diff --git a/src/boot/boot.janet b/src/boot/boot.janet
index d1d7342e..5bb21a38 100644
--- a/src/boot/boot.janet
+++ b/src/boot/boot.janet
@@ -2229,7 +2229,7 @@
                 :on-compile-error (fn compile-error [msg errf &]
                                     (error (string "compile error: " msg)))
                 :on-parse-error (fn parse-error [p x]
-                                  (error (string "parse error: " (parser/error p))))
+                                  (error (string "parse error: " (:error p))))
                 :fiber-flags :i
                 :on-status (fn on-status [f val]
                              (if-not (= (fiber/status f) :dead)
@@ -2699,9 +2699,9 @@
       (getline
         (string
           "repl:"
-          ((parser/where p) 0)
+          ((:where p) 0)
           ":"
-          (parser/state p :delimiters) "> ")
+          (:state p :delimiters) "> ")
         buf env)))
   (defn make-onsignal
     [e level]
@@ -2716,8 +2716,8 @@
       (debug/stacktrace f x)
       (eflush)
       (defn debugger-chunks [buf p]
-        (def status (parser/state p :delimiters))
-        (def c ((parser/where p) 0))
+        (def status (:state p :delimiters))
+        (def c ((:where p) 0))
         (def prpt (string "debug[" level "]:" c ":" status "> "))
         (getline prpt buf nextenv))
       (print "entering debug[" level "] - (quit) to exit")
diff --git a/src/core/ev.c b/src/core/ev.c
index d9b45219..92b1667b 100644
--- a/src/core/ev.c
+++ b/src/core/ev.c
@@ -139,12 +139,14 @@ struct JanetTimeout {
 static void janet_unlisten(JanetListenerState *state);
 
 /* Global data */
-JANET_THREAD_LOCAL size_t janet_vm_active_listeners = 0;
 JANET_THREAD_LOCAL size_t janet_vm_tq_count = 0;
 JANET_THREAD_LOCAL size_t janet_vm_tq_capacity = 0;
 JANET_THREAD_LOCAL JanetQueue janet_vm_spawn;
 JANET_THREAD_LOCAL JanetTimeout *janet_vm_tq = NULL;
 JANET_THREAD_LOCAL JanetRNG janet_vm_ev_rng;
+JANET_THREAD_LOCAL JanetListenerState **janet_vm_listeners = NULL;
+JANET_THREAD_LOCAL size_t janet_vm_listener_count = 0;
+JANET_THREAD_LOCAL size_t janet_vm_listener_cap = 0;
 
 /* Get current timestamp (millisecond precision) */
 static JanetTimestamp ts_now(void);
@@ -234,11 +236,24 @@ static JanetListenerState *janet_listen_impl(JanetStream *stream, JanetListener
     janet_vm_root_fiber->waiting = state;
     state->stream = stream;
     state->_mask = mask;
-    state->_index = 0;
     stream->_mask |= mask;
-    janet_vm_active_listeners++;
     state->_next = stream->state;
     stream->state = state;
+
+    /* Keep track of a listener for GC purposes */
+    int resize = janet_vm_listener_cap == janet_vm_listener_count;
+    if (resize) {
+        size_t newcap = janet_vm_listener_count ? janet_vm_listener_cap * 2 : 16;
+        janet_vm_listeners = realloc(janet_vm_listeners, newcap * sizeof(JanetListenerState *));
+        if (NULL == janet_vm_listeners) {
+            JANET_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+        }
+        janet_vm_listener_cap = newcap;
+    }
+    size_t index = janet_vm_listener_count++;
+    janet_vm_listeners[index] = state;
+    state->_index = index;
+
     /* Emit INIT event for convenience */
     state->event = user;
     state->machine(state, JANET_ASYNC_EVENT_INIT);
@@ -255,7 +270,6 @@ static void janet_unlisten_impl(JanetListenerState *state) {
         iter = &((*iter)->_next);
     janet_assert(*iter, "failed to remove listener");
     *iter = state->_next;
-    janet_vm_active_listeners--;
     /* Remove mask */
     state->stream->_mask &= ~(state->_mask);
     /* Ensure fiber does not reference this state */
@@ -263,6 +277,10 @@ static void janet_unlisten_impl(JanetListenerState *state) {
     if (NULL != fiber && fiber->waiting == state) {
         fiber->waiting = NULL;
     }
+    /* Untrack a listener for gc purposes */
+    size_t index = state->_index;
+    janet_vm_listeners[index] = janet_vm_listeners[--janet_vm_listener_count];
+    janet_vm_listeners[index]->_index = index;
     free(state);
 }
 
