diff --git a/src/ws_deque_.ml b/src/ws_deque_.ml
index 137e1c15..6c5d1419 100644
--- a/src/ws_deque_.ml
+++ b/src/ws_deque_.ml
@@ -12,94 +12,68 @@ module A = Atomic_
 module CA : sig
   type 'a t
 
-  val create : log_size:int -> unit -> 'a t
-  val size : _ t -> int
+  val create : dummy:'a -> unit -> 'a t
+  val size : 'a t -> int
   val get : 'a t -> int -> 'a
   val set : 'a t -> int -> 'a -> unit
-  val grow : 'a t -> bottom:int -> top:int -> 'a t
-  val shrink : 'a t -> bottom:int -> top:int -> 'a t
 end = struct
-  type 'a t = {
-    log_size: int;
-    arr: 'a option array;
-  }
+  (** The array has size 256. *)
+  let log_size = 8
 
-  let[@inline] size (self : _ t) = 1 lsl self.log_size
+  type 'a t = { arr: 'a array } [@@unboxed]
 
-  let create ~log_size () : _ t =
-    { log_size; arr = Array.make (1 lsl log_size) None }
+  let[@inline] size (_self : _ t) = 1 lsl log_size
+  let create ~dummy () : _ t = { arr = Array.make (1 lsl log_size) dummy }
 
-  let[@inline] get (self : _ t) (i : int) : 'a =
-    match Array.unsafe_get self.arr (i land ((1 lsl self.log_size) - 1)) with
-    | Some x -> x
-    | None -> assert false
+  let[@inline] get (self : 'a t) (i : int) : 'a =
+    Array.unsafe_get self.arr (i land ((1 lsl log_size) - 1))
 
   let[@inline] set (self : 'a t) (i : int) (x : 'a) : unit =
-    Array.unsafe_set self.arr (i land ((1 lsl self.log_size) - 1)) (Some x)
-
-  let grow (self : _ t) ~bottom ~top : 'a t =
-    let new_arr = create ~log_size:(self.log_size + 1) () in
-    for i = top to bottom - 1 do
-      set new_arr i (get self i)
-    done;
-    new_arr
-
-  let shrink (self : _ t) ~bottom ~top : 'a t =
-    let new_arr = create ~log_size:(self.log_size - 1) () in
-    for i = top to bottom - 1 do
-      set new_arr i (get self i)
-    done;
-    new_arr
+    Array.unsafe_set self.arr (i land ((1 lsl log_size) - 1)) x
 end
 
 type 'a t = {
   top: int A.t;  (** Where we steal *)
   bottom: int A.t;  (** Where we push/pop from the owning thread *)
   mutable top_cached: int;  (** Last read value of [top] *)
-  arr: 'a CA.t A.t;  (** The circular array *)
+  arr: 'a CA.t;  (** The circular array *)
 }
 
-let create () : _ t =
+let create ~dummy () : _ t =
   let top = A.make 0 in
-  let arr = A.make @@ CA.create ~log_size:4 () in
-  (* allocate far from top to avoid false sharing *)
+  let arr = CA.create ~dummy () in
+  (* allocate far from [top] to avoid false sharing *)
   let bottom = A.make 0 in
   { top; top_cached = 0; bottom; arr }
 
 let[@inline] size (self : _ t) : int = max 0 (A.get self.bottom - A.get self.top)
 
-let push (self : 'a t) (x : 'a) : unit =
-  let b = A.get self.bottom in
-  let t_approx = self.top_cached in
-  let arr = ref (A.get self.arr) in
+exception Full
 
-  (* Section 2.3: over-approximation of size.
-     Only if it seems too big do we actually read [t]. *)
-  let size_approx = b - t_approx in
-  if size_approx >= CA.size !arr - 1 then (
-    (* we need to read the actual value of [top], which might entail contention. *)
-    let t = A.get self.top in
-    self.top_cached <- t;
-    let size = b - t in
+let push (self : 'a t) (x : 'a) : bool =
+  try
+    let b = A.get self.bottom in
+    let t_approx = self.top_cached in
 
