diff --git a/simgear/props/Makefile.am b/simgear/props/Makefile.am
index f1cf6f9a..f3ad95d0 100644
--- a/simgear/props/Makefile.am
+++ b/simgear/props/Makefile.am
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ props_test_LDADD = \
 	$(top_builddir)/simgear/xml/libsgxml.a \
 	$(top_builddir)/simgear/misc/libsgmisc.a \
 	$(top_builddir)/simgear/debug/libsgdebug.a \
-	$(top_builddir)/simgear/structure/libsgstructure.a
+	$(top_builddir)/simgear/structure/libsgstructure.a \
+	-lOpenThreads
 
 INCLUDES = -I$(top_srcdir)
diff --git a/simgear/scene/util/SGSceneFeatures.cxx b/simgear/scene/util/SGSceneFeatures.cxx
index 71edb2eb..4367e453 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/util/SGSceneFeatures.cxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/util/SGSceneFeatures.cxx
@@ -31,9 +31,10 @@
 #include <osg/PointSprite>
 #include <osg/Texture>
 
+#include <OpenThreads/Mutex>
+#include <OpenThreads/ScopedLock>
+
 #include <simgear/structure/SGSharedPtr.hxx>
-#include <simgear/threads/SGThread.hxx>
-#include <simgear/threads/SGGuard.hxx>
 
 SGSceneFeatures::SGSceneFeatures() :
   _textureCompression(UseARBCompression),
@@ -44,14 +45,14 @@ SGSceneFeatures::SGSceneFeatures() :
 {
 }
 
-static SGMutex mutexSGSceneFeatures_instance;
+static OpenThreads::Mutex mutexSGSceneFeatures_instance;
 SGSceneFeatures*
 SGSceneFeatures::instance()
 {
   static SGSharedPtr<SGSceneFeatures> sceneFeatures;
   if (sceneFeatures)
     return sceneFeatures;
-  SGGuard<SGMutex> guard(mutexSGSceneFeatures_instance);
+  OpenThreads::ScopedLock<OpenThreads::Mutex> lock(mutexSGSceneFeatures_instance);
   if (sceneFeatures)
     return sceneFeatures;
   sceneFeatures = new SGSceneFeatures;
diff --git a/simgear/scene/util/SGSceneFeatures.hxx b/simgear/scene/util/SGSceneFeatures.hxx
index 458633ff..ced6c919 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/util/SGSceneFeatures.hxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/util/SGSceneFeatures.hxx
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #ifndef SG_SCENE_FEATURES_HXX
 #define SG_SCENE_FEATURES_HXX
 
+#include <OpenThreads/Mutex>
+
 #include <simgear/structure/SGReferenced.hxx>
 
 namespace osg { class Texture; }
@@ -94,6 +96,8 @@ private:
   bool _pointSpriteLights;
   bool _distanceAttenuationLights;
   int  _textureFilter;
+
+  static OpenThreads::Mutex _instanceMutex;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/simgear/sound/Makefile.am b/simgear/sound/Makefile.am
index c6273463..48381175 100644
--- a/simgear/sound/Makefile.am
+++ b/simgear/sound/Makefile.am
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ openal_test2_LDADD = \
 	$(top_builddir)/simgear/debug/libsgdebug.a \
 	$(top_builddir)/simgear/misc/libsgmisc.a \
 	$(top_builddir)/simgear/structure/libsgstructure.a \
-	$(openal_LIBS)
+	$(openal_LIBS) \
+	-lOpenThreads
 
 INCLUDES = -I$(top_srcdir) -DSRC_DIR=\"$(top_srcdir)/simgear/sound\"
diff --git a/simgear/structure/SGReferenced.hxx b/simgear/structure/SGReferenced.hxx
index 6a3038f3..6bce1eb8 100644
--- a/simgear/structure/SGReferenced.hxx
+++ b/simgear/structure/SGReferenced.hxx
@@ -20,8 +20,13 @@
 
 #ifndef SGReferenced_HXX
 #define SGReferenced_HXX
+#define USE_OPENTHREADS_ATOMIC
 
+#ifndef USE_OPENTHREADS_ATOMIC
 #include "SGAtomic.hxx"
+#else
+#include <OpenThreads/Atomic>
+#endif
 
 /// Base class for all reference counted SimGear objects
 /// Classes derived from this one are meant to be managed with
@@ -49,7 +54,11 @@ public:
   { if (ref) return 1u < ref->_refcount; else return false; }
 
 private:
+#ifndef USE_OPENTHREADS_ATOMIC
   mutable SGAtomic _refcount;
+#else
+  mutable OpenThreads::Atomic _refcount;
+#endif
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/simgear/structure/commands.cxx b/simgear/structure/commands.cxx
index 49a9c63c..16706d96 100644
--- a/simgear/structure/commands.cxx
+++ b/simgear/structure/commands.cxx
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
 
 #include <memory>
 #include <simgear/props/props_io.hxx>
-#include <simgear/threads/SGThread.hxx>
-#include <simgear/threads/SGGuard.hxx>
+
+#include <OpenThreads/Mutex>
+#include <OpenThreads/ScopedLock>
 
 #include "commands.hxx"
 
@@ -28,6 +29,8 @@ SGCommandMgr::~SGCommandMgr ()
   // no-op
 }
 
+OpenThreads::Mutex SGCommandMgr::_instanceMutex;
+
 SGCommandMgr*
 SGCommandMgr::instance()
 {
@@ -35,8 +38,7 @@ SGCommandMgr::instance()
   if (mgr.get())
     return mgr.get();
 
