diff --git a/run_time_python/explain_error.py b/run_time_python/explain_error.py
index 68f9bb9..1d2976b 100644
--- a/run_time_python/explain_error.py
+++ b/run_time_python/explain_error.py
@@ -11,6 +11,22 @@ def explain_error(output_stream, color):
     # file descriptor 3 is a dup of stderr (see below)
     # stdout & stderr have been diverted to /dev/null
     print(file=output_stream)
+
+    dprint(2, os.environ.get("DCC_ASAN_THREAD"))
+    if "DCC_ASAN_THREAD" in os.environ:
+        # gdb's thread numbers start counting at 1
+        # asan's thread numbers start counting at 0
+        thread_id = int(os.environ.get("DCC_ASAN_THREAD")) + 1
+        gdb_interface.gdb_execute(f"thread {thread_id}")
+    elif "DCC_SIGNAL_THREAD" in os.environ:
+        # signal gives us the Linux TID, gdb calls this the LWP
+        threads = gdb_interface.gdb_execute("info threads").split('\n')
+        lwp = int(os.environ.get("DCC_SIGNAL_THREAD"))
+        # should only be one thread
+        thread_entry = [line for line in threads if f"(LWP {lwp})" in line][0]
+        thread_id = int(thread_entry[2:].split(' ')[0])
+        gdb_interface.gdb_execute(f"thread {thread_id}")
+
     stack = parse_stack()
     location = stack[0] if stack else None
     signal_number = int(os.environ.get("DCC_SIGNAL", signal.SIGABRT))
diff --git a/wrapper_c/dcc_util.c b/wrapper_c/dcc_util.c
index 85f3830..8c4dd8d 100644
--- a/wrapper_c/dcc_util.c
+++ b/wrapper_c/dcc_util.c
@@ -119,8 +119,17 @@ void __asan_on_error(void) {
 #if __SANITIZER__ == ADDRESS && __CLANG_VERSION_MAJOR__ >= 6
     extern char *__asan_get_report_description();
     extern int __asan_report_present();
+    extern void *__asan_get_report_address();
+    extern size_t __asan_get_alloc_stack(void *, void **, size_t, int *);
+    // putenv does not copy strings, we need to alloc it outside the if block scope
+    char thread_env[64];
     if (__asan_report_present()) {
         report = __asan_get_report_description();
+
+        int thread_id;
+        __asan_get_alloc_stack(__asan_get_report_address(), NULL, 0, &thread_id);
+        snprintf(thread_env, sizeof thread_env, "DCC_ASAN_THREAD=%d", thread_id);
+        putenvd(thread_env);
     }
 #endif
     char report_description[8192];
@@ -238,6 +247,10 @@ static void __dcc_signal_handler(int signum) {
     putenvd(
         signum_buffer); // less likely? to trigger another error than direct setenv
 
+    char threadid_buffer[64];
+    snprintf(threadid_buffer, sizeof threadid_buffer, "DCC_SIGNAL_THREAD=%ld", (long)gettid());
+    putenvd(threadid_buffer);
+
     _explain_error(); // not reached
 }