diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/util/ThreadUtil.java b/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/util/ThreadUtil.java
index a4e146f0f..9e17a82d0 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/util/ThreadUtil.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/util/ThreadUtil.java
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@ package com.seibel.distanthorizons.core.util;
 
 import com.seibel.distanthorizons.core.util.objects.DhThreadFactory;
 
-import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
-import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
+import java.util.concurrent.*;
 
 public class ThreadUtil
 {
@@ -16,20 +15,26 @@ public class ThreadUtil
 	
 	// create thread pool // 
 	
-	public static ExecutorService makeThreadPool(int poolSize, String name, int relativePriority)
+	public static ThreadPoolExecutor makeThreadPool(int poolSize, String name, int relativePriority)
 	{
-		return Executors.newFixedThreadPool(poolSize, new DhThreadFactory("DH-" + name, Thread.NORM_PRIORITY+relativePriority));
+		// this is what was being internally used by Executors.newFixedThreadPool
+		// I'm just calling it explicitly here so we can reference the more feature-rich
+		// ThreadPoolExecutor vs the more generic ExecutorService
+		return new ThreadPoolExecutor(/*corePoolSize*/poolSize, /*maxPoolSize*/poolSize,
+				0L, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS,
+				new LinkedBlockingQueue<Runnable>(),
+				new DhThreadFactory("DH-" + name, Thread.NORM_PRIORITY+relativePriority));
 	}
 	
-	public static ExecutorService makeThreadPool(int poolSize, Class<?> clazz, int relativePriority)
+	public static ThreadPoolExecutor makeThreadPool(int poolSize, Class<?> clazz, int relativePriority)
 	{
 		return makeThreadPool(poolSize, clazz.getSimpleName(), relativePriority);
 	}
-	public static ExecutorService makeThreadPool(int poolSize, String name)
+	public static ThreadPoolExecutor makeThreadPool(int poolSize, String name)
 	{
 		return makeThreadPool(poolSize, name, 0);
 	}
-	public static ExecutorService makeThreadPool(int poolSize, Class<?> clazz)
+	public static ThreadPoolExecutor makeThreadPool(int poolSize, Class<?> clazz)
 	{
 		return makeThreadPool(poolSize, clazz.getSimpleName(), 0);
 	}
@@ -37,19 +42,19 @@ public class ThreadUtil
 	
 	// create single thread pool //
 	
-	public static ExecutorService makeSingleThreadPool(String name, int relativePriority) 
+	public static ThreadPoolExecutor makeSingleThreadPool(String name, int relativePriority) 
 	{ 
 		return makeThreadPool(1, name, relativePriority); 
 	}
-	public static ExecutorService makeSingleThreadPool(Class<?> clazz, int relativePriority) 
+	public static ThreadPoolExecutor makeSingleThreadPool(Class<?> clazz, int relativePriority) 
 	{ 
 		return makeThreadPool(1, clazz.getSimpleName(), relativePriority); 
 	}
-	public static ExecutorService makeSingleThreadPool(String name) 
+	public static ThreadPoolExecutor makeSingleThreadPool(String name) 
 	{ 
 		return makeThreadPool(1, name, 0); 
 	}
-	public static ExecutorService makeSingleThreadPool(Class<?> clazz) 
+	public static ThreadPoolExecutor makeSingleThreadPool(Class<?> clazz) 
 	{ 
 		return makeThreadPool(1, clazz.getSimpleName(), 0); 
 	}