-  static SGMutex lock;
-  SGGuard<SGMutex> guard(lock);
+  OpenThreads::ScopedLock<OpenThreads::Mutex> lock(_instanceMutex);
   if (mgr.get())
     return mgr.get();
 
diff --git a/simgear/structure/commands.hxx b/simgear/structure/commands.hxx
index 21f44963..0825ffd9 100644
--- a/simgear/structure/commands.hxx
+++ b/simgear/structure/commands.hxx
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 #include <map>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include <OpenThreads/Mutex>
+
 #include <simgear/props/props.hxx>
 
 using std::string;
@@ -109,6 +111,8 @@ private:
   typedef map<string,command_t> command_map;
   command_map _commands;
 
+  static OpenThreads::Mutex _instanceMutex;
+
 };
 
 #endif // __COMMANDS_HXX
diff --git a/simgear/threads/SGQueue.hxx b/simgear/threads/SGQueue.hxx
index 41bd3272..80877375 100644
--- a/simgear/threads/SGQueue.hxx
+++ b/simgear/threads/SGQueue.hxx
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@
 
 #include <cassert>
 #include <queue>
-#include "SGThread.hxx"
-#include "SGGuard.hxx"
+#include <OpenThreads/Mutex>
+#include <OpenThreads/ScopedLock>
+#include <OpenThreads/Condition>
 
 /**
  * SGQueue defines an interface for a FIFO.
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ protected:
 /**
  * A simple thread safe queue.  All access functions are guarded with a mutex.
  */
-template<class T, class SGLOCK=SGMutex>
+template<class T, class SGLOCK=OpenThreads::Mutex>
 class SGLockedQueue : public SGQueue<T>
 {
 public:
@@ -94,7 +95,7 @@ public:
      * @return bool True if queue is empty, otherwisr false.
      */
     virtual bool empty() {
-	SGGuard<SGLOCK> g(mutex);
+	OpenThreads::ScopedLock<SGLOCK> g(mutex);
 	return this->fifo.empty();
     }
 
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@ public:
      * @param T object to add.
      */
     virtual void push( const T& item ) {
-	SGGuard<SGLOCK> g(mutex);
+	OpenThreads::ScopedLock<SGLOCK> g(mutex);
 	this->fifo.push( item );
     }
 
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@ public:
      * @return T next available object.
      */
     virtual T front() {
-	SGGuard<SGLOCK> g(mutex);
+	OpenThreads::ScopedLock<SGLOCK> g(mutex);
 	assert( ! this->fifo.empty() );
 	T item = this->fifo.front();
 	return item;
@@ -126,7 +127,7 @@ public:
      * @return T next available object.
      */
     virtual T pop() {
-	SGGuard<SGLOCK> g(mutex);
+	OpenThreads::ScopedLock<SGLOCK> g(mutex);
 	//if (fifo.empty()) throw NoSuchElementException();
 	assert( ! this->fifo.empty() );
 //  	if (fifo.empty())
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ public:
      * @return size_t size of queue.
      */
     virtual size_t size() {
-	SGGuard<SGLOCK> g(mutex);
+	OpenThreads::ScopedLock<SGLOCK> g(mutex);
         return this->fifo.size();
     }
 
@@ -184,7 +185,7 @@ public:
      * 
      */
     virtual bool empty() {
-	SGGuard<SGMutex> g(mutex);
+	OpenThreads::ScopedLock<OpenThreads::Mutex> g(mutex);
 	return this->fifo.empty();
     }
 
@@ -194,7 +195,7 @@ public:
      * @param T object to add.
      */
     virtual void push( const T& item ) {
-	SGGuard<SGMutex> g(mutex);
+	OpenThreads::ScopedLock<OpenThreads::Mutex> g(mutex);
 	this->fifo.push( item );
 	not_empty.signal();
     }
@@ -206,7 +207,7 @@ public:
      * @return T next available object.
      */
     virtual T front() {
-	SGGuard<SGMutex> g(mutex);
+	OpenThreads::ScopedLock<OpenThreads::Mutex> g(mutex);
 
 	assert(this->fifo.empty() != true);
 	//if (fifo.empty()) throw ??
@@ -222,10 +223,10 @@ public:
      * @return T next available object.
      */
     virtual T pop() {
-	SGGuard<SGMutex> g(mutex);
+	OpenThreads::ScopedLock<OpenThreads::Mutex> g(mutex);
 
 	while (this->fifo.empty())
-	    not_empty.wait(mutex);
+	    not_empty.wait(&mutex);
 
 	assert(this->fifo.empty() != true);
 	//if (fifo.empty()) throw ??
@@ -241,7 +242,7 @@ public:
      * @return size_t size of queue.
      */
     virtual size_t size() {
-	SGGuard<SGMutex> g(mutex);
+	OpenThreads::ScopedLock<OpenThreads::Mutex> g(mutex);
         return this->fifo.size();
     }
 
@@ -250,12 +251,12 @@ private:
     /**
      * Mutex to serialise access.
      */
-    SGMutex mutex;
+    OpenThreads::Mutex mutex;
 
     /**
      * Condition to signal when queue not empty.
      */
-    SGPthreadCond not_empty;
+    OpenThreads::Condition not_empty;
 
 private:
     // Prevent copying.