diff --git a/src/history.cpp b/src/history.cpp
index a3e326976..aa27c7366 100644
--- a/src/history.cpp
+++ b/src/history.cpp
@@ -1773,7 +1773,7 @@ void history_t::add_pending_with_file_detection(const wcstring &str) {
 
         // Kick it off. Even though we haven't added the item yet, it updates the item on the main
         // thread, so we can't race.
-        iothread_perform(threaded_perform_file_detection, perform_file_detection_done, context);
+        iothread_perform(&threaded_perform_file_detection, &perform_file_detection_done, context);
     }
 
     // Actually add the item to the history.
diff --git a/src/iothread.cpp b/src/iothread.cpp
index 0ed6f52b1..7fe6c9caf 100644
--- a/src/iothread.cpp
+++ b/src/iothread.cpp
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ static void iothread_spawn() {
     VOMIT_ON_FAILURE(pthread_sigmask(SIG_SETMASK, &saved_set, NULL));
 }
 
-int iothread_perform(void_function_t &&func, void_function_t &&completion) {
+int iothread_perform_impl(void_function_t &&func, void_function_t &&completion) {
     ASSERT_IS_MAIN_THREAD();
     ASSERT_IS_NOT_FORKED_CHILD();
     iothread_init();
diff --git a/src/iothread.h b/src/iothread.h
index 5faa477e7..0b26a4209 100644
--- a/src/iothread.h
+++ b/src/iothread.h
@@ -26,16 +26,42 @@ void iothread_service_completion(void);
 /// Waits for all iothreads to terminate.
 void iothread_drain_all(void);
 
-int iothread_perform(std::function<void(void)> &&func,
-                     std::function<void(void)> &&completion = std::function<void(void)>());
+// Internal implementation
+int iothread_perform_impl(std::function<void(void)> &&func,
+                          std::function<void(void)> &&completion);
 
-// Variant that allows computing a value in func, and then passing it to the completion handler
+// Template helpers
 template<typename T>
-int iothread_perform(std::function<T(void)> &&handler, std::function<void(T)> &&completion) {
-    T *result = new T();
-    return iothread_perform([=](){ *result = handler(); },
-                            [=](){ completion(std::move(*result)); delete result; }
-                            );
+struct _iothread_trampoline {
+    template<typename HANDLER, typename COMPLETION>
+    static int perform(const HANDLER &handler, const COMPLETION &completion) {
+        T *result = new T();
+        return iothread_perform_impl([=](){ *result = handler(); },
+                                     [=](){ completion(std::move(*result)); delete result; });
+    }
+};
+
+
+// Void specialization
+template<>
+struct _iothread_trampoline<void> {
+    template<typename HANDLER, typename COMPLETION>
+    static int perform(const HANDLER &handler, const COMPLETION &completion) {
+        return iothread_perform_impl(handler, completion);
+    }
+};
+
+// iothread_perform invokes a handler on a background thread, and then a completion function
+// on the main thread. The value returned from the handler is passed to the completion.
+template<typename HANDLER, typename COMPLETION>
+int iothread_perform(const HANDLER &handler, const COMPLETION &completion) {
+    return _iothread_trampoline<decltype(handler())>::perform(handler, completion);
+}
+
+// variant of iothread_perform without a completion handler
+inline int iothread_perform(std::function<void(void)> &&func) {
+    return iothread_perform_impl(std::move(func),
+                                 std::function<void(void)>());
 }
 
 /// Legacy templates
diff --git a/src/reader.cpp b/src/reader.cpp
index b018a8fcd..de7c50fd9 100644
--- a/src/reader.cpp
+++ b/src/reader.cpp
@@ -1222,7 +1222,7 @@ static void update_autosuggestion(void) {
         const editable_line_t *el = data->active_edit_line();
         autosuggestion_context_t *ctx =
             new autosuggestion_context_t(data->history, el->text, el->position);
-        iothread_perform(threaded_autosuggest, autosuggest_completed, ctx);
+        iothread_perform(&threaded_autosuggest, &autosuggest_completed, ctx);
     }
 }
 
@@ -2178,7 +2178,7 @@ static void reader_super_highlight_me_plenty(int match_highlight_pos_adjust, boo
         highlight_complete(ctx, result);
     } else {
         // Highlighting including I/O proceeds in the background.
-        iothread_perform(threaded_highlight, highlight_complete, ctx);
+        iothread_perform(&threaded_highlight, &highlight_complete, ctx);
     }
     highlight_search();