diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/filebrowser/juce_DirectoryContentsList.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/filebrowser/juce_DirectoryContentsList.cpp
index 28a38ba76d..6264b03c63 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/filebrowser/juce_DirectoryContentsList.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/filebrowser/juce_DirectoryContentsList.cpp
@@ -29,8 +29,7 @@ namespace juce
 
 DirectoryContentsList::DirectoryContentsList (const FileFilter* f, TimeSliceThread& t)
    : fileFilter (f), thread (t),
-     fileTypeFlags (File::ignoreHiddenFiles | File::findFiles),
-     shouldStop (true)
+     fileTypeFlags (File::ignoreHiddenFiles | File::findFiles)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/filebrowser/juce_DirectoryContentsList.h b/modules/juce_gui_basics/filebrowser/juce_DirectoryContentsList.h
index 81664b167d..c65b077723 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/filebrowser/juce_DirectoryContentsList.h
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/filebrowser/juce_DirectoryContentsList.h
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ private:
     OwnedArray<FileInfo> files;
 
     std::unique_ptr<DirectoryIterator> fileFindHandle;
-    bool volatile shouldStop;
+    std::atomic<bool> shouldStop { true };
 
     int useTimeSlice() override;
     void stopSearching();