diff --git a/src/ws_pool.ml b/src/ws_pool.ml
index 4d1e0c70..ca5d2500 100644
--- a/src/ws_pool.ml
+++ b/src/ws_pool.ml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ let ( let@ ) = ( @@ )
 type worker_state = {
   mutable thread: Thread.t;
   q: task WSQ.t;  (** Work stealing queue *)
-  mutable work_steal_offset: int;  (** Current offset for work stealing *)
+  rng: Random.State.t;
 }
 (** State for a given worker. Only this worker is
     allowed to push into the queue, but other workers
@@ -111,39 +111,26 @@ let[@inline] wait_ (self : state) : unit =
   self.n_waiting <- self.n_waiting - 1;
   if self.n_waiting = 0 then self.n_waiting_nonzero <- false
 
-(** Try to steal a task from the worker [w] *)
+exception Got_task of task
+
+(** Try to steal a task *)
 let try_to_steal_work_once_ (self : state) (w : worker_state) : task option =
-  w.work_steal_offset <- (w.work_steal_offset + 1) mod Array.length self.workers;
+  let init = Random.State.int w.rng (Array.length self.workers) in
 
-  (* if we're pointing to [w], skip to the next worker as
-     it's useless to steal from oneself *)
-  if Array.unsafe_get self.workers w.work_steal_offset == w then
-    w.work_steal_offset <-
-      (w.work_steal_offset + 1) mod Array.length self.workers;
+  try
+    for i = 0 to Array.length self.workers - 1 do
+      let w' =
+        Array.unsafe_get self.workers ((i + init) mod Array.length self.workers)
+      in
 
-  let w' = Array.unsafe_get self.workers w.work_steal_offset in
-  WSQ.steal w'.q
-
-(** Try to steal work from several other workers. *)
-let try_to_steal_work_loop (self : state) ~runner w : bool =
-  if size_ self = 1 then
-    (* no stealing for single thread pool *)
-    false
-  else (
-    let has_stolen = ref false in
-    let n_retries_left = ref (size_ self - 1) in
-
-    while !n_retries_left > 0 do
-      match try_to_steal_work_once_ self w with
-      | Some task ->
-        try_wake_someone_ self;
-        run_task_now_ self ~runner task;
-        has_stolen := true;
-        n_retries_left := 0
-      | None -> decr n_retries_left
+      if w != w' then (
+        match WSQ.steal w'.q with
+        | Some t -> raise_notrace (Got_task t)
+        | None -> ()
+      )
     done;
-    !has_stolen
-  )
+    None
+  with Got_task t -> Some t
 
 (** Worker runs tasks from its queue until none remains *)
 let worker_run_self_tasks_ (self : state) ~runner w : unit =
@@ -160,29 +147,41 @@ let worker_run_self_tasks_ (self : state) ~runner w : unit =
 let worker_thread_ (self : state) ~(runner : t) (w : worker_state) : unit =
   TLS.get k_worker_state := Some w;
 
-  let main_loop () : unit =
-    let continue = ref true in
-    while !continue && A.get self.active do
+  let rec main () : unit =
+    if A.get self.active then (
       worker_run_self_tasks_ self ~runner w;
+      try_steal ()
+    )
+  and run_task task : unit =
+    run_task_now_ self ~runner task;
+    main ()
+  and try_steal () =
+    if A.get self.active then (
+      match try_to_steal_work_once_ self w with
+      | Some task -> run_task task
+      | None -> wait ()
+    )
+  and wait () =
+    Mutex.lock self.mutex;
+    match Queue.pop self.main_q with
+    | task ->
+      Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
+      run_task task
+    | exception Queue.Empty ->
+      (* wait here *)
+      if A.get self.active then wait_ self;
 
-      let did_steal = try_to_steal_work_loop self ~runner w in
-      if not did_steal then (
-        Mutex.lock self.mutex;
-        match Queue.pop self.main_q with
-        | task ->
-          Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
-          run_task_now_ self ~runner task
-        | exception Queue.Empty ->
-          if A.get self.active then wait_ self;
-          Mutex.unlock self.mutex
-      )
-    done;
-    assert (WSQ.size w.q = 0)
+      (* see if a task became available *)
+      let task = try Some (Queue.pop self.main_q) with Queue.Empty -> None in
+      Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
+
+      (match task with
+      | Some t -> run_task t
+      | None -> try_steal ())
   in
 
   (* handle domain-local await *)
-  Dla_.using ~prepare_for_await:Suspend_.prepare_for_await
-    ~while_running:main_loop
+  Dla_.using ~prepare_for_await:Suspend_.prepare_for_await ~while_running:main
 
 let default_thread_init_exit_ ~dom_id:_ ~t_id:_ () = ()
 
@@ -226,11 +225,7 @@ let create ?(on_init_thread = default_thread_init_exit_)
   let workers : worker_state array =
     let dummy = Thread.self () in
     Array.init num_threads (fun i ->
-        {
-          thread = dummy;
-          q = WSQ.create ();
-          work_steal_offset = (i + 1) mod num_threads;
-        })
+        { thread = dummy; q = WSQ.create (); rng = Random.State.make [| i |] })
   in
 
   let pool =