diff --git a/sys/ddb/db_command.c b/sys/ddb/db_command.c
index db791582f29a..2fb0b9b4f33b 100644
--- a/sys/ddb/db_command.c
+++ b/sys/ddb/db_command.c
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ static struct command db_cmds[] = {
 	{ "reset",	db_reset,		0,	NULL },
 	{ "kill",	db_kill,		CS_OWN,	NULL },
 	{ "watchdog",	db_watchdog,		CS_OWN,	NULL },
-	{ "thread",	db_set_thread,		CS_OWN,	NULL },
+	{ "thread",	db_set_thread,		0,	NULL },
 	{ "run",	db_run_cmd,		CS_OWN,	NULL },
 	{ "script",	db_script_cmd,		CS_OWN,	NULL },
 	{ "scripts",	db_scripts_cmd,		0,	NULL },
diff --git a/sys/ddb/db_thread.c b/sys/ddb/db_thread.c
index 98f2aa258d37..7d9899b2685c 100644
--- a/sys/ddb/db_thread.c
+++ b/sys/ddb/db_thread.c
@@ -55,20 +55,10 @@ void
 db_set_thread(db_expr_t tid, bool hastid, db_expr_t cnt, char *mod)
 {
 	struct thread *thr;
-	db_expr_t radix;
 	int err;
 
-	/*
-	 * We parse our own arguments. We don't like the default radix.
-	 */
-	radix = db_radix;
-	db_radix = 10;
-	hastid = db_expression(&tid);
-	db_radix = radix;
-	db_skip_to_eol();
-
 	if (hastid) {
-		thr = kdb_thr_lookup(tid);
+		thr = db_lookup_thread(tid, false);
 		if (thr != NULL) {
 			err = kdb_thr_select(thr);
 			if (err != 0) {