diff --git a/futures.ml b/futures.ml
index eedf00a6..13322751 100644
--- a/futures.ml
+++ b/futures.ml
@@ -66,15 +66,12 @@ module Pool = struct
 
   (* Internal function, which is run by the threads of the pool *)
   let serve pool limit =
-    (* loop, to get the next job *)
-    let rec poll limit =
-      Mutex.lock pool.mutex;
-      Condition.wait pool.condition pool.mutex;
+    (* loop, to get the next job (in locked environment) *)
+    let rec check limit =
       if Queue.is_empty pool.jobs
-        then begin (* caramba! try again *)
-          Mutex.unlock pool.mutex;
-          if not pool.stop then poll limit end
+        then wait limit  (* wait for someone to add a job *)
         else begin
+          (* process one job *)
           let job = Queue.pop pool.jobs in
           Mutex.unlock pool.mutex;
           (* run the job *)
@@ -83,12 +80,20 @@ module Pool = struct
           with _ ->
             ());
           match limit with
-          | None -> if not pool.stop then poll limit (* I am immortal! *)
+          | None -> if not pool.stop then enter limit (* I am immortal! *)
           | Some 0 -> ()  (* stop, reached limit *)
-          | Some n -> if not pool.stop then poll (Some (n-1)) (* continue serving *)
+          | Some n -> if not pool.stop then enter (Some (n-1)) (* continue serving *)
         end
+    (* enter the loop *)
+    and enter limit =
+      Mutex.lock pool.mutex;
+      check limit
+    (* wait for someone to push an item on the queue *)
+    and wait limit =
+      Condition.wait pool.condition pool.mutex;
+      check limit
     in
-    poll limit
+    enter limit
 
   (** Add a thread to the pool, that will serve at most [limit] jobs *)
   let add_thread ?limit pool =