diff --git a/src/core/ev.c b/src/core/ev.c
index 2183bef9..3243d304 100644
--- a/src/core/ev.c
+++ b/src/core/ev.c
@@ -672,19 +672,6 @@ static void janet_chan_init(JanetChannel *chan, int32_t limit, int threaded) {
     janet_os_mutex_init((JanetOSMutex *) &chan->lock);
 }
 
-static void janet_chan_deinit(JanetChannel *chan) {
-    janet_q_deinit(&chan->read_pending);
-    janet_q_deinit(&chan->write_pending);
-    if (janet_chan_is_threaded(chan)) {
-        Janet item;
-        while (!janet_q_pop(&chan->items, &item, sizeof(item))) {
-            janet_chan_unpack(chan, &item, 1);
-        }
-    }
-    janet_q_deinit(&chan->items);
-    janet_os_mutex_deinit((JanetOSMutex *) &chan->lock);
-}
-
 static void janet_chan_lock(JanetChannel *chan) {
     if (!janet_chan_is_threaded(chan)) return;
     janet_os_mutex_lock((JanetOSMutex *) &chan->lock);
@@ -695,6 +682,25 @@ static void janet_chan_unlock(JanetChannel *chan) {
     janet_os_mutex_unlock((JanetOSMutex *) &chan->lock);
 }
 
+static void janet_chan_deinit(JanetChannel *chan) {
+    if (janet_chan_is_threaded(chan)) {
+        Janet item;
+        janet_chan_lock(chan);
+        janet_q_deinit(&chan->read_pending);
+        janet_q_deinit(&chan->write_pending);
+        while (!janet_q_pop(&chan->items, &item, sizeof(item))) {
+            janet_chan_unpack(chan, &item, 1);
+        }
+        janet_q_deinit(&chan->items);
+        janet_chan_unlock(chan);
+    } else {
+        janet_q_deinit(&chan->read_pending);
+        janet_q_deinit(&chan->write_pending);
+        janet_q_deinit(&chan->items);
+    }
+    janet_os_mutex_deinit((JanetOSMutex *) &chan->lock);
+}
+
 /*
  * Janet Channel abstract type
  */
@@ -771,6 +777,7 @@ static void janet_thread_chan_cb(JanetEVGenericMessage msg) {
     int mode = msg.tag;
     JanetChannel *channel = (JanetChannel *) msg.argp;
     Janet x = msg.argj;
+    janet_chan_lock(channel);
     if (fiber->sched_id == sched_id) {
         if (mode == JANET_CP_MODE_CHOICE_READ) {
             janet_assert(!janet_chan_unpack(channel, &x, 0), "packing error");
@@ -791,7 +798,6 @@ static void janet_thread_chan_cb(JanetEVGenericMessage msg) {
         int is_read = (mode == JANET_CP_MODE_CHOICE_READ) || (mode == JANET_CP_MODE_READ);
         if (is_read) {
             JanetChannelPending reader;
-            janet_chan_lock(channel);
             if (!janet_q_pop(&channel->read_pending, &reader, sizeof(reader))) {
                 JanetVM *vm = reader.thread;
                 JanetEVGenericMessage msg;
@@ -802,10 +808,8 @@ static void janet_thread_chan_cb(JanetEVGenericMessage msg) {
                 msg.argj = x;
                 janet_ev_post_event(vm, janet_thread_chan_cb, msg);
             }
-            janet_chan_unlock(channel);
         } else {
             JanetChannelPending writer;
-            janet_chan_lock(channel);
             if (!janet_q_pop(&channel->write_pending, &writer, sizeof(writer))) {
                 JanetVM *vm = writer.thread;
                 JanetEVGenericMessage msg;
@@ -816,21 +820,21 @@ static void janet_thread_chan_cb(JanetEVGenericMessage msg) {
                 msg.argj = janet_wrap_nil();
                 janet_ev_post_event(vm, janet_thread_chan_cb, msg);
             }
-            janet_chan_unlock(channel);
         }
     }
+    janet_chan_unlock(channel);
 }
 
