diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index 086995385ef..3de9b38ce0f 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ DSYMUTIL := true
 ifeq ($(CFG_OSTYPE), Linux)
   CFG_RUNTIME := librustrt.so
   CFG_STDLIB := libstd.so
-  CFG_GCC_CFLAGS += -fPIC
+  CFG_GCC_CFLAGS += -fPIC -march=i686
   CFG_GCC_LINK_FLAGS += -shared -fPIC -ldl -lpthread -lrt
   ifeq ($(CFG_CPUTYPE), x86_64)
     CFG_GCC_CFLAGS += -m32
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ ifdef CFG_UNIXY
     endif
     CFG_OBJ_SUFFIX := .o
     CFG_EXE_SUFFIX := .exe
-    CFG_GCC_CFLAGS :=
+    CFG_GCC_CFLAGS := -march=i686
     CFG_GCC_LINK_FLAGS := -shared
     ifeq ($(CFG_CPUTYPE), x86_64)
       CFG_GCC_CFLAGS += -m32
@@ -248,7 +248,6 @@ BOOT_CMIS := $(BOOT_MLS:.ml=.cmi)
 RUNTIME_CS := rt/sync/timer.cpp \
               rt/sync/sync.cpp \
               rt/sync/spin_lock.cpp \
-              rt/sync/lock_free_queue.cpp \
               rt/sync/condition_variable.cpp \
               rt/rust.cpp \
               rt/rust_builtin.cpp \
@@ -286,6 +285,7 @@ RUNTIME_HDR := rt/globals.h \
                rt/util/hash_map.h \
                rt/sync/sync.h \
                rt/sync/timer.h \
+               rt/sync/lock_free_queue.h \
                rt/rust_srv.h \
                rt/memory_region.h \
                rt/memory.h
@@ -394,7 +394,9 @@ TASK_XFAILS := test/run-pass/acyclic-unwind.rs \
                test/run-pass/task-life-0.rs \
                test/run-pass/task-comm.rs \
                test/run-pass/threads.rs \
-               test/run-pass/yield.rs
+               test/run-pass/yield.rs \
+               test/run-pass/task-comm-15.rs \
+               test/run-pass/task-life-0.rs
 
 TEST_XFAILS_X86 :=  $(TASK_XFAILS) \
                     test/run-pass/child-outlives-parent.rs \
@@ -537,6 +539,11 @@ TEST_XFAILS_LLVM := $(TASK_XFAILS) \
                       task-comm-9.rs \
                       task-comm-10.rs \
                       task-comm-11.rs \
+                      task-comm-12.rs \
+                      task-comm-13.rs \
+                      task-comm-13-thread.rs \
+                      task-comm-14.rs \
+                      task-comm-15.rs \
                       task-life-0.rs \
                       threads.rs \
                       type-sizes.rs \
diff --git a/src/rt/rust_dom.cpp b/src/rt/rust_dom.cpp
index ce6bebf3a8c..dc42286da8a 100644
--- a/src/rt/rust_dom.cpp
+++ b/src/rt/rust_dom.cpp
@@ -301,12 +301,14 @@ void rust_dom::send_message(rust_message *message) {
 /**
  * Drains and processes incoming pending messages.
  */
-void rust_dom::drain_incoming_message_queue() {
+void rust_dom::drain_incoming_message_queue(bool process) {
     rust_message *message;
-    while ((message = (rust_message *) _incoming_message_queue.dequeue())) {
+    while (_incoming_message_queue.dequeue(&message)) {
         log(rust_log::COMM, "<== processing incoming message \"%s\" 0x%"
             PRIxPTR, message->label, message);
-        message->process();
+        if (process) {
+            message->process();
+        }
         message->~rust_message();
         this->synchronized_region.free(message);
     }
@@ -454,7 +456,7 @@ rust_dom::start_main_loop()
     while (n_live_tasks() > 0) {
         A(this, is_deadlocked() == false, "deadlock");
 
-        drain_incoming_message_queue();
+        drain_incoming_message_queue(true);
 
         rust_task *scheduled_task = schedule_task();
 
@@ -519,7 +521,7 @@ rust_dom::start_main_loop()
             }
             sync::yield();
         } else {
-            drain_incoming_message_queue();
+            drain_incoming_message_queue(true);
         }
         reap_dead_tasks();
     }
diff --git a/src/rt/rust_dom.h b/src/rt/rust_dom.h
index 34d8c69462f..44f56cc41bb 100644
--- a/src/rt/rust_dom.h
+++ b/src/rt/rust_dom.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ struct rust_dom
     hash_map<rust_port *, rust_proxy<rust_port> *> _port_proxies;
 
     // Incoming messages from other domains.
-    lock_free_queue _incoming_message_queue;
+    lock_free_queue<rust_message*> _incoming_message_queue;
 