@@ -388,11 +406,10 @@ void janet_fiber_did_resume(JanetFiber *fiber) {
     if (fiber->waiting) janet_unlisten(fiber->waiting);
 }
 
-/* forward declaration for marking extra state */
-static void janet_ev_mark_extra(void);
-
 /* Mark all pending tasks */
 void janet_ev_mark(void) {
+
+    /* Pending tasks */
     JanetTask *tasks = janet_vm_spawn.data;
     if (janet_vm_spawn.head <= janet_vm_spawn.tail) {
         for (int32_t i = janet_vm_spawn.head; i < janet_vm_spawn.tail; i++) {
@@ -409,10 +426,21 @@ void janet_ev_mark(void) {
             janet_mark(tasks[i].value);
         }
     }
+
+    /* Pending timeouts */
     for (size_t i = 0; i < janet_vm_tq_count; i++) {
         janet_mark(janet_wrap_fiber(janet_vm_tq[i].fiber));
     }
-    janet_ev_mark_extra();
+
+    /* Pending listeners */
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < janet_vm_listener_count; i++) {
+        JanetListenerState *state = janet_vm_listeners[i];
+        if (NULL != state->fiber) {
+            janet_mark(janet_wrap_fiber(state->fiber));
+        }
+        janet_stream_mark(state->stream, sizeof(JanetStream));
+        (state->machine)(state, JANET_ASYNC_EVENT_MARK);
+    }
 }
 
 /* Run a top level task */
@@ -428,7 +456,9 @@ static void run_one(JanetFiber *fiber, Janet value, JanetSignal sigin) {
 /* Common init code */
 void janet_ev_init_common(void) {
     janet_q_init(&janet_vm_spawn);
-    janet_vm_active_listeners = 0;
+    janet_vm_listener_count = 0;
+    janet_vm_listener_cap = 0;
+    janet_vm_listeners = NULL;
     janet_vm_tq = NULL;
     janet_vm_tq_count = 0;
     janet_vm_tq_capacity = 0;
@@ -438,6 +468,8 @@ void janet_ev_init_common(void) {
 /* Common deinit code */
 void janet_ev_deinit_common(void) {
     janet_q_deinit(&janet_vm_spawn);
+    free(janet_vm_listeners);
+    janet_vm_listeners = NULL;
 }
 
 /* Short hand to yield to event loop */
@@ -746,7 +778,7 @@ void janet_loop1(void) {
         run_one(task.fiber, task.value, task.sig);
     }
     /* Poll for events */
-    if (janet_vm_active_listeners || janet_vm_tq_count) {
+    if (janet_vm_listener_count || janet_vm_tq_count) {
         JanetTimeout to;
         memset(&to, 0, sizeof(to));
         int has_timeout;
@@ -760,18 +792,15 @@ void janet_loop1(void) {
 }
 
 void janet_loop(void) {
-    while (janet_vm_active_listeners || (janet_vm_spawn.head != janet_vm_spawn.tail) || janet_vm_tq_count) {
+    while (janet_vm_listener_count || (janet_vm_spawn.head != janet_vm_spawn.tail) || janet_vm_tq_count) {
         janet_loop1();
     }
 }
 
 #ifdef JANET_WINDOWS
 
-/* Epoll global data */
 JANET_THREAD_LOCAL HANDLE janet_vm_iocp = NULL;
 
-static void janet_ev_mark_extra(void) {}
-
 static JanetTimestamp ts_now(void) {
     return (JanetTimestamp) GetTickCount64();
 }
@@ -788,9 +817,6 @@ void janet_ev_deinit(void) {
 }
 
