diff --git a/lib/picos_sync/stream.ml b/lib/picos_sync/stream.ml
index cafe22c7d..1d8700f44 100644
--- a/lib/picos_sync/stream.ml
+++ b/lib/picos_sync/stream.ml
@@ -8,31 +8,38 @@ let create ?padded () =
     (Atomic.make (Cons (Computation.create ~mode:`LIFO ())))
 
 let advance t tail curr =
-  if Atomic.get t == Cons tail then
-    Atomic.compare_and_set t (Cons tail) curr |> ignore
+  let at = Atomic.get t in
+  if at == Cons tail then begin
+    Atomic.compare_and_set t (Cons tail) curr |> ignore;
+    curr
+  end
+  else at
 
 let help t tail =
   let _, curr = Computation.await tail in
   advance t tail curr
 
-let rec push t ((_, curr) as next) backoff =
-  let (Cons tail) = Atomic.get t in
-  if not (Computation.try_return tail next) then begin
-    let backoff = Backoff.once backoff in
-    help t tail;
-    push t next backoff
+let rec try_push t ((_, curr) as next) (Cons tail) backoff =
+  if Computation.try_return tail next then begin
+    advance t tail curr |> ignore;
+    true
   end
-  else advance t tail curr
+  else
+    let backoff = Backoff.once backoff in
+    try_push t next (help t tail) backoff
 
 let push t value =
-  push t (value, Cons (Computation.create ~mode:`LIFO ())) Backoff.default
+  let next = (value, Cons (Computation.create ~mode:`LIFO ())) in
+  try_push t next (Atomic.get t) Backoff.default |> ignore
 
-let rec poison t exn_bt =
-  let (Cons tail) = Atomic.get t in
-  if not (Computation.try_cancel tail exn_bt) then begin
-    help t tail;
-    poison t exn_bt
-  end
+let rec try_poison t exn_bt (Cons tail) backoff =
+  Computation.try_cancel tail exn_bt
+  ||
+  let backoff = Backoff.once backoff in
+  try_poison t exn_bt (help t tail) backoff
+
+let poison t exn_bt =
+  try_poison t exn_bt (Atomic.get t) Backoff.default |> ignore
 
 let tap = Atomic.get
 let read (Cons at) = Computation.await at