--- old/src/hotspot/share/gc/g1/g1ConcurrentRefine.cpp	2017-11-20 12:09:39.086589448 +0100
+++ new/src/hotspot/share/gc/g1/g1ConcurrentRefine.cpp	2017-11-20 12:09:38.685577273 +0100
@@ -33,8 +33,21 @@
 #include "utilities/pair.hpp"
 #include <math.h>
 
+G1ConcurrentRefineThread* G1ConcurrentRefineThreadControl::create_refinement_thread(uint worker_id, bool initializing) {
+  G1ConcurrentRefineThread* result = NULL;
+  if (initializing || !InjectGCWorkerCreationFailure) {
+    result = new G1ConcurrentRefineThread(_cr, worker_id);
+  }
+  if (result == NULL || result->osthread() == NULL) {
+    log_warning(gc)("Failed to create refinement thread %u, no more %s",
+                    worker_id,
+                    result == NULL ? "memory" : "OS threads");
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
 G1ConcurrentRefineThreadControl::G1ConcurrentRefineThreadControl() :
-  _cg1r(NULL),
+  _cr(NULL),
   _threads(NULL),
   _num_max_threads(0)
 {
@@ -50,22 +63,35 @@
   FREE_C_HEAP_ARRAY(G1ConcurrentRefineThread*, _threads);
 }
 
-void G1ConcurrentRefineThreadControl::initialize(G1ConcurrentRefine* cg1r, uint num_max_threads) {
-  assert(cg1r != NULL, "Passed g1ConcurrentRefine must not be NULL");
-  _cg1r = cg1r;
+jint G1ConcurrentRefineThreadControl::initialize(G1ConcurrentRefine* cr, uint num_max_threads) {
+  assert(cr != NULL, "G1ConcurrentRefine must not be NULL");
+  _cr = cr;
   _num_max_threads = num_max_threads;
-  _threads = NEW_C_HEAP_ARRAY(G1ConcurrentRefineThread*, num_max_threads, mtGC);
+
+  _threads = NEW_C_HEAP_ARRAY_RETURN_NULL(G1ConcurrentRefineThread*, num_max_threads, mtGC);
+  if (_threads == NULL) {
+    vm_shutdown_during_initialization("Could not allocate thread holder array.");
+    return JNI_ENOMEM;
+  }
+
   for (uint i = 0; i < num_max_threads; i++) {
-    if (UseDynamicNumberOfGCThreads) {
+    if (UseDynamicNumberOfGCThreads && i != 0 /* Always start first thread. */) {
       _threads[i] = NULL;
     } else {
-      _threads[i] = new G1ConcurrentRefineThread(_cg1r, i);
+      _threads[i] = create_refinement_thread(i, true);
+      if (_threads[i] == NULL) {
+        vm_shutdown_during_initialization("Could not allocate refinement threads.");
+        return JNI_ENOMEM;
+      }
     }
   }
+  return JNI_OK;
 }
 
 void G1ConcurrentRefineThreadControl::maybe_activate_next(uint cur_worker_id) {
-  assert(cur_worker_id < _num_max_threads, "Tried to activate from impossible thread %u", cur_worker_id);
+  assert(cur_worker_id < _num_max_threads,
+         "Activating another thread from %u not allowed since there can be at most %u",
+         cur_worker_id, _num_max_threads);
   if (cur_worker_id == (_num_max_threads - 1)) {
     // Already the last thread, there is no more thread to activate.
     return;
@@ -75,10 +101,12 @@
   G1ConcurrentRefineThread* thread_to_activate = _threads[worker_id];
   if (thread_to_activate == NULL) {
     // Still need to create the thread...
-    _threads[worker_id] = new G1ConcurrentRefineThread(_cg1r, worker_id);
+    _threads[worker_id] = create_refinement_thread(worker_id, false);
     thread_to_activate = _threads[worker_id];
   }
-  thread_to_activate->activate();
+  if (thread_to_activate != NULL) {
+    thread_to_activate->activate();
+  }
 }
 
 void G1ConcurrentRefineThreadControl::print_on(outputStream* st) const {
@@ -195,7 +223,10 @@
   _min_yellow_zone_size(min_yellow_zone_size)
 {
   assert_zone_constraints_gyr(green_zone, yellow_zone, red_zone);
-  _thread_control.initialize(this, max_num_threads());
+}
+
+jint G1ConcurrentRefine::initialize() {
+  return _thread_control.initialize(this, max_num_threads());
 }
 
 static size_t calc_min_yellow_zone_size() {
@@ -264,7 +295,7 @@
     return NULL;
   }
 
-  *ecode = JNI_OK;
+  *ecode = cr->initialize();
   return cr;
 }