diff --git a/dune-project b/dune-project
index ddf01fef..f6ace0a6 100644
--- a/dune-project
+++ b/dune-project
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
     (>= 1.9.0)
     :with-test)))
  (depopts
+   thread-local-storage
    (domain-local-await (>= 0.2)))
  (tags
   (thread pool domain futures fork-join)))
diff --git a/moonpool.opam b/moonpool.opam
index 547b18c1..62bdcf6e 100644
--- a/moonpool.opam
+++ b/moonpool.opam
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ depends: [
   "mdx" {>= "1.9.0" & with-test}
 ]
 depopts: [
+  "thread-local-storage"
   "domain-local-await" {>= "0.2"}
 ]
 build: [
diff --git a/src/dune b/src/dune
index 313191a5..5275ab40 100644
--- a/src/dune
+++ b/src/dune
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
   (action
    (run %{project_root}/src/cpp/cpp.exe %{input-file})))
  (libraries threads either
+            (select thread_local_storage.ml from
+             (thread-local-storage -> thread_local_storage.stub.ml)
+             (-> thread_local_storage.real.ml))
             (select dla_.ml from
              (domain-local-await -> dla_.real.ml)
              ( -> dla_.dummy.ml))))
diff --git a/src/moonpool.ml b/src/moonpool.ml
index ed1af755..b4118536 100644
--- a/src/moonpool.ml
+++ b/src/moonpool.ml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ module Pool = Fifo_pool
 module Ws_pool = Ws_pool
 module Runner = Runner
 module Fifo_pool = Fifo_pool
+module Thread_local_storage = Thread_local_storage
 
 module Private = struct
   module Ws_deque_ = Ws_deque_
diff --git a/src/moonpool.mli b/src/moonpool.mli
index 4028e858..b744dc51 100644
--- a/src/moonpool.mli
+++ b/src/moonpool.mli
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ module Lock = Lock
 module Fut = Fut
 module Chan = Chan
 module Fork_join = Fork_join
+module Thread_local_storage = Thread_local_storage
 
 (** A simple blocking queue.
 
diff --git a/src/thread_local_storage.mli b/src/thread_local_storage.mli
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b7b50706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/thread_local_storage.mli
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+(** Thread local storage *)
+
+(* TODO: alias this to the library if present *)
+
+type 'a key
+(** A TLS key for values of type ['a]. This allows the
+  storage of a single value of type ['a] per thread. *)
+
+val new_key : (unit -> 'a) -> 'a key
+(** Allocate a new, generative key.
+    When the key is used for the first time on a thread,
+    the function is called to produce it.
+
+    This should only ever be called at toplevel to produce
+    constants, do not use it in a loop. *)
+
+val get : 'a key -> 'a
+(** Get the value for the current thread. *)
+
+val set : 'a key -> 'a -> unit
+(** Set the value for the current thread. *)
diff --git a/src/thread_local_storage.real.ml b/src/thread_local_storage.real.ml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2d33f62c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/thread_local_storage.real.ml
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+(* see: https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/a-hack-to-implement-efficient-tls-thread-local-storage/13264 *)
+
+(* sanity check *)
+let () = assert (Obj.field (Obj.repr (Thread.self ())) 1 = Obj.repr ())
+
+type 'a key = {
+  index: int;  (** Unique index for this key. *)
+  compute: unit -> 'a;
+      (** Initializer for values for this key. Called at most
+        once per thread. *)
+}
+
+(** Counter used to allocate new keys *)
+let counter = Atomic.make 0
+
+(** Value used to detect a TLS slot that was not initialized yet *)
+let sentinel_value_for_uninit_tls_ () : Obj.t = Obj.repr counter
+
+let new_key compute : _ key =
+  let index = Atomic.fetch_and_add counter 1 in
+  { index; compute }
+
+type thread_internal_state = {
+  _id: int;  (** Thread ID (here for padding reasons) *)
+  mutable tls: Obj.t;  (** Our data, stowed away in this unused field *)
+}
+(** A partial representation of the internal type [Thread.t], allowing
+  us to access the second field (unused after the thread
+  has started) and stash TLS data in it. *)
+
+let ceil_pow_2_minus_1 (n : int) : int =
+  let n = n lor (n lsr 1) in
+  let n = n lor (n lsr 2) in
+  let n = n lor (n lsr 4) in
+  let n = n lor (n lsr 8) in
+  let n = n lor (n lsr 16) in
+  if Sys.int_size > 32 then
+    n lor (n lsr 32)
+  else
+    n
+
+(** Grow the array so that [index] is valid. *)
+let[@inline never] grow_tls (old : Obj.t array) (index : int) : Obj.t array =
+  let new_length = ceil_pow_2_minus_1 (index + 1) in
+  let new_ = Array.make new_length (sentinel_value_for_uninit_tls_ ()) in
+  Array.blit old 0 new_ 0 (Array.length old);
+  new_
+
+let[@inline] get_tls_ (index : int) : Obj.t array =
+  let thread : thread_internal_state = Obj.magic (Thread.self ()) in
+  let tls = thread.tls in
+  if Obj.is_int tls then (
+    let new_tls = grow_tls [||] index in
+    thread.tls <- Obj.magic new_tls;
+    new_tls
+  ) else (
+    let tls = (Obj.magic tls : Obj.t array) in
+    if index < Array.length tls then
+      tls
+    else (
+      let new_tls = grow_tls tls index in
+      thread.tls <- Obj.magic new_tls;
+      new_tls
+    )
+  )
+
+let get key =
+  let tls = get_tls_ key.index in
+  let value = Array.unsafe_get tls key.index in
+  if value != sentinel_value_for_uninit_tls_ () then
+    Obj.magic value
+  else (
+    let value = key.compute () in
+    Array.unsafe_set tls key.index (Obj.repr (Sys.opaque_identity value));
+    value
+  )
+
+let set key value =
+  let tls = get_tls_ key.index in
+  Array.unsafe_set tls key.index (Obj.repr (Sys.opaque_identity value))
diff --git a/src/thread_local_storage.stub.ml b/src/thread_local_storage.stub.ml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..88712b6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/thread_local_storage.stub.ml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+
+(* just defer to library *)
+include Thread_local_storage
diff --git a/src/ws_pool.ml b/src/ws_pool.ml
index b0e055cd..4d1e0c70 100644
--- a/src/ws_pool.ml
+++ b/src/ws_pool.ml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 module WSQ = Ws_deque_
 module A = Atomic_
+module TLS = Thread_local_storage
 include Runner
 
