diff --git a/src/core/chan.ml b/src/core/chan.ml
index 099e7074..80613d89 100644
--- a/src/core/chan.ml
+++ b/src/core/chan.ml
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 module A = Atomic_
 
-type 'a or_error = 'a Fut.or_error
-type 'a pop_waiter = 'a Fut.promise
-type 'a push_waiter = 'a * unit Fut.promise
-
 let[@inline] list_is_empty_ = function
   | [] -> true
   | _ :: _ -> false
@@ -13,7 +9,6 @@ module Q : sig
   type 'a t
 
   val empty : 'a t
-  val return : 'a -> 'a t
   val is_empty : _ t -> bool
 
   exception Empty
@@ -31,7 +26,6 @@ end = struct
       invariant: if hd=[], then tl=[] *)
 
   let empty = { hd = []; tl = [] }
-  let[@inline] return x : _ t = { hd = [ x ]; tl = [] }
 
   let[@inline] make_ hd tl =
     match hd with
@@ -58,178 +52,149 @@ end = struct
 end
 
 exception Closed
+exception Full
+
+module State = struct
+  type 'a t = {
+    q: 'a Q.t;
+    size: int;
+    pop_waiters: Trigger.t Q.t;
+    push_waiters: Trigger.t Q.t;
+  }
+
+  (** @raise Q.Empty *)
+  let[@inline] pop_one_ ~max_size (st : 'a t) : 'a * 'a t * Trigger.t Q.t =
+    let x, new_q = Q.pop_exn st.q in
+    let new_st = { st with q = new_q; size = st.size - 1 } in
+    if st.size = max_size then
+      (* we signal all the push waiters, the channel isn't full anymore *)
+      x, { new_st with push_waiters = Q.empty }, st.push_waiters
+    else
+      x, new_st, Q.empty
+
+  (** @raise Full *)
+  let[@inline] push_one_ ~max_size (st : 'a t) (x : 'a) : 'a t * Trigger.t Q.t =
+    if st.size >= max_size then raise_notrace Full;
+    let new_q = Q.push st.q x in
+    let new_st = { st with q = new_q; size = st.size + 1 } in
+    if st.size = 0 then
+      (* we signal all the pop waiters, the channel isn't empty anymore *)
+      { new_st with pop_waiters = Q.empty }, st.pop_waiters
+    else
+      new_st, Q.empty
+end
 
 type 'a t = {
-  q: 'a Queue.t;
-  mutex: Mutex.t;  (** protects critical section *)
-  mutable closed: bool;
+  st: 'a State.t A.t;
+  closed: bool A.t;
   max_size: int;
-  push_waiters: Trigger.t Queue.t;
-  pop_waiters: Trigger.t Queue.t;
 }
 
 let create ~max_size () : _ t =
   if max_size < 0 then invalid_arg "Chan: max_size < 0";
   {
     max_size;
-    mutex = Mutex.create ();
-    closed = false;
-    q = Queue.create ();
-    push_waiters = Queue.create ();
-    pop_waiters = Queue.create ();
+    closed = A.make false;
+    st =
+      A.make
+        {
+          State.q = Q.empty;
+          size = 0;
+          pop_waiters = Q.empty;
+          push_waiters = Q.empty;
+        };
   }
 
-let try_push (self : _ t) x : bool =
-  let res = ref false in
-  if Mutex.try_lock self.mutex then (
-    if self.closed then (
-      Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
-      raise Closed
-    );
+let try_pop (self : 'a t) : 'a option =
+  let old_st = A.get self.st in
+  match State.pop_one_ ~max_size:self.max_size old_st with
+  | exception Q.Empty ->
+    if A.get self.closed then raise Closed;
+    None
+  | x, new_st, to_broadcast ->
+    if A.compare_and_set self.st old_st new_st then (
+      Q.iter Trigger.signal to_broadcast;
+      Some x
+    ) else
+      None
 
-    match Queue.length self.q with
-    | 0 ->
-      let to_awake = Queue.create () in
-      Queue.push x self.q;
-      Queue.transfer self.pop_waiters to_awake;
-      res := true;
-      Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
-      (* wake up pop triggers if needed. Be careful to do that
-         outside the critical section*)
-      Queue.iter Trigger.signal to_awake
-    | n when n < self.max_size ->
-      Queue.push x self.q;
-      Mutex.unlock self.mutex
-    | _ -> Mutex.unlock self.mutex
-  );
-  !res
-
-let try_pop (type elt) self : elt option =
-  let res = ref None in
-  if Mutex.try_lock self.mutex then (
-    (match Queue.pop self.q with
-    | exception Queue.Empty ->
-      if self.closed then (
-        Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
-        raise Closed
-      )
-    | x -> res := Some x);
-    Mutex.unlock self.mutex
-  );
-  !res
+let try_push (self : 'a t) (x : 'a) : bool =
+  if A.get self.closed then raise Closed;
+  let old_st = A.get self.st in
+  match State.push_one_ ~max_size:self.max_size old_st x with
+  | exception Full -> false
+  | new_st, to_broadcast ->
+    if A.compare_and_set self.st old_st new_st then (
+      Q.iter Trigger.signal to_broadcast;
+      true
+    ) else
+      false
 
 let close (self : _ t) : unit =
-  let q = Queue.create () in
-  Mutex.lock self.mutex;
-  if not self.closed then (
-    self.closed <- true;
-    Queue.transfer self.pop_waiters q;
-    Queue.transfer self.push_waiters q
-  );
-  Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
-  Queue.iter Trigger.signal q
+  if not (A.exchange self.closed true) then
+    while
+      let old_st = A.get self.st in
+      if
+        A.compare_and_set self.st old_st
+          { old_st with push_waiters = Q.empty; pop_waiters = Q.empty }
+      then (
+        (* signal all waiters *)
+        Q.iter Trigger.signal old_st.push_waiters;
+        Q.iter Trigger.signal old_st.pop_waiters;
+
+        false
+      ) else
+        true
+    do
+      Domain_.relax ()
+    done
 
