diff --git a/src/keep_gpu/single_gpu_controller/cuda_gpu_controller.py b/src/keep_gpu/single_gpu_controller/cuda_gpu_controller.py
index 81ef874..8ad814b 100644
--- a/src/keep_gpu/single_gpu_controller/cuda_gpu_controller.py
+++ b/src/keep_gpu/single_gpu_controller/cuda_gpu_controller.py
@@ -124,7 +124,12 @@ def keep(self) -> None:
             name=f"gpu-keeper-{self.rank}",
             daemon=True,  # daemon so program can exit cleanly
         )
-        self._thread.start()
+        try:
+            self._thread.start()
+        except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 - preserve original thread-start failure
+            self._thread = None
+            self._stop_evt = None
+            raise
         startup_timeout = 5.0
         if not startup_evt.wait(startup_timeout):
             stop_evt = self._stop_evt
diff --git a/src/keep_gpu/single_gpu_controller/macm_gpu_controller.py b/src/keep_gpu/single_gpu_controller/macm_gpu_controller.py
index c7f78cc..4a47c39 100644
--- a/src/keep_gpu/single_gpu_controller/macm_gpu_controller.py
+++ b/src/keep_gpu/single_gpu_controller/macm_gpu_controller.py
@@ -81,7 +81,12 @@ def keep(self) -> None:
             name=f"gpu-keeper-macm-{self.rank}",
             daemon=True,
         )
-        self._thread.start()
+        try:
+            self._thread.start()
+        except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 - preserve original thread-start failure
+            self._thread = None
+            self._stop_evt = None
+            raise
         startup_timeout = 5.0
         if not startup_evt.wait(startup_timeout):
             stop_evt = self._stop_evt
diff --git a/tests/cuda_controller/test_keep_and_release.py b/tests/cuda_controller/test_keep_and_release.py
index 56e743a..4e1a4a3 100644
--- a/tests/cuda_controller/test_keep_and_release.py
+++ b/tests/cuda_controller/test_keep_and_release.py
@@ -58,6 +58,34 @@ def fail_allocation(*_args, **_kwargs):
     assert ctrl._stop_evt is None
 
 
+def test_cuda_keep_clears_state_when_thread_start_fails(monkeypatch):
+    import keep_gpu.single_gpu_controller.cuda_gpu_controller as cuda_module
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cuda_module.torch.cuda, "device_count", lambda: 1)
+
+    class FailingThread:
+        def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+            pass
+
+        def start(self):
+            raise RuntimeError("thread start failed")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cuda_module.threading, "Thread", FailingThread)
+
+    ctrl = CudaGPUController(
+        rank=0,
+        interval=0.01,
+        vram_to_keep=4,
+        busy_threshold=-1,
+    )
+
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="thread start failed"):
+        ctrl.keep()
+
+    assert ctrl._thread is None
+    assert ctrl._stop_evt is None
+
+
 def test_cuda_keep_returns_when_startup_defers_for_unknown_utilization(monkeypatch):
     import keep_gpu.single_gpu_controller.cuda_gpu_controller as cuda_module
 
diff --git a/tests/macm_controller/test_macm_backoff.py b/tests/macm_controller/test_macm_backoff.py
index c16714f..9a9f778 100644
--- a/tests/macm_controller/test_macm_backoff.py
+++ b/tests/macm_controller/test_macm_backoff.py
@@ -184,6 +184,39 @@ def fail_allocation(*_args, **_kwargs):
     assert ctrl._stop_evt is None
 
 
+def test_macm_keep_clears_state_when_thread_start_fails(monkeypatch):
+    import keep_gpu.single_gpu_controller.macm_gpu_controller as macm_module
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        macm_module.torch.backends.mps,
+        "is_available",
+        lambda: True,
+    )
+
+    class FailingThread:
+        def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+            pass
+
+        def start(self):
+            raise RuntimeError("thread start failed")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(macm_module.threading, "Thread", FailingThread)
+
+    ctrl = MacMGPUController(
+        rank=0,
+        interval=0.01,
+        vram_to_keep=4,
+        busy_threshold=-1,
+        iterations=1,
+    )
+
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="thread start failed"):
+        ctrl.keep()
+
+    assert ctrl._thread is None
+    assert ctrl._stop_evt is None
+
+
 def test_macm_unknown_utilization_backs_off_when_threshold_enabled():
     assert MacMGPUController._should_run_batch(None, 10) is False