-    if size >= CA.size !arr - 1 then (
-      arr := CA.grow !arr ~top:t ~bottom:b;
-      A.set self.arr !arr
-    )
-  );
+    (* Section 2.3: over-approximation of size.
+       Only if it seems too big do we actually read [t]. *)
+    let size_approx = b - t_approx in
+    if size_approx >= CA.size self.arr - 1 then (
+      (* we need to read the actual value of [top], which might entail contention. *)
+      let t = A.get self.top in
+      self.top_cached <- t;
+      let size = b - t in
 
-  CA.set !arr b x;
-  A.set self.bottom (b + 1)
+      if size >= CA.size self.arr - 1 then (* full! *) raise_notrace Full
+    );
 
-let maybe_shrink_ (self : _ t) arr ~top ~bottom : unit =
-  let size = bottom - top in
-  let ca_size = CA.size arr in
-  if ca_size >= 256 && size < ca_size / 3 then
-    A.set self.arr (CA.shrink arr ~top ~bottom)
+    CA.set self.arr b x;
+    A.set self.bottom (b + 1);
+    true
+  with Full -> false
 
 let pop (self : 'a t) : 'a option =
   let b = A.get self.bottom in
-  let arr = A.get self.arr in
   let b = b - 1 in
   A.set self.bottom b;
 
@@ -113,15 +87,14 @@ let pop (self : 'a t) : 'a option =
     None
   ) else if size > 0 then (
     (* can pop without modifying [top] *)
-    let x = CA.get arr b in
-    maybe_shrink_ self arr ~bottom:b ~top:t;
+    let x = CA.get self.arr b in
     Some x
   ) else (
     assert (size = 0);
     (* there was exactly one slot, so we might be racing against stealers
        to update [self.top] *)
     if A.compare_and_set self.top t (t + 1) then (
-      let x = CA.get arr b in
+      let x = CA.get self.arr b in
       A.set self.bottom (t + 1);
       Some x
     ) else (
@@ -135,13 +108,12 @@ let steal (self : 'a t) : 'a option =
      as we're in another thread *)
   let t = A.get self.top in
   let b = A.get self.bottom in
-  let arr = A.get self.arr in
 
   let size = b - t in
   if size <= 0 then
     None
   else (
-    let x = CA.get arr t in
+    let x = CA.get self.arr t in
     if A.compare_and_set self.top t (t + 1) then
       (* successfully increased top to consume [x] *)
       Some x
diff --git a/src/ws_deque_.mli b/src/ws_deque_.mli
index 0b243f68..bead45aa 100644
--- a/src/ws_deque_.mli
+++ b/src/ws_deque_.mli
@@ -6,14 +6,16 @@
 type 'a t
 (** Deque containing values of type ['a] *)
 
-val create : unit -> _ t
+val create : dummy:'a -> unit -> 'a t
 (** Create a new deque. *)
 
-val push : 'a t -> 'a -> unit
-(** Push value at the bottom of deque. This is not thread-safe. *)
+val push : 'a t -> 'a -> bool
+(** Push value at the bottom of deque. returns [true] if it succeeds.
+    This must be called only by the owner thread. *)
 
 val pop : 'a t -> 'a option
-(** Pop value from the bottom of deque. This is not thread-safe. *)
+(** Pop value from the bottom of deque.
+    This must be called only by the owner thread. *)
 
 val steal : 'a t -> 'a option
 (** Try to steal from the top of deque. This is thread-safe. *)
diff --git a/src/ws_pool.ml b/src/ws_pool.ml
index 44432112..4623a3e3 100644
--- a/src/ws_pool.ml
+++ b/src/ws_pool.ml
@@ -60,8 +60,16 @@ let schedule_task_ (self : state) (w : worker_state option) (task : task) : unit
   (* Printf.printf "schedule task now (%d)\n%!" (Thread.id @@ Thread.self ()); *)
   match w with
   | Some w ->
-    WSQ.push w.q task;
-    try_wake_someone_ self
+    let pushed = WSQ.push w.q task in
+    if pushed then
+      try_wake_someone_ self
+    else (
+      (* overflow into main queue *)
+      Mutex.lock self.mutex;
+      Queue.push task self.main_q;
+      if self.n_waiting_nonzero then Condition.signal self.cond;
+      Mutex.unlock self.mutex
+    )
   | None ->
     if A.get self.active then (
       (* push into the main queue *)
@@ -202,6 +210,8 @@ type ('a, 'b) create_args =
   'a
 (** Arguments used in {!create}. See {!create} for explanations. *)
 
