax);
 	if (alert > 0)
 		goto end;
 	if (alert < 0)
 		goto bail;
 
+	/* start all the worker threads */
+	io_start(&io, blockstart, blockmax, 0);
+
 	while (1) {
 		void** buffer;
 
diff --git a/cmdline/io.c b/cmdline/io.c
index 944e743c..77e95daa 100644
--- a/cmdline/io.c
+++ b/cmdline/io.c
@@ -295,6 +295,7 @@ static void io_start_mono(struct snapraid_io* io,
 {
 	unsigned i;
 
+	io->started = 1;
 	io->block_start = blockstart;
 	io->block_max = blockmax;
 	io->block_enabled = block_enabled;
@@ -307,7 +308,10 @@ static void io_start_mono(struct snapraid_io* io,
 
 static void io_stop_mono(struct snapraid_io* io)
 {
-	(void)io;
+	if (!io->started)
+		return;
+
+	io->started = 0;
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
@@ -579,6 +583,11 @@ static void io_flush_thread(struct snapraid_io* io, int* writer_error)
 {
 	unsigned i;
 
+	if (!io->started) {
+		io_writer_error_get(io, writer_error);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	while (1) {
 		int all_done = 1;
 
@@ -628,6 +637,9 @@ static void io_quiesce_thread(struct snapraid_io* io)
 {
 	unsigned i;
 
+	if (!io->started)
+		return;
+
 	while (1) {
 		int all_done = 1;
 
@@ -923,6 +935,7 @@ static void io_start_thread(struct snapraid_io* io,
 {
 	unsigned i;
 
+	io->started = 1;
 	io->block_start = blockstart;
 	io->block_max = blockmax;
 	io->block_enabled = block_enabled;
@@ -976,6 +989,11 @@ static void io_stop_thread(struct snapraid_io* io)
 {
 	unsigned i;
 
+	if (!io->started)
+		return;
+
+	io->started = 0;
+
 	thread_mutex_lock(&io->io_mutex);
 
 	/* mark that we are stopping */
@@ -1033,6 +1051,9 @@ void io_init(struct snapraid_io* io, struct snapraid_state* state,
 	io_op_t parity_op_default = IO_OP_NONE;
 
 	io->state = state;
+	io->started = 0;
+	for (i = 0; i < IO_WRITER_ERROR_MAX; ++i)
+		io->writer_error[i] = 0;
 
 	assert(buffer_max >= handle_max + parity_handle_max);
 
diff --git a/cmdline/io.h b/cmdline/io.h
index 63176476..42e7f127 100644
--- a/cmdline/io.h
+++ b/cmdline/io.h
@@ -320,6 +320,11 @@ struct snapraid_io {
 	 */
 	int done;
 
+	/**
+	 * If worker threads have been started.
+	 */
+	int started;
+
 	/**
 	 * The worker task index currently used by the operation in
 	 * progress. It's the position in all the reader task_map[].
diff --git a/cmdline/scrub.c b/cmdline/scrub.c
index aac2c096..2b0e7e0a 100644
--- a/cmdline/scrub.c
+++ b/cmdline/scrub.c
@@ -529,15 +529,15 @@ static int state_scrub_process(struct snapraid_state* state, struct snapraid_par
 
 	msg_progress("Scrubbing...\n");
 
-	/* start all the worker threads */
-	io_start(&io, blockstart, blockmax, block_enabled);
-
 	int alert = state_progress_begin(state, blockstart, blockmax, countmax);
 	if (alert > 0)
 		goto end;
 	if (alert < 0)
 		goto bail;
 
+	/* start all the worker threads */
+	io_start(&io, blockstart, blockmax, block_enabled);
+
 	while (1) {
 		unsigned char* buffer_recov[LEV_MAX];
 		snapraid_info info;
diff --git a/cmdline/sync.c b/cmdline/sync.c
index 145405c2..5ad019a9 100644
--- a/cmdline/sync.c
+++ b/cmdline/sync.c
@@ -1026,15 +1026,15 @@ static int state_sync_process(struct snapraid_state* state, struct snapraid_pari
 
 	msg_progress("Syncing...\n");
 
-	/* start all the worker threads */
-	io_start(&io, blockstart, blockmax, block_enabled);
-
 	int alert = state_progress_begin(state, blockstart, blockmax, countmax);
 	if (alert > 0)
 		goto end;
 	if (alert < 0)
 		goto bail_abort;
 
+	/* start all the worker threads */
+	io_start(&io, blockstart, blockmax, block_enabled);
+
 	while (1) {
 		unsigned failed_count;
 		int error_on_this_block;
diff --git a/cmdline/thermal.c b/cmdline/thermal.c
index 4a4c29d6..2f9ff17f 100644
--- a/cmdline/thermal.c
+++ b/cmdline/thermal.c
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ void state_thermal_cooldown(struct snapraid_state* state)
 		int sleep_time = cooldown_time;
 
 		log_tag("thermal:spindown\n");
-		
+
 		/*
 		 * Power management is best effort.
 		 *
@@ -417,11 +417,8 @@ int state_thermal_begin(struct snapraid_state* state, time_t now)
 	}
 
 	if (state_thermal_alarm(state)) {
-		/* LCOV_EXCL_START */
-		log_fatal(EENVIRONMENT, "DANGER! Hard disk temperature of %d degrees is already outside the operating range. Unable to proceed!\n", state->thermal_highest_temperature);
-		log_flush();
-		return 0;
-		/* LCOV_EXCL_STOP */
+		msg_progress("Hard disk temperature of %d degrees is already outside the operating range. Cooling down before starting...\n", state->thermal_highest_temperature);
+		state_thermal_cooldown(state);
 	}
 
 	return 1;