 /* Push a value to a channel, and return 1 if channel should block, zero otherwise.
  * If the push would block, will add to the write_pending queue in the channel.
  * Handles both threaded and unthreaded channels. */
-static int janet_channel_push(JanetChannel *channel, Janet x, int mode) {
+static int janet_channel_push_with_lock(JanetChannel *channel, Janet x, int mode) {
     JanetChannelPending reader;
     int is_empty;
     if (janet_chan_pack(channel, &x)) {
+        janet_chan_unlock(channel);
         janet_panicf("failed to pack value for channel: %v", x);
     }
-    janet_chan_lock(channel);
     if (channel->closed) {
         janet_chan_unlock(channel);
         janet_panic("cannot write to closed channel");
@@ -891,12 +895,16 @@ static int janet_channel_push(JanetChannel *channel, Janet x, int mode) {
     return 0;
 }
 
+static int janet_channel_push(JanetChannel *channel, Janet x, int mode) {
+    janet_chan_lock(channel);
+    return janet_channel_push_with_lock(channel, x, mode);
+}
+
 /* Pop from a channel - returns 1 if item was obtained, 0 otherwise. The item
  * is returned by reference. If the pop would block, will add to the read_pending
  * queue in the channel. */
-static int janet_channel_pop(JanetChannel *channel, Janet *item, int is_choice) {
+static int janet_channel_pop_with_lock(JanetChannel *channel, Janet *item, int is_choice) {
     JanetChannelPending writer;
-    janet_chan_lock(channel);
     if (channel->closed) {
         janet_chan_unlock(channel);
         *item = janet_wrap_nil();
@@ -941,6 +949,11 @@ static int janet_channel_pop(JanetChannel *channel, Janet *item, int is_choice)
     return 1;
 }
 
+static int janet_channel_pop(JanetChannel *channel, Janet *item, int is_choice) {
+    janet_chan_lock(channel);
+    return janet_channel_pop_with_lock(channel, item, is_choice);
+}
+
 JanetChannel *janet_channel_unwrap(void *abstract) {
     return abstract;
 }
@@ -983,6 +996,20 @@ JANET_CORE_FN(cfun_channel_pop,
     janet_await();
 }
 
+static void chan_unlock_args(const Janet *argv, int32_t n) {
+    for (int32_t i = 0; i < n; i++) {
+        int32_t len;
+        const Janet *data;
+        JanetChannel *chan;
+        if (janet_indexed_view(argv[i], &data, &len) && len == 2) {
+            chan = janet_getchannel(data, 0);
+        } else {
+            chan = janet_getchannel(argv, i);
+        }
+        janet_chan_unlock(chan);
+    }
+}
+
 JANET_CORE_FN(cfun_channel_choice,
               "(ev/select & clauses)",
               "Block until the first of several channel operations occur. Returns a tuple of the form [:give chan], [:take chan x], or [:close chan], where "
@@ -1002,29 +1029,29 @@ JANET_CORE_FN(cfun_channel_choice,
             janet_chan_lock(chan);
             if (chan->closed) {
                 janet_chan_unlock(chan);
+                chan_unlock_args(argv, i);
                 return make_close_result(chan);
             }
             if (janet_q_count(&chan->items) < chan->limit) {
-                janet_chan_unlock(chan);
-                janet_channel_push(chan, data[1], 1);
+                janet_channel_push_with_lock(chan, data[1], 1);
+                chan_unlock_args(argv, i);
                 return make_write_result(chan);
             }
-            janet_chan_unlock(chan);
         } else {
             /* Read */
             JanetChannel *chan = janet_getchannel(argv, i);
             janet_chan_lock(chan);
             if (chan->closed) {
                 janet_chan_unlock(chan);
+                chan_unlock_args(argv, i);
                 return make_close_result(chan);
             }
             if (chan->items.head != chan->items.tail) {
                 Janet item;
-                janet_chan_unlock(chan);
-                janet_channel_pop(chan, &item, 1);
+                janet_channel_pop_with_lock(chan, &item, 1);
+                chan_unlock_args(argv, i);
                 return make_read_result(chan, item);
             }
-            janet_chan_unlock(chan);
         }
     }
 
@@ -1033,12 +1060,12 @@ JANET_CORE_FN(cfun_channel_choice,
         if (janet_indexed_view(argv[i], &data, &len) && len == 2) {
             /* Write */
             JanetChannel *chan = janet_getchannel(data, 0);
-            janet_channel_push(chan, data[1], 1);
+            janet_channel_push_with_lock(chan, data[1], 1);
         } else {
             /* Read */
             Janet item;
             JanetChannel *chan = janet_getchannel(argv, i);
-            janet_channel_pop(chan, &item, 1);
+            janet_channel_pop_with_lock(chan, &item, 1);
         }
     }