 [@@@ifge 5.0]
 
-let rec push (self : _ t) x : unit =
-  Mutex.lock self.mutex;
-
-  if self.closed then (
-    Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
-    raise Closed
-  );
-
-  match Queue.length self.q with
-  | 0 ->
-    Queue.push x self.q;
-    let to_wakeup = Queue.create () in
-    Queue.transfer self.pop_waiters to_wakeup;
-    Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
-    Queue.iter Trigger.signal to_wakeup
-  | n when n < self.max_size ->
-    Queue.push x self.q;
-    Mutex.unlock self.mutex
-  | _ ->
-    let tr = Trigger.create () in
-    Queue.push tr self.push_waiters;
-    Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
-    Trigger.await_exn tr;
-    push self x
-
 let rec pop (self : 'a t) : 'a =
-  Mutex.lock self.mutex;
-  match Queue.pop self.q with
-  | x ->
-    if Queue.is_empty self.q then (
-      let to_wakeup = Queue.create () in
-      Queue.transfer self.push_waiters to_wakeup;
-      Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
-      Queue.iter Trigger.signal to_wakeup
-    ) else
-      Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
-    x
-  | exception Queue.Empty ->
-    if self.closed then (
-      Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
-      raise Closed
-    );
+  let old_st = A.get self.st in
+  match State.pop_one_ ~max_size:self.max_size old_st with
+  | exception Q.Empty ->
+    if A.get self.closed then raise Closed;
 
     let tr = Trigger.create () in
-    Queue.push tr self.pop_waiters;
-    Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
-    Trigger.await_exn tr;
-    pop self
+    if
+      A.compare_and_set self.st old_st
+        { old_st with pop_waiters = Q.push old_st.pop_waiters tr }
+    then (
+      Trigger.await_exn tr;
+      pop self
+    ) else
+      pop self
+  | x, new_st, to_broadcast ->
+    if A.compare_and_set self.st old_st new_st then (
+      Q.iter Trigger.signal to_broadcast;
+      x
+    ) else
+      pop self
+
+let push (self : _ t) x : unit =
+  while
+    if A.get self.closed then raise Closed;
+
+    let old_st = A.get self.st in
+    match State.push_one_ ~max_size:self.max_size old_st x with
+    | exception Full ->
+      let tr = Trigger.create () in
+      if
+        A.compare_and_set self.st old_st
+          { old_st with push_waiters = Q.push old_st.push_waiters tr }
+      then
+        Trigger.await_exn tr;
+      true
+    | new_st, to_broadcast ->
+      if A.compare_and_set self.st old_st new_st then (
+        Q.iter Trigger.signal to_broadcast;
+        false
+      ) else
+        true
+  do
+    Domain_.relax ()
+  done
 
 [@@@endif]
-
-(* TODO: remove
-   (** A waiter queue, somewhat similar to a condition. *)
-   module Waiters_ = struct
-     type t = { waiters: Trigger.t Q.t A.t } [@@unboxed]
-
-     let create () : t = { waiters = A.make Q.empty }
-
-     let add_waiter self (tr : Trigger.t) : unit =
-       while
-         let q = A.get self.waiters in
-         not (A.compare_and_set self.waiters q (Q.push q tr))
-       do
-         Domain_.relax ()
-       done
-
-     let wait_await (self : t) : unit =
-       let tr = Trigger.create () in
-       add_waiter self tr;
-       Trigger.await_exn tr
-
-     exception Empty = Q.Empty
-
-     let rec pop_waiter (self : t) : Trigger.t =
-       let q = A.get self.waiters in
-       let x, q' = Q.pop_exn q in
-       if A.compare_and_set self.waiters q q' then
-         x
-       else (
-         Domain_.relax ();
-         pop_waiter self
-       )
-
-     let rec pop_all (self : t) : Trigger.t Q.t =
-       let q = A.get self.waiters in
-       if A.compare_and_set self.waiters q Q.empty then
-         q
-       else (
-         Domain_.relax ();
-         pop_all self
-       )
-
-     let signal (self : t) : unit =
-       match pop_waiter self with
-       | exception Empty -> ()
-       | tr -> Trigger.signal tr
-
-     let broadcast (self : t) : unit =
-       let waiters = pop_all self in
-       Q.iter Trigger.signal waiters
-   end
-*)
diff --git a/src/core/chan.mli b/src/core/chan.mli
index 142f43ce..7ec1163d 100644
--- a/src/core/chan.mli
+++ b/src/core/chan.mli
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@
     The channels became bounded since @NEXT_RELEASE .
 *)
 
-type 'a or_error = 'a Fut.or_error
-
 type 'a t
 (** Channel carrying values of type ['a]. *)
 
@@ -23,7 +21,9 @@ val try_push : 'a t -> 'a -> bool
 
 val try_pop : 'a t -> 'a option
 (** [try_pop chan] pops and return an element if one is available
-    immediately. Otherwise it returns [None]. *)
+    immediately. Otherwise it returns [None].
+    @raise Closed if the channel is closed and empty.
+    *)
 
 val close : _ t -> unit
 (** Close the channel. Further push and pop calls will fail.