 #ifndef __WIN32__
     pthread_attr_t attr;
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ struct rust_dom
     void free(void *mem, memory_region::memory_region_type type);
 
     void send_message(rust_message *message);
-    void drain_incoming_message_queue();
+    void drain_incoming_message_queue(bool process);
     rust_proxy<rust_task> *get_task_proxy(rust_task *task);
     void delete_proxies();
     rust_proxy<rust_port> *get_port_proxy_synchronized(rust_port *port);
diff --git a/src/rt/rust_message.h b/src/rt/rust_message.h
index 6d986acf5d2..7aee6d9f6d0 100644
--- a/src/rt/rust_message.h
+++ b/src/rt/rust_message.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 /**
  * Abstract base class for all message types.
  */
-class rust_message : public lock_free_queue_node {
+class rust_message {
 public:
     const char* label;
 private:
diff --git a/src/rt/sync/interrupt_transparent_queue.cpp b/src/rt/sync/interrupt_transparent_queue.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..064b25f17ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/rt/sync/interrupt_transparent_queue.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+/*
+ * Interrupt transparent queue, Schoen et. al, "On Interrupt-Transparent
+ * Synchronization in an Embedded Object-Oriented Operating System", 2000.
+ * enqueue() is allowed to interrupt enqueue() and dequeue(), however,
+ * dequeue() is not allowed to interrupt itself.
+ */
+
+#include "../globals.h"
+#include "interrupt_transparent_queue.h"
+
+interrupt_transparent_queue_node::interrupt_transparent_queue_node() :
+    next(NULL) {
+
+}
+
+interrupt_transparent_queue::interrupt_transparent_queue() : _tail(this) {
+
+}
+
+void
+interrupt_transparent_queue::enqueue(interrupt_transparent_queue_node *item) {
+    lock.lock();
+    item->next = (interrupt_transparent_queue_node *) NULL;
+    interrupt_transparent_queue_node *last = _tail;
+    _tail = item;
+    while (last->next) {
+        last = last->next;
+    }
+    last->next = item;
+    lock.unlock();
+}
+
+interrupt_transparent_queue_node *
+interrupt_transparent_queue::dequeue() {
+    lock.lock();
+    interrupt_transparent_queue_node *item = next;
+    if (item && !(next = item->next)) {
+        _tail = (interrupt_transparent_queue_node *) this;
+        if (item->next) {
+            interrupt_transparent_queue_node *lost = item->next;
+            interrupt_transparent_queue_node *help;
+            do {
+                help = lost->next;
+                enqueue(lost);
+            } while ((lost = help) !=
+                     (interrupt_transparent_queue_node *) NULL);
+        }
+    }
+    lock.unlock();
+    return item;
+}
+
+bool
+interrupt_transparent_queue::is_empty() {
+    return next == NULL;
+}
diff --git a/src/rt/sync/interrupt_transparent_queue.h b/src/rt/sync/interrupt_transparent_queue.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7c02d0c8388
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/rt/sync/interrupt_transparent_queue.h
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#ifndef INTERRUPT_TRANSPARENT_QUEUE_H
+#define INTERRUPT_TRANSPARENT_QUEUE_H
+
+#include "spin_lock.h"
+
+class interrupt_transparent_queue_node {
+public:
+    interrupt_transparent_queue_node *next;
+    interrupt_transparent_queue_node();
+};
+
+class interrupt_transparent_queue : interrupt_transparent_queue_node {
+    spin_lock lock;
+    interrupt_transparent_queue_node *_tail;
+public:
+    interrupt_transparent_queue();
+    void enqueue(interrupt_transparent_queue_node *item);
+    interrupt_transparent_queue_node *dequeue();
+    bool is_empty();
+};
+
+#endif /* INTERRUPT_TRANSPARENT_QUEUE_H */
diff --git a/src/rt/sync/lock_free_queue.h b/src/rt/sync/lock_free_queue.h
index c1a309b8817..ac0c5b046a0 100644
--- a/src/rt/sync/lock_free_queue.h
+++ b/src/rt/sync/lock_free_queue.h
@@ -1,22 +1,210 @@
 #ifndef LOCK_FREE_QUEUE_H
 #define LOCK_FREE_QUEUE_H
 