 JanetListenerState *janet_listen(JanetStream *stream, JanetListener behavior, int mask, size_t size, void *user) {
-    if (stream->state == NULL) {
-        janet_gcroot(janet_wrap_abstract(stream));
-    }
     /* Add the handle to the io completion port if not already added */
     JanetListenerState *state = janet_listen_impl(stream, behavior, mask, size, user);
     if (!(stream->flags & JANET_STREAM_IOCP)) {
@@ -804,11 +830,7 @@ JanetListenerState *janet_listen(JanetStream *stream, JanetListener behavior, in
 
 
 static void janet_unlisten(JanetListenerState *state) {
-    JanetStream *stream = state->stream;
     janet_unlisten_impl(state);
-    if (NULL == stream->state) {
-        janet_gcunroot(janet_wrap_abstract(stream));
-    }
 }
 
 void janet_loop1_impl(int has_timeout, JanetTimestamp to) {
@@ -856,11 +878,9 @@ void janet_loop1_impl(int has_timeout, JanetTimestamp to) {
 
 #elif defined(JANET_EV_EPOLL)
 
-/*
- * Start linux/epoll implementation
- */
-
-static void janet_ev_mark_extra(void) {}
+JANET_THREAD_LOCAL int janet_vm_epoll = 0;
+JANET_THREAD_LOCAL int janet_vm_timerfd = 0;
+JANET_THREAD_LOCAL int janet_vm_timer_enabled = 0;
 
 static JanetTimestamp ts_now(void) {
     struct timespec now;
@@ -870,11 +890,6 @@ static JanetTimestamp ts_now(void) {
     return res;
 }
 
-/* Epoll global data */
-JANET_THREAD_LOCAL int janet_vm_epoll = 0;
-JANET_THREAD_LOCAL int janet_vm_timerfd = 0;
-JANET_THREAD_LOCAL int janet_vm_timer_enabled = 0;
-
 static int make_epoll_events(int mask) {
     int events = EPOLLET;
     if (mask & JANET_ASYNC_LISTEN_READ)
@@ -900,9 +915,6 @@ JanetListenerState *janet_listen(JanetStream *stream, JanetListener behavior, in
         janet_unlisten_impl(state);
         janet_panicv(janet_ev_lasterr());
     }
-    if (is_first) {
-        janet_gcroot(janet_wrap_abstract(stream));
-    }
     return state;
 }
 
@@ -925,9 +937,6 @@ static void janet_unlisten(JanetListenerState *state) {
     }
     /* Destroy state machine and free memory */
     janet_unlisten_impl(state);
-    if (NULL == stream->state) {
-        janet_gcunroot(janet_wrap_abstract(stream));
-    }
 }
 
 #define JANET_EPOLL_MAX_EVENTS 64
@@ -1015,7 +1024,7 @@ void janet_ev_deinit(void) {
 
 #include <poll.h>
 
-/* Poll implementation */
+JANET_THREAD_LOCAL struct pollfd *janet_vm_fds = NULL;
 
 static JanetTimestamp ts_now(void) {
     struct timespec now;
@@ -1025,23 +1034,6 @@ static JanetTimestamp ts_now(void) {
     return res;
 }
 
-/* Epoll global data */
-JANET_THREAD_LOCAL struct pollfd *janet_vm_fds = NULL;
-JANET_THREAD_LOCAL JanetListenerState **janet_vm_listener_map = NULL;
-JANET_THREAD_LOCAL size_t janet_vm_fdcap = 0;
-JANET_THREAD_LOCAL size_t janet_vm_fdcount = 0;
-
-static void janet_ev_mark_extra(void) {
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < janet_vm_fdcount; i++) {
-        JanetListenerState *state = janet_vm_listener_map[i];
-        if (NULL != state->fiber) {
-            janet_mark(janet_wrap_fiber(state->fiber));
-        }
-        janet_stream_mark(state->stream, sizeof(JanetStream));
-        (state->machine)(state, JANET_ASYNC_EVENT_MARK);
-    }
-}
-
 static int make_poll_events(int mask) {
     int events = 0;
     if (mask & JANET_ASYNC_LISTEN_READ)
@@ -1051,43 +1043,27 @@ static int make_poll_events(int mask) {
     return events;
 }
 
