diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index fc2c1c9c7d6..3c7d2cc5149 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ use std::mem;
 use std::io;
 use std::rc::Rc;
 use std::num::Wrapping as w;
+use std::time;
 
 pub use os::OsRng;
 
@@ -902,9 +903,9 @@ struct ThreadRngReseeder;
 
 impl reseeding::Reseeder<StdRng> for ThreadRngReseeder {
     fn reseed(&mut self, rng: &mut StdRng) {
-        *rng = match StdRng::new() {
-            Ok(r) => r,
-            Err(e) => panic!("could not reseed thread_rng: {}", e)
+        match StdRng::new() {
+            Ok(r) => *rng = r,
+            Err(_) => rng.reseed(&weak_seed())
         }
     }
 }
@@ -921,8 +922,9 @@ pub struct ThreadRng {
 /// generator, seeded by the system. Intended to be used in method
 /// chaining style, e.g. `thread_rng().gen::<i32>()`.
 ///
-/// The RNG provided will reseed itself from the operating system
-/// after generating a certain amount of randomness.
+/// After generating a certain amount of randomness, the RNG will reseed itself
+/// from the operating system or, if the operating system RNG returns an error,
+/// a seed based on the current system time.
 ///
 /// The internal RNG used is platform and architecture dependent, even
 /// if the operating system random number generator is rigged to give
@@ -933,7 +935,7 @@ pub fn thread_rng() -> ThreadRng {
     thread_local!(static THREAD_RNG_KEY: Rc<RefCell<ThreadRngInner>> = {
         let r = match StdRng::new() {
             Ok(r) => r,
-            Err(e) => panic!("could not initialize thread_rng: {}", e)
+            Err(_) => StdRng::from_seed(&weak_seed())
         };
         let rng = reseeding::ReseedingRng::new(r,
                                                THREAD_RNG_RESEED_THRESHOLD,
@@ -944,6 +946,14 @@ pub fn thread_rng() -> ThreadRng {
     ThreadRng { rng: THREAD_RNG_KEY.with(|t| t.clone()) }
 }
 
+fn weak_seed() -> [usize; 2] {
+    let now = time::SystemTime::now();
+    let unix_time = now.duration_since(time::UNIX_EPOCH).unwrap();
+    let seconds = unix_time.as_secs() as usize;
+    let nanoseconds = unix_time.subsec_nanos() as usize;
+    [seconds, nanoseconds]
+}
+
 impl Rng for ThreadRng {
     fn next_u32(&mut self) -> u32 {
         self.rng.borrow_mut().next_u32()