-#include "spin_lock.h"
+/**
+ * How and why this lock free queue works:
+ *
+ * Adapted from the paper titled "Simple, Fast, and Practical Non-Blocking
+ * and Blocking Concurrent Queue Algorithms" by Maged M. Michael,
+ * Michael L. Scott.
+ *
+ * Safety Properties:
+ *
+ * 1. The linked list is always connected.
+ * 2. Nodes are only inserted after the last node in the linked list.
+ * 3. Nodes are only deleted from the beginning of the linked list.
+ * 4. Head always points to the first node in the linked list.
+ * 5. Tail always points to a node in the linked list.
+ *
+ *
+ * 1. The linked list is always connected because the next pointer is not set
+ *    to null before the node is freed, and no node is freed until deleted
+ *    from the linked list.
+ *
+ * 2. Nodes are only inserted at the end of the linked list because they are
+ *    linked through the tail pointer which always points to a node in the
+ *    linked list (5) and an inserted node is only linked to a node that has
+ *    a null next pointer, and the only such node is the last one (1).
+ *
+ * 3. Nodes are deleted from the beginning of the list because they are
+ *    deleted only when they are pointed to by head which always points to the
+ *    first node (4).
+ *
+ * 4. Head always points to the first node in the list because it only changes
+ *    its value to the next node atomically. The new value of head cannot be
+ *    null because if there is only one node in the list the dequeue operation
+ *    returns without deleting any nodes.
+ *
+ * 5. Tail always points to a node in the linked list because it never lags
+ *    behind head, so it can never point to a deleted node. Also, when tail
+ *    changes its value it always swings to the next node in the list and it
+ *    never tires to change its value if the next pointer is NULL.
+ */
 
-class lock_free_queue_node {
-public:
-    lock_free_queue_node *next;
-    lock_free_queue_node();
-};
+#include <assert.h>
+template <class T>
+class lock_free_queue {
+
+    struct node_t;
+    struct pointer_t {
+        node_t *node;
+        uint32_t count;
+        pointer_t() : node(NULL), count(0) {
+            // Nop.
+        }
+        pointer_t(node_t *node, uint32_t count) {
+            this->node = node;
+            this->count = count;
+        }
+        bool equals(pointer_t &other) {
+            return node == other.node && count == other.count;
+        }
+    };
+
+    struct node_t {
+        T value;
+        pointer_t next;
+
+        node_t() {
+            next.node = NULL;
+            next.count = 0;
+        }
+
+        node_t(pointer_t next, T value) {
+            this->next = next;
+            this->value = value;
+        }
+    };
+
+    // Always points to the first node in the list.
+    pointer_t head;
+
+    // Always points to a node in the list, (not necessarily the last).
+    pointer_t tail;
+
+    // Compare and swap counted pointers, we can only do this if pointr_t is
+    // 8 bytes or less since that the maximum size CAS can handle.
+    bool compare_and_swap(pointer_t *address,
+        pointer_t *oldValue,
+        pointer_t newValue) {
+
+        if (sync::compare_and_swap(
+                (uint64_t*) address,
+                *(uint64_t*) oldValue,
+                *(uint64_t*) &newValue)) {
+            return true;
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
 
-class lock_free_queue : lock_free_queue_node {
-    spin_lock lock;
-    lock_free_queue_node *_tail;
 public:
-    lock_free_queue();
-    void enqueue(lock_free_queue_node *item);
-    lock_free_queue_node *dequeue();
-    bool is_empty();
+    lock_free_queue() {
+        // We can only handle 64bit CAS for counted pointers, so this will
+        // not work with 64bit pointers.
+        assert (sizeof(pointer_t) == sizeof(uint64_t));
+
+        // Allocate a dummy node to be used as the first node in the list.
+        node_t *node = new node_t();
+
+        // Head and tail both start out pointing to the dummy node.
+        head.node = node;
+        tail.node = node;
+    }
+
+    virtual ~lock_free_queue() {
+        // Delete dummy node.
+        delete head.node;
+    }
+
+    bool is_empty() {
+        return head.node == tail.node;
+    }
+
+    void enqueue(T value) {
+
+        // Create a new node to be inserted in the linked list, and set the
+        // next node to NULL.
+        node_t *node = new node_t();
+        node->value = value;
+        node->next.node = NULL;
+        pointer_t tail;
+
+        // Keep trying until enqueue is done.
+        while (true) {
+            // Read the current tail which may either point to the last node
+            // or to the second to last node (not sure why second to last,
+            // and not any other node).
+            tail = this->tail;
+
+            // Reads the next node after the tail which will be the last node
+            // if null.
+            pointer_t next;
+            if (tail.node != NULL) {
+                next = tail.node->next;
+            }
+
+            // Loop if another thread changed the tail since we last read it.
+            if (tail.equals(this->tail) == false) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            // If next is not pointing to the last node try to swing tail to
+            // the last node and loop.
+            if (next.node != NULL) {
+                compare_and_swap(&this->tail, &tail,
+                    pointer_t(next.node, tail.count + 1));
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            // Try to link node at the end of the linked list.
+            if (compare_and_swap(&tail.node->next, &next,
+                    pointer_t(node, next.count + 1))) {
+                // Enqueueing is done.
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Enqueue is done, try to swing tail to the inserted node.
+        compare_and_swap(&this->tail, &tail,
+            pointer_t(node, tail.count + 1));
+    }
+
+    bool dequeue(T *value) {
+        pointer_t head;
+
+        // Keep trying until dequeue is done.
+        while(true) {
+            head = this->head;
+            pointer_t tail = this->tail;
+            pointer_t next = head.node->next;
+
+            if (head.equals(this->head) == false) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            // If queue is empty, or if tail is falling behind.
+            if (head.node == tail.node) {
+                // If queue is empty.
+                if (next.node == NULL) {
+                    return false;
+                }
+                // Tail is falling behind, advance it.
+                compare_and_swap(&this->tail,
+                    &tail,
+                    pointer_t(next.node, tail.count + 1));
+            } else {
+                // Read value before CAS, otherwise another
+                // dequeue might advance it.
+                *value = next.node->value;
+                if (compare_and_swap(&this->head, &head,
+                    pointer_t(next.node, head.count + 1))) {
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        delete head.node;
+        return true;
+    }
 };
 
