diff --git a/src/lwt/lwt_pipe.ml b/src/lwt/lwt_pipe.ml
index f91b89fd..c48209c1 100644
--- a/src/lwt/lwt_pipe.ml
+++ b/src/lwt/lwt_pipe.ml
@@ -60,38 +60,26 @@ let ret_end = Lwt.return `End
 exception Closed
 
 module Pipe = struct
-  (* messages given to writers through the condition *)
-  type 'a msg =
-    | Send of 'a step Lwt.u (* send directly to reader *)
-    | SendQueue (* push into queue *)
-    | Close (* close *)
-
-  type 'a inner_buf =
-    | Buf of 'a step Queue.t * int  (* buf, max size *)
-    | NoBuf
-
   type ('a, +'perm) t = {
     close : unit Lwt.u;
     closed : unit Lwt.t;
-    lock : Lwt_mutex.t;
-    buf : 'a inner_buf;
-    cond : 'a msg Lwt_condition.t;
+    buf :
+      [`Item of 'a step
+      | `Block of 'a step * unit Lwt.u
+      ] Queue.t; (* actions queued *)
+    max_size : int;
+    box : 'a step Lwt.u Lwt_mvar.t;
     mutable keep : unit Lwt.t list;  (* do not GC, and wait for completion *)
   } constraint 'perm = [< `r | `w]
 
   let create ?(max_size=0) () =
-    let buf = match max_size with
-      | 0 -> NoBuf
-      | n when n < 0 -> invalid_arg "max_size"
-      | n -> Buf (Queue.create (), n)
-    in
     let closed, close = Lwt.wait () in
     {
       close;
       closed;
-      buf;
-      lock=Lwt_mutex.create();
-      cond=Lwt_condition.create();
+      buf = Queue.create ();
+      max_size;
+      box=Lwt_mvar.create_empty ();
       keep=[];
     }
 
@@ -103,65 +91,52 @@ module Pipe = struct
     if is_closed p then Lwt.return_unit
     else (
       Lwt.wakeup p.close (); (* evaluate *)
-      Lwt_condition.broadcast p.cond Close;
       Lwt.join p.keep;
     )
 
   let close_async p = Lwt.async (fun () -> close p)
 
-  let on_close p = p.closed
+  let wait p = Lwt.map (fun _ -> ()) p.closed
 
   (* try to take next element from buffer *)
-  let try_next_buf t = match t.buf with
-    | NoBuf -> None
-    | Buf (q, _) ->
-      if Queue.is_empty q then None
-      else Some (Queue.pop q)
-
-  (* returns true if it could push successfully *)
-  let try_push_buf t x = match t.buf with
-    | NoBuf -> false
-    | Buf (q, max_size) when Queue.length q = max_size -> false
-    | Buf (q, _) -> Queue.push x q; true
+  let try_next_buf t =
+    if Queue.is_empty t.buf then None
+    else Some (Queue.pop t.buf)
 
   (* read next one *)
   let read t =
-    Lwt_mutex.with_lock t.lock
-      (fun () ->
-         match try_next_buf t with
-         | None when is_closed t -> ret_end (* end of stream *)
-         | None ->
-           let fut, send = Lwt.wait () in
-           Lwt_condition.signal t.cond (Send send);
-           fut
-         | Some x ->
-           Lwt_condition.signal t.cond SendQueue;  (* queue isn't full anymore *)
-           Lwt.return x
-      )
+     match try_next_buf t with
+     | None when is_closed t -> ret_end (* end of stream *)
+     | None ->
+       let fut, send = Lwt.wait () in
+       Lwt_mvar.put t.box send >>= fun () ->
+       fut
+     | Some (`Item x) -> Lwt.return x
+     | Some (`Block (x, signal_done)) ->
+       Lwt.wakeup signal_done (); (* signal the writer it's done *)
+       Lwt.return x
+
+  (* TODO: signal writers when their value has less than max_size
+  steps before being read *)
 
