diff --git a/examples/threaded-channels.janet b/examples/threaded-channels.janet
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c4e1bc1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/threaded-channels.janet
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+(def chan (ev/thread-chan 10))
+
+(ev/spawn
+  (ev/sleep 0)
+  (print "started fiber!")
+  (ev/give chan (math/random))
+  (ev/give chan (math/random))
+  (ev/give chan (math/random))
+  (ev/sleep 0.5)
+  (for i 0 10
+    (print "giving to channel...")
+    (ev/give chan (math/random))
+    (ev/sleep 1))
+  (print "finished fiber!")
+  (:close chan))
+
+(ev/do-thread
+  (print "started thread!")
+  (ev/sleep 1)
+  (while (def x (do (print "taking from channel...") (ev/take chan)))
+    (print "got " x " from thread!"))
+  (print "finished thread!"))
diff --git a/src/core/ev.c b/src/core/ev.c
index 902b47f8..698a0b78 100644
--- a/src/core/ev.c
+++ b/src/core/ev.c
@@ -818,6 +818,7 @@ static void janet_thread_chan_cb(JanetEVGenericMessage msg) {
     int mode = msg.tag;
     JanetChannel *channel = (JanetChannel *) msg.argp;
     Janet x = msg.argj;
+    janet_ev_dec_refcount();
     if (fiber->sched_id == sched_id) {
         if (mode == JANET_CP_MODE_CHOICE_READ) {
             janet_assert(!janet_chan_unpack(channel, &x), "packing error");
@@ -911,6 +912,7 @@ static int janet_channel_push(JanetChannel *channel, Janet x, int mode) {
             janet_q_push(&channel->write_pending, &pending, sizeof(pending));
             janet_chan_unlock(channel);
             if (is_threaded) {
+                janet_ev_inc_refcount();
                 janet_gcroot(janet_wrap_fiber(pending.fiber));
             }
             return 1;
@@ -960,6 +962,7 @@ static int janet_channel_pop(JanetChannel *channel, Janet *item, int is_choice)
         janet_q_push(&channel->read_pending, &pending, sizeof(pending));
         janet_chan_unlock(channel);
         if (is_threaded) {
+            janet_ev_inc_refcount();
             janet_gcroot(janet_wrap_fiber(pending.fiber));
         }
         return 0;
@@ -1805,10 +1808,10 @@ void janet_ev_post_event(JanetVM *vm, JanetCallback cb, JanetEVGenericMessage ms
             status = write(fd, &event, sizeof(event));
         } while (status == -1 && errno == EINTR);
         if (status > 0) break;
-        sleep(1);
+        sleep(0);
         tries--;
     }
-    janet_assert(tries > 0, "failed to write event to self-pipe");
+    //janet_assert(tries > 0, "failed to write event to self-pipe");
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -1934,6 +1937,7 @@ void janet_ev_default_threaded_callback(JanetEVGenericMessage return_value) {
 JANET_NO_RETURN
 void janet_ev_threaded_await(JanetThreadedSubroutine fp, int tag, int argi, void *argp) {
     JanetEVGenericMessage arguments;
+    memset(&arguments, 0, sizeof(arguments));
     arguments.tag = tag;
     arguments.argi = argi;
     arguments.argp = argp;
@@ -2640,6 +2644,7 @@ JANET_CORE_FN(cfun_ev_thread,
     if (flags & 0x1) {
         /* Return immediately */
         JanetEVGenericMessage arguments;
+        memset(&arguments, 0, sizeof(arguments));
         arguments.tag = (uint32_t) flags;
         arguments.argi = argc;
         arguments.argp = buffer;
diff --git a/src/core/os.c b/src/core/os.c
index a712b413..0128a568 100644
--- a/src/core/os.c
+++ b/src/core/os.c
@@ -2147,13 +2147,13 @@ void janet_lib_os(JanetTable *env) {
      * in the thread tree sets up the critical section. */
     static volatile long env_lock_initializing = 0;
     static volatile long env_lock_initialized = 0;
-    if(!InterlockedExchange(&env_lock_initializing, 1)){
-      InitializeCriticalSection(&env_lock);
-      InterlockedOr(&env_lock_initialized, 1);
+    if (!InterlockedExchange(&env_lock_initializing, 1)) {
+        InitializeCriticalSection(&env_lock);
+        InterlockedOr(&env_lock_initialized, 1);
     } else {
-      while (!InterlockedOr(&env_lock_initialized, 0)) {
-        Sleep(0);
-      }
+        while (!InterlockedOr(&env_lock_initialized, 0)) {
+            Sleep(0);
+        }
     }
 
 #endif