diff --git a/db/external_sst_file_test.cc b/db/external_sst_file_test.cc
index 318e1fb8c..552730295 100644
--- a/db/external_sst_file_test.cc
+++ b/db/external_sst_file_test.cc
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "rocksdb/sst_file_writer.h"
 #include "test_util/testutil.h"
 #include "util/random.h"
+#include "util/thread_guard.h"
 #include "utilities/fault_injection_env.h"
 
 namespace ROCKSDB_NAMESPACE {
@@ -1305,38 +1306,38 @@ TEST_F(ExternalSSTFileTest, PickedLevelBug) {
 
   ROCKSDB_NAMESPACE::SyncPoint::GetInstance()->EnableProcessing();
 
-  // While writing the MANIFEST start a thread that will ask for compaction
   Status bg_compact_status;
-  ROCKSDB_NAMESPACE::port::Thread bg_compact([&]() {
-    bg_compact_status =
-        db_->CompactRange(CompactRangeOptions(), nullptr, nullptr);
-  });
-  TEST_SYNC_POINT("ExternalSSTFileTest::PickedLevelBug:2");
-
-  // Start a thread that will ingest a new file
   Status bg_addfile_status;
-  ROCKSDB_NAMESPACE::port::Thread bg_addfile([&]() {
-    file_keys = {1, 2, 3};
-    bg_addfile_status = GenerateAndAddExternalFile(options, file_keys, 1);
-  });
-
-  // Wait for AddFile to start picking levels and writing MANIFEST
-  TEST_SYNC_POINT("ExternalSSTFileTest::PickedLevelBug:0");
-
-  TEST_SYNC_POINT("ExternalSSTFileTest::PickedLevelBug:3");
 
-  // We need to verify that no compactions can run while AddFile is
-  // ingesting the files into the levels it find suitable. So we will
-  // wait for 2 seconds to give a chance for compactions to run during
-  // this period, and then make sure that no compactions where able to run
-  env_->SleepForMicroseconds(1000000 * 2);
-  ASSERT_FALSE(bg_compact_started.load());
-
-  // Hold AddFile from finishing writing the MANIFEST
-  TEST_SYNC_POINT("ExternalSSTFileTest::PickedLevelBug:1");
-
-  bg_addfile.join();
-  bg_compact.join();
+  {
+    // While writing the MANIFEST start a thread that will ask for compaction
+    ThreadGuard bg_compact(port::Thread([&]() {
+      bg_compact_status =
+          db_->CompactRange(CompactRangeOptions(), nullptr, nullptr);
+    }));
+    TEST_SYNC_POINT("ExternalSSTFileTest::PickedLevelBug:2");
+
+    // Start a thread that will ingest a new file
+    ThreadGuard bg_addfile(port::Thread([&]() {
+      file_keys = {1, 2, 3};
+      bg_addfile_status = GenerateAndAddExternalFile(options, file_keys, 1);
+    }));
+
+    // Wait for AddFile to start picking levels and writing MANIFEST
+    TEST_SYNC_POINT("ExternalSSTFileTest::PickedLevelBug:0");
+
+    TEST_SYNC_POINT("ExternalSSTFileTest::PickedLevelBug:3");
+
+    // We need to verify that no compactions can run while AddFile is
+    // ingesting the files into the levels it find suitable. So we will
+    // wait for 2 seconds to give a chance for compactions to run during
+    // this period, and then make sure that no compactions where able to run
+    env_->SleepForMicroseconds(1000000 * 2);
+    ASSERT_FALSE(bg_compact_started.load());
+
+    // Hold AddFile from finishing writing the MANIFEST
+    TEST_SYNC_POINT("ExternalSSTFileTest::PickedLevelBug:1");
+  }
 
   ASSERT_OK(bg_addfile_status);
   ASSERT_OK(bg_compact_status);
diff --git a/util/thread_guard.h b/util/thread_guard.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b2bb06a1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/thread_guard.h
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+//  Copyright (c) 2011-present, Facebook, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+//  This source code is licensed under both the GPLv2 (found in the
+//  COPYING file in the root directory) and Apache 2.0 License
+//  (found in the LICENSE.Apache file in the root directory).
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "port/port.h"
+#include "rocksdb/rocksdb_namespace.h"
+
+namespace ROCKSDB_NAMESPACE {
+
+// Resource management object for threads that joins the thread upon
+// destruction. Has unique ownership of the thread object, so copying it is not
+// allowed, while moving it transfers ownership.
+class ThreadGuard {
+ public:
+  ThreadGuard() = default;
+
+  explicit ThreadGuard(port::Thread&& thread) : thread_(std::move(thread)) {}
+
+  ThreadGuard(const ThreadGuard&) = delete;
+  ThreadGuard& operator=(const ThreadGuard&) = delete;
+
+  ThreadGuard(ThreadGuard&&) noexcept = default;
+  ThreadGuard& operator=(ThreadGuard&&) noexcept = default;
+
+  ~ThreadGuard() {
+    if (thread_.joinable()) {
+      thread_.join();
+    }
+  }
+
+  const port::Thread& GetThread() const { return thread_; }
+  port::Thread& GetThread() { return thread_; }
+
+ private:
+  port::Thread thread_;
+};
+
+}  // namespace ROCKSDB_NAMESPACE