+let dummy_task_ () = assert false
+
 let create ?(on_init_thread = default_thread_init_exit_)
     ?(on_exit_thread = default_thread_init_exit_) ?(on_exn = fun _ _ -> ())
     ?around_task ?num_threads () : t =
@@ -221,7 +231,11 @@ 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 (); rng = Random.State.make [| i |] })
+        {
+          thread = dummy;
+          q = WSQ.create ~dummy:dummy_task_ ();
+          rng = Random.State.make [| i |];
+        })
   in
 
   let pool =
diff --git a/test/t_ws_deque.ml b/test/t_ws_deque.ml
index 3377dcb6..88429a8d 100644
--- a/test/t_ws_deque.ml
+++ b/test/t_ws_deque.ml
@@ -2,22 +2,23 @@ module A = Moonpool.Atomic
 module D = Moonpool.Private.Ws_deque_
 
 let ( let@ ) = ( @@ )
+let dummy = -100
 
 let t_simple () =
-  let d = D.create () in
+  let d = D.create ~dummy () in
   assert (D.steal d = None);
   assert (D.pop d = None);
-  D.push d 1;
-  D.push d 2;
+  assert (D.push d 1);
+  assert (D.push d 2);
   assert (D.pop d = Some 2);
   assert (D.steal d = Some 1);
   assert (D.steal d = None);
   assert (D.pop d = None);
-  D.push d 3;
+  assert (D.push d 3);
   assert (D.pop d = Some 3);
-  D.push d 4;
-  D.push d 5;
-  D.push d 6;
+  assert (D.push d 4);
+  assert (D.push d 5);
+  assert (D.push d 6);
   assert (D.steal d = Some 4);
   assert (D.steal d = Some 5);
   assert (D.pop d = Some 6);
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ let t_heavy () =
 
   let active = A.make true in
 
-  let d = D.create () in
+  let d = D.create ~dummy () in
 
   let stealer_loop () =
     Trace.set_thread_name "stealer";
@@ -51,11 +52,13 @@ let t_heavy () =
     Trace.set_thread_name "producer";
     for _i = 1 to 100_000 do
       let@ _sp = Trace.with_span ~__FILE__ ~__LINE__ "main.outer" in
+
+      (* NOTE: we make sure to push less than 256 elements at once *)
       for j = 1 to 100 do
         ref_sum := !ref_sum + j;
-        D.push d j;
+        assert (D.push d j);
         ref_sum := !ref_sum + j;
-        D.push d j;
+        assert (D.push d j);
 
         Option.iter (fun x -> add_to_sum x) (D.pop d);
         Option.iter (fun x -> add_to_sum x) (D.pop d)
@@ -92,35 +95,8 @@ let t_heavy () =
   assert (ref_sum = sum);
   ()
 
-let t_many () =
-  print_endline "pushing many elements";
-  let d = D.create () in
-
-  let push_and_pop count =
-    for i = 1 to count do
-      (* if i mod 100_000 = 0 then Printf.printf "push %d\n%!" i; *)
-      D.push d i
-    done;
-    let n = ref 0 in
-
-    let continue = ref true in
-    while !continue do
-      match D.pop d with
-      | None -> continue := false
-      | Some _ -> incr n
-    done;
-    assert (!n = count)
-  in
-
-  push_and_pop 10_000;
-  push_and_pop 100_000;
-  push_and_pop 1_000_000;
-  print_endline "pushing many elements: ok";
-  ()
-
 let () =
   let@ () = Trace_tef.with_setup () in
   t_simple ();
   t_heavy ();
-  t_many ();
   ()