 #endif /* LOCK_FREE_QUEUE_H */
diff --git a/src/rt/sync/sync.h b/src/rt/sync/sync.h
index 902b5661be4..8c9a13f0f4a 100644
--- a/src/rt/sync/sync.h
+++ b/src/rt/sync/sync.h
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@
 class sync {
 public:
     static void yield();
+    template <class T>
+    static bool compare_and_swap(T *address,
+        T oldValue, T newValue) {
+        return __sync_bool_compare_and_swap(address, oldValue, newValue);
+    }
 };
 
 #endif /* SYNC_H */
diff --git a/src/test/run-fail/task-comm-14.rs b/src/test/run-fail/task-comm-14.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f5fa27ac649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/run-fail/task-comm-14.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+io fn main() {
+    let port[int] po = port();
+
+    // Spawn 10 tasks each sending us back one int.
+    let int i = 10;
+    while (i > 0) {
+        log i;
+        spawn "child" child(i, chan(po));
+        i = i - 1;
+    }
+
+    i = 10;
+    let int value = 0;
+    while (i > 0) {
+        log i;
+        value <- po;
+        i = i - 1;
+    }
+  
+    log "main thread exiting";
+}
+
+io fn child(int x, chan[int] ch) {
+    log x;
+    ch <| x;
+}
diff --git a/src/test/run-pass/task-comm-12.rs b/src/test/run-pass/task-comm-12.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ab7c25e8a62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/run-pass/task-comm-12.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+use std;
+import std._task;
+
+fn main() -> () {
+    test00();
+}
+
+fn start(int task_number) {
+    log "Started / Finished Task.";
+}
+    
+fn test00() {    
+    let int i = 0;
+    let task t = spawn thread start(i);
+    
+    // Sleep long enough for the task to finish.
+    _task.sleep(10000u);
+    
+    // Try joining tasks that have already finished.
+    join t;
+    
+    log "Joined Task.";
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/run-pass/task-comm-13-thread.rs b/src/test/run-pass/task-comm-13-thread.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0dab20ed895
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/run-pass/task-comm-13-thread.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+use std;
+import std._task;
+
+io fn start(chan[int] c, int start, int number_of_messages) {
+    let int i = 0;
+    while (i < number_of_messages) {
+        c <| start + i;
+        i += 1;
+    }    
+}
+
+fn main() -> () {
+    log "Check that we don't deadlock.";
+    let port[int] p = port();
+    let task a = spawn thread "start" start(chan(p), 0, 10);
+    join a;
+    log "Joined Task";
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/run-pass/task-comm-13.rs b/src/test/run-pass/task-comm-13.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..97bdcb6ac87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/run-pass/task-comm-13.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+use std;
+import std._task;
+
+io fn start(chan[int] c, int start, int number_of_messages) {
+    let int i = 0;
+    while (i < number_of_messages) {
+        c <| start + i;
+        i += 1;
+    }    
+}
+
+fn main() -> () {
+    log "Check that we don't deadlock.";
+    let port[int] p = port();
+    let task a = spawn "start" start(chan(p), 0, 10);
+    join a;
+    log "Joined Task";
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/run-pass/task-comm-15.rs b/src/test/run-pass/task-comm-15.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8d748f59538
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/run-pass/task-comm-15.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+io fn start(chan[int] c, int n) {
+    let int i = n;
+
+    while(i > 0) {
+        c <| 0;
+        i = i - 1;
+    }
+}
+
+io fn main() {
+    let port[int] p = port();
+    auto child = spawn thread "child" start(chan(p), 10);
+    auto c <- p;
+}
\ No newline at end of file