diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/runtime/handshake.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/runtime/handshake.cpp
index 39ae4f18998f2..e6a12677a19c2 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/runtime/handshake.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/runtime/handshake.cpp
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ static void handle_timeout(HandshakeOperation* op, JavaThread* target) {
   }
 
   if (target != nullptr) {
-    VMError::set_handshake_timed_out_thread(p2i(target));
+    VMError::set_handshake_timed_out_thread(target);
     if (os::signal_thread(target, SIGILL, "cannot be handshaked")) {
       // Give target a chance to report the error and terminate the VM.
       os::naked_sleep(3000);
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/runtime/safepoint.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/runtime/safepoint.cpp
index 6fcf1e6c0f5bf..ef9e0981913b7 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/runtime/safepoint.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/runtime/safepoint.cpp
@@ -651,7 +651,7 @@ void SafepointSynchronize::print_safepoint_timeout() {
     // Send the blocking thread a signal to terminate and write an error file.
     for (JavaThreadIteratorWithHandle jtiwh; JavaThread *cur_thread = jtiwh.next(); ) {
       if (cur_thread->safepoint_state()->is_running()) {
-        VMError::set_safepoint_timed_out_thread(p2i(cur_thread));
+        VMError::set_safepoint_timed_out_thread(cur_thread);
         if (!os::signal_thread(cur_thread, SIGILL, "blocking a safepoint")) {
           break; // Could not send signal. Report fatal error.
         }
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/utilities/vmError.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/utilities/vmError.cpp
index bd882a7ef3cbb..19c9773dfe522 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/utilities/vmError.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/utilities/vmError.cpp
@@ -104,8 +104,8 @@ int               VMError::_lineno;
 size_t            VMError::_size;
 const size_t      VMError::_reattempt_required_stack_headroom = 64 * K;
 const intptr_t    VMError::segfault_address = pd_segfault_address;
-volatile intptr_t VMError::_handshake_timed_out_thread = p2i(nullptr);
-volatile intptr_t VMError::_safepoint_timed_out_thread = p2i(nullptr);
+Thread* volatile VMError::_handshake_timed_out_thread = nullptr;
+Thread* volatile VMError::_safepoint_timed_out_thread = nullptr;
 
 // List of environment variables that should be reported in error log file.
 static const char* env_list[] = {
@@ -821,10 +821,10 @@ void VMError::report(outputStream* st, bool _verbose) {
       st->print(" (0x%x)", _id);                // signal number
       st->print(" at pc=" PTR_FORMAT, p2i(_pc));
       if (_siginfo != nullptr && os::signal_sent_by_kill(_siginfo)) {
-        if (_handshake_timed_out_thread == p2i(_thread)) {
-          st->print(" (sent by handshake timeout handler");
-        } else if (_safepoint_timed_out_thread == p2i(_thread)) {
-          st->print(" (sent by safepoint timeout handler");
+        if (get_handshake_timed_out_thread() == _thread) {
+          st->print(" (sent by handshake timeout handler)");
+        } else if (get_safepoint_timed_out_thread() == _thread) {
+          st->print(" (sent by safepoint timeout handler)");
         } else {
           st->print(" (sent by kill)");
         }
@@ -1338,12 +1338,24 @@ void VMError::report(outputStream* st, bool _verbose) {
 # undef END
 }
 
-void VMError::set_handshake_timed_out_thread(intptr_t thread_addr) {
-  _handshake_timed_out_thread = thread_addr;
+void VMError::set_handshake_timed_out_thread(Thread* thread) {
+  // Only preserve the first thread to time-out this way. The atomic operation ensures
+  // visibility to the target thread.
+  Atomic::replace_if_null(&_handshake_timed_out_thread, thread);
 }
 
-void VMError::set_safepoint_timed_out_thread(intptr_t thread_addr) {
-  _safepoint_timed_out_thread = thread_addr;
+void VMError::set_safepoint_timed_out_thread(Thread* thread) {
+  // Only preserve the first thread to time-out this way. The atomic operation ensures
+  // visibility to the target thread.
+  Atomic::replace_if_null(&_safepoint_timed_out_thread, thread);
+}
+
+Thread* VMError::get_handshake_timed_out_thread() {
+  return Atomic::load(&_handshake_timed_out_thread);
+}
+
+Thread* VMError::get_safepoint_timed_out_thread() {
+  return Atomic::load(&_safepoint_timed_out_thread);
 }
 
 // Report for the vm_info_cmd. This prints out the information above omitting
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/utilities/vmError.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/utilities/vmError.hpp
index 96e37acff576f..5e5e074fb20c7 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/utilities/vmError.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/utilities/vmError.hpp
@@ -143,8 +143,8 @@ class VMError : public AllStatic {
   static void clear_step_start_time();
 
   // Handshake/safepoint timed out threads
-  static volatile intptr_t _handshake_timed_out_thread;
-  static volatile intptr_t _safepoint_timed_out_thread;
+  static Thread* volatile _handshake_timed_out_thread;
+  static Thread* volatile _safepoint_timed_out_thread;
 
   WINDOWS_ONLY([[noreturn]] static void raise_fail_fast(const void* exrecord, const void* context);)
 
@@ -223,8 +223,10 @@ class VMError : public AllStatic {
 
   static bool was_assert_poison_crash(const void* sigInfo);
 
-  static void set_handshake_timed_out_thread(intptr_t thread_addr);
-  static void set_safepoint_timed_out_thread(intptr_t thread_addr);
+  static void set_handshake_timed_out_thread(Thread* thread);
+  static void set_safepoint_timed_out_thread(Thread* thread);
+  static Thread* get_handshake_timed_out_thread();
+  static Thread* get_safepoint_timed_out_thread();
 };
 
 class VMErrorCallback {
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Safepoint/TestAbortVMOnSafepointTimeout.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Safepoint/TestAbortVMOnSafepointTimeout.java
index e28dd7f4d2ae2..b46a5deb70def 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Safepoint/TestAbortVMOnSafepointTimeout.java
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/Safepoint/TestAbortVMOnSafepointTimeout.java
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ private static void verifyAbortVmApplied(OutputAnalyzer output) {
         } else {
             output.shouldContain("SIGILL");
             if (Platform.isLinux()) {
-                output.shouldContain("(sent by safepoint timeout handler");
+                output.shouldContain("(sent by safepoint timeout handler)");
             }
         }
         output.shouldNotHaveExitValue(0);