diff --git a/src/s_queue.ml b/src/s_queue.ml
index fb639f85..c3d157e4 100644
--- a/src/s_queue.ml
+++ b/src/s_queue.ml
@@ -51,12 +51,35 @@ let pop (self : 'a t) : 'a =
   in
   loop ()
 
-let try_pop (self : _ t) : _ option =
-  Mutex.lock self.mutex;
-  match Queue.pop self.q with
-  | x ->
-    Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
-    Some x
-  | exception Queue.Empty ->
-    Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
+let try_pop ~force_lock (self : _ t) : _ option =
+  let has_lock =
+    if force_lock then (
+      Mutex.lock self.mutex;
+      true
+    ) else
+      Mutex.try_lock self.mutex
+  in
+  if has_lock then (
+    match Queue.pop self.q with
+    | x ->
+      Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
+      Some x
+    | exception Queue.Empty ->
+      Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
+      None
+  ) else
     None
+
+let try_push (self : _ t) x : bool =
+  if Mutex.try_lock self.mutex then (
+    if self.closed then (
+      Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
+      raise Closed
+    );
+
+    Queue.push x self.q;
+    Condition.signal self.cond;
+    Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
+    true
+  ) else
+    false
diff --git a/src/s_queue.mli b/src/s_queue.mli
index d09b80c6..644c1b86 100644
--- a/src/s_queue.mli
+++ b/src/s_queue.mli
@@ -14,9 +14,19 @@ val pop : 'a t -> 'a
 (** [pop q] pops the next element in [q]. It might block until an element comes.
    @raise Closed if the queue was closed before a new element was available. *)
 
-val try_pop : 'a t -> 'a option
+val try_pop : force_lock:bool -> 'a t -> 'a option
 (** [try_pop q] immediately pops the first element of [q], if any,
-    or returns [None] without blocking. *)
+    or returns [None] without blocking.
+    @param force_lock if true, use {!Mutex.lock} (which can block under contention);
+      if false, use {!Mutex.try_lock}, which might return [None] even in
+    presence of an element if there's contention *)
+
+val try_push : 'a t -> 'a -> bool
+(** [try_push q x] tries to push into [q], in which case
+    it returns [true]; or it fails to push and returns [false]
+    without blocking.
+    @raise Closed if the locking succeeded but the queue is closed.
+*)
 
 val close : _ t -> unit
 (** Close the queue, meaning there won't be any more [push] allowed. *)