-static void janet_push_pollfd(struct pollfd pfd) {
-    if (janet_vm_fdcap == janet_vm_fdcount) {
-        size_t newcap = janet_vm_fdcount ? janet_vm_fdcount * 2 : 16;
-        janet_vm_fds = realloc(janet_vm_fds, newcap * sizeof(struct pollfd));
+/* Wait for the next event */
+JanetListenerState *janet_listen(JanetStream *stream, JanetListener behavior, int mask, size_t size, void *user) {
+    size_t oldsize = janet_vm_listener_cap;
+    JanetListenerState *state = janet_listen_impl(stream, behavior, mask, size, user);
+    size_t newsize = janet_vm_listener_cap;
+    if (newsize > oldsize) {
+        janet_vm_fds = realloc(janet_vm_fds, newsize * sizeof(struct pollfd));
         if (NULL == janet_vm_fds) {
             JANET_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
         }
-        janet_vm_listener_map = realloc(janet_vm_listener_map, newcap * sizeof(JanetListenerState *));
-        if (NULL == janet_vm_listener_map) {
-            JANET_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
-        }
-        janet_vm_fdcap = newcap;
     }
-    janet_vm_fds[janet_vm_fdcount++] = pfd;
-}
-
-/* Wait for the next event */
-JanetListenerState *janet_listen(JanetStream *stream, JanetListener behavior, int mask, size_t size, void *user) {
-    JanetListenerState *state = janet_listen_impl(stream, behavior, mask, size, user);
     struct pollfd ev;
     ev.fd = stream->handle;
     ev.events = make_poll_events(state->stream->_mask);
     ev.revents = 0;
-    state->_index = janet_vm_fdcount;
-    janet_push_pollfd(ev);
-    janet_vm_listener_map[state->_index] = state;
+    janet_vm_fds[state->_index] = ev;
     return state;
 }
 
-/* Tell system we are done listening for a certain event */
 static void janet_unlisten(JanetListenerState *state) {
-    janet_vm_fds[state->_index] = janet_vm_fds[--janet_vm_fdcount];
-    JanetListenerState *replacer = janet_vm_listener_map[janet_vm_fdcount];
-    janet_vm_listener_map[state->_index] = replacer;
-    /* Update pointers in replacer */
-    replacer->_index = state->_index;
-    /* Destroy state machine and free memory */
+    janet_vm_fds[state->_index] = janet_vm_fds[janet_vm_listener_count - 1];
     janet_unlisten_impl(state);
 }
 
@@ -1095,22 +1071,22 @@ void janet_loop1_impl(int has_timeout, JanetTimestamp timeout) {
     /* Poll for events */
     int ready;
     do {
+        int to = -1;
         if (has_timeout) {
             JanetTimestamp now = ts_now();
-            ready = poll(janet_vm_fds, janet_vm_fdcount, now > timeout ? 0 : (int)(timeout - now));
-        } else {
-            ready = poll(janet_vm_fds, janet_vm_fdcount, -1);
+            to = now > timeout ? 0 : (int)(timeout - now);
         }
+        ready = poll(janet_vm_fds, janet_vm_listener_count, to);
     } while (ready == -1 && errno == EINTR);
     if (ready == -1) {
         JANET_EXIT("failed to poll events");
     }
 
     /* Step state machines */
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < janet_vm_fdcount; i++) {
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < janet_vm_listener_count; i++) {
         struct pollfd *pfd = janet_vm_fds + i;
         /* Skip fds where nothing interesting happened */
-        JanetListenerState *state = janet_vm_listener_map[i];
+        JanetListenerState *state = janet_vm_listeners[i];
         /* Normal event */
         int mask = janet_vm_fds[i].revents;
         JanetAsyncStatus status1 = JANET_ASYNC_STATUS_NOT_DONE;
@@ -1137,20 +1113,13 @@ void janet_loop1_impl(int has_timeout, JanetTimestamp timeout) {
 void janet_ev_init(void) {
     janet_ev_init_common();
     janet_vm_fds = NULL;
-    janet_vm_listener_map = NULL;
-    janet_vm_fdcap = 0;
-    janet_vm_fdcount = 0;
     return;
 }
 
 void janet_ev_deinit(void) {
     janet_ev_deinit_common();
     free(janet_vm_fds);
-    free(janet_vm_listener_map);
     janet_vm_fds = NULL;
-    janet_vm_listener_map = NULL;
-    janet_vm_fdcap = 0;
-    janet_vm_fdcount = 0;
 }
 
 #endif