   (* write a value *)
   let write t x =
-    let rec try_write () =
-      if is_closed t then Lwt.fail Closed
-      else if try_push_buf t x
-      then Lwt.return_unit  (* into buffer, do not wait *)
-      else (
-        (* wait for readers to consume the queue *)
-        Lwt_condition.wait ~mutex:t.lock t.cond >>= fun msg ->
-        match msg with
-        | Send s ->
-          Lwt.wakeup s x;  (* sync with reader *)
-          Lwt.return_unit
-        | SendQueue -> try_write () (* try again! *)
-        | Close -> Lwt.fail Closed
-      )
-    in
-    Lwt_mutex.with_lock t.lock try_write
+    if is_closed t then Lwt.fail Closed
+    else if Queue.length t.buf < t.max_size
+    then (
+      Queue.push (`Item x) t.buf;
+      Lwt.return_unit  (* into buffer, do not wait *)
+    ) else (
+      let is_done, signal_done = Lwt.wait () in
+      Queue.push (`Block (x, signal_done)) t.buf;
+      is_done
+    )
 
   let rec connect_rec r w =
     read r >>= function
     | `End -> Lwt.return_unit
-    | (`Error _ | `Ok _) as step ->
+    | `Error _ as step -> write w step
+    | `Ok _ as step ->
       write w step >>= fun () ->
       connect_rec r w
 
@@ -170,20 +145,20 @@ module Pipe = struct
     keep b fut
 
   (* close a when b closes *)
-  let close_when_closed a b =
-    Lwt.on_success b.closed
-      (fun () -> close_async a)
+  let link_close p ~after =
+    Lwt.on_termination after.closed
+      (fun _ -> close_async p)
 
-  (* close a when every member of l closes *)
-  let close_when_all_closed a l =
-    let n = ref (List.length l) in
+  (* close a when every member of after closes *)
+  let link_close_l p ~after =
+    let n = ref (List.length after) in
     List.iter
-      (fun p -> Lwt.on_success p.closed
-          (fun () ->
-             decr n;
-             if !n = 0 then close_async a
-          )
-      ) l
+      (fun p' -> Lwt.on_termination p'.closed
+        (fun _ ->
+           decr n;
+           if !n = 0 then close_async p
+        )
+      ) after
 end
 
 module Writer = struct
@@ -203,12 +178,12 @@ module Writer = struct
     let rec fwd () =
       Pipe.read b >>= function
       | `Ok x -> write a (f x) >>= fwd
-      | `Error msg -> write_error a msg >>= fwd
+      | `Error msg -> write_error a msg >>= fun _ -> Pipe.close a
       | `End -> Lwt.return_unit
     in
     Pipe.keep b (fwd());
     (* when a gets closed, close b too *)
-    Lwt.on_success (Pipe.on_close a) (fun () -> Pipe.close_async b);
+    Pipe.link_close b ~after:a;
     b
 
   let send_all l =
@@ -222,7 +197,7 @@ module Writer = struct
     in
     (* do not GC before res dies; close res when any outputx is closed *)
     Pipe.keep res (fwd ());
-    List.iter (Pipe.close_when_closed res) l;
+    List.iter (fun out -> Pipe.link_close res ~after:out) l;
     res
 