 let ( let@ ) = ( @@ )
@@ -36,25 +37,20 @@ let num_tasks_ (self : state) : int =
   Array.iter (fun w -> n := !n + WSQ.size w.q) self.workers;
   !n
 
-exception Got_worker of worker_state
+(** TLS, used by worker to store their specific state
+    and be able to retrieve it from tasks when we schedule new
+    sub-tasks. *)
+let k_worker_state : worker_state option ref TLS.key =
+  TLS.new_key (fun () -> ref None)
 
-(* FIXME: replace with TLS *)
-let[@inline] find_current_worker_ (self : state) : worker_state option =
-  let self_id = Thread.id @@ Thread.self () in
-  try
-    (* see if we're in one of the worker threads *)
-    for i = 0 to Array.length self.workers - 1 do
-      let w = self.workers.(i) in
-      if Thread.id w.thread = self_id then raise_notrace (Got_worker w)
-    done;
-    None
-  with Got_worker w -> Some w
+let[@inline] find_current_worker_ () : worker_state option =
+  !(TLS.get k_worker_state)
 
 (** Try to wake up a waiter, if there's any. *)
 let[@inline] try_wake_someone_ (self : state) : unit =
   if self.n_waiting_nonzero then (
     Mutex.lock self.mutex;
-    Condition.broadcast self.cond;
+    Condition.signal self.cond;
     Mutex.unlock self.mutex
   )
 
@@ -71,7 +67,7 @@ let schedule_task_ (self : state) (w : worker_state option) (task : task) : unit
       (* push into the main queue *)
       Mutex.lock self.mutex;
       Queue.push task self.main_q;
-      if self.n_waiting_nonzero then Condition.broadcast self.cond;
+      if self.n_waiting_nonzero then Condition.signal self.cond;
       Mutex.unlock self.mutex
     ) else
       (* notify the caller that scheduling tasks is no
@@ -87,7 +83,7 @@ let run_task_now_ (self : state) ~runner task : unit =
   (try
      (* run [task()] and handle [suspend] in it *)
      Suspend_.with_suspend task ~run:(fun task' ->
-         let w = find_current_worker_ self in
+         let w = find_current_worker_ () in
          schedule_task_ self w task')
    with e ->
      let bt = Printexc.get_raw_backtrace () in
@@ -95,7 +91,7 @@ let run_task_now_ (self : state) ~runner task : unit =
   after_task runner _ctx
 
 let[@inline] run_async_ (self : state) (task : task) : unit =
-  let w = find_current_worker_ self in
+  let w = find_current_worker_ () in
   schedule_task_ self w task
 
 (* TODO: function to schedule many tasks from the outside.
@@ -140,6 +136,7 @@ let try_to_steal_work_loop (self : state) ~runner w : bool =
     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
@@ -153,12 +150,16 @@ let worker_run_self_tasks_ (self : state) ~runner w : unit =
   let continue = ref true in
   while !continue && A.get self.active do
     match WSQ.pop w.q with
-    | Some task -> run_task_now_ self ~runner task
+    | Some task ->
+      try_wake_someone_ self;
+      run_task_now_ self ~runner task
     | None -> continue := false
   done
 
 (** Main loop for a worker thread. *)
 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
@@ -172,7 +173,7 @@ let worker_thread_ (self : state) ~(runner : t) (w : worker_state) : unit =
           Mutex.unlock self.mutex;
           run_task_now_ self ~runner task
         | exception Queue.Empty ->
-          wait_ self;
+          if A.get self.active then wait_ self;
           Mutex.unlock self.mutex
       )
     done;