   let send_both a b = send_all [a; b]
@@ -238,7 +213,7 @@ module Reader = struct
     let rec fwd () =
       Pipe.read a >>= function
       | `Ok x -> Pipe.write b (`Ok (f x)) >>= fwd
-      | (`Error _) as e -> Pipe.write b e >>= fwd
+      | (`Error _) as e -> Pipe.write b e >>= fun _ -> Pipe.close b
       | `End -> Pipe.close b
     in
     Pipe.keep b (fwd());
@@ -253,7 +228,7 @@ module Reader = struct
           | None -> fwd()
           | Some y -> Pipe.write b (`Ok y) >>= fwd
         end
-      | (`Error _) as e -> Pipe.write b e >>= fwd
+      | (`Error _) as e -> Pipe.write b e >>= fun _ -> Pipe.close b
       | `End -> Pipe.close b
     in
     Pipe.keep b (fwd());
@@ -289,12 +264,24 @@ module Reader = struct
     let res = Pipe.create () in
     List.iter (fun p -> Pipe.connect p res) l;
     (* connect res' input to all members of l; close res when they all close *)
-    Pipe.close_when_all_closed res l;
+    Pipe.link_close_l res ~after:l;
     res
 
   let merge_both a b = merge_all [a; b]
+
+  let append a b =
+    let c = Pipe.create () in
+    Pipe.connect a c;
+    Lwt.on_success (Pipe.wait a)
+      (fun () ->
+         Pipe.connect b c;
+         Pipe.link_close c ~after:b (* once a and b finished, c is too *)
+      );
+    c
 end
 
+let connect = Pipe.connect
+
 (** {2 Conversions} *)
 
 let of_list l : _ Reader.t =
@@ -326,10 +313,10 @@ let of_string a =
   Pipe.keep p (send 0);
   p
 
-let to_rev_list r =
+let to_list_rev r =
   Reader.fold ~f:(fun acc x -> x :: acc) ~x:[] r
 
-let to_list r = to_rev_list r >>|= List.rev
+let to_list r = to_list_rev r >>|= List.rev
 
 let to_list_exn r =
   to_list r >>= function
@@ -381,6 +368,7 @@ module IO = struct
     let p = Pipe.create () in
     Pipe.keep p (
       Reader.iter_s ~f:(Lwt_io.write oc) p >>= fun _ ->
+      Lwt_io.flush oc >>= fun () ->
       Pipe.close p
     );
     p
@@ -389,6 +377,7 @@ module IO = struct
     let p = Pipe.create () in
     Pipe.keep p (
       Reader.iter_s ~f:(Lwt_io.write_line oc) p >>= fun _ ->
+      Lwt_io.flush oc >>= fun () ->
       Pipe.close p
     );
     p
diff --git a/src/lwt/lwt_pipe.mli b/src/lwt/lwt_pipe.mli
index 836977db..ae10cbd7 100644
--- a/src/lwt/lwt_pipe.mli
+++ b/src/lwt/lwt_pipe.mli
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
   {- Pipe: a possibly buffered channel through which readers and writer communicate}
   {- Reader: accepts values, produces effects}
   {- Writer: yield values}
+
+  @since NEXT_RELEASE
 *)
 
 type 'a or_error = [`Ok of 'a | `Error of string]
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ module Pipe : sig
   val close_async : _ t -> unit
   (** Same as {!close} but closes in the background *)
 
-  val on_close : _ t -> unit Lwt.t
+  val wait : _ t -> unit Lwt.t
   (** Evaluates once the pipe closes *)
 
   val create : ?max_size:int -> unit -> ('a, 'perm) t
@@ -124,8 +126,13 @@ module Reader : sig
   val merge_all : 'a t list -> 'a t
   (** Merge all the input streams
       @raise Invalid_argument if the list is empty *)
+
+  val append : 'a t -> 'a t -> 'a t
 end
 
+val connect : 'a Reader.t -> 'a Writer.t -> unit
+(** Handy synonym to {!Pipe.connect} *)
+
 (** {2 Conversions} *)
 
 val of_list : 'a list -> 'a Reader.t
@@ -134,7 +141,7 @@ val of_array : 'a array -> 'a Reader.t
 
 val of_string : string -> char Reader.t
 
-val to_rev_list : 'a Reader.t -> 'a list LwtErr.t
+val to_list_rev : 'a Reader.t -> 'a list LwtErr.t
 
 val to_list : 'a Reader.t -> 'a list LwtErr.t