diff --git a/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/strategies/message_pool_memory_strategy.hpp b/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/strategies/message_pool_memory_strategy.hpp
index 0e7d4366e5..703066fa3f 100644
--- a/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/strategies/message_pool_memory_strategy.hpp
+++ b/rclcpp/include/rclcpp/strategies/message_pool_memory_strategy.hpp
@@ -15,10 +15,17 @@
 #ifndef RCLCPP__STRATEGIES__MESSAGE_POOL_MEMORY_STRATEGY_HPP_
 #define RCLCPP__STRATEGIES__MESSAGE_POOL_MEMORY_STRATEGY_HPP_
 
+#include <array>
+#include <cstring>
 #include <memory>
+#include <mutex>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <type_traits>
 
 #include "rosidl_runtime_cpp/traits.hpp"
 
+#include "rclcpp/logger.hpp"
+#include "rclcpp/logging.hpp"
 #include "rclcpp/macros.hpp"
 #include "rclcpp/message_memory_strategy.hpp"
 #include "rclcpp/visibility_control.hpp"
@@ -50,13 +57,24 @@ class MessagePoolMemoryStrategy
 public:
   RCLCPP_SMART_PTR_DEFINITIONS(MessagePoolMemoryStrategy)
 
-  /// Default constructor
   MessagePoolMemoryStrategy()
-  : next_array_index_(0)
   {
+    pool_mutex_ = std::make_shared<std::mutex>();
+
+    pool_ = std::shared_ptr<std::array<MessageT *, Size>>(
+      new std::array<MessageT *, Size>,
+      [](std::array<MessageT *, Size> * arr) {
+        for (size_t i = 0; i < Size; ++i) {
+          free((*arr)[i]);
+        }
+        delete arr;
+      });
+
+    free_list_ = std::make_shared<CircularArray<Size>>();
+
     for (size_t i = 0; i < Size; ++i) {
-      pool_[i].msg_ptr_ = std::make_shared<MessageT>();
-      pool_[i].used = false;
+      (*pool_)[i] = static_cast<MessageT *>(malloc(sizeof(MessageT)));
+      free_list_->push_back(i);
     }
   }
 
@@ -68,43 +86,85 @@ class MessagePoolMemoryStrategy
    */
   std::shared_ptr<MessageT> borrow_message()
   {
-    size_t current_index = next_array_index_;
-    next_array_index_ = (next_array_index_ + 1) % Size;
-    if (pool_[current_index].used) {
-      throw std::runtime_error("Tried to access message that was still in use! Abort.");
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(*pool_mutex_);
+    if (free_list_->size() == 0) {
+      throw std::runtime_error("No more free slots in the pool");
     }
-    pool_[current_index].msg_ptr_->~MessageT();
-    new (pool_[current_index].msg_ptr_.get())MessageT;
 
-    pool_[current_index].used = true;
-    return pool_[current_index].msg_ptr_;
+    size_t current_index = free_list_->pop_front();
+
+    return std::shared_ptr<MessageT>(
+      new((*pool_)[current_index]) MessageT(),
+      [pool = this->pool_, pool_mutex = this->pool_mutex_,
+      free_list = this->free_list_](MessageT * p) {
+        std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(*pool_mutex);
+        for (size_t i = 0; i < Size; ++i) {
+          if ((*pool)[i] == p) {
+            p->~MessageT();
+            free_list->push_back(i);
+            break;
+          }
+        }
+      });
   }
 
   /// Return a message to the message pool.
   /**
-   * Manage metadata in the message pool ring buffer to release the message.
+   * This does nothing since the message isn't returned to the pool until the user has dropped
+   * all references.
    * \param[in] msg Shared pointer to the message to return.
    */
   void return_message(std::shared_ptr<MessageT> & msg)
   {
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < Size; ++i) {
-      if (pool_[i].msg_ptr_ == msg) {
-        pool_[i].used = false;
-        return;
-      }
-    }
-    throw std::runtime_error("Unrecognized message ptr in return_message.");
+    (void)msg;
   }
 
 protected:
-  struct PoolMember
+  template<size_t N>
+  class CircularArray
   {
-    std::shared_ptr<MessageT> msg_ptr_;
-    bool used;
+public:
+    void push_back(const size_t v)
+    {
+      if (size_ + 1 > N) {
+        throw std::runtime_error("Tried to push too many items into the array");
+      }
+      array_[(front_ + size_) % N] = v;
+      ++size_;
+    }
+
+    size_t pop_front()
+    {
+      if (size_ < 1) {
+        throw std::runtime_error("Tried to pop item from empty array");
+      }
+
+      size_t val = array_[front_];
+
+      front_ = (front_ + 1) % N;
+      --size_;
+
+      return val;
+    }
+
+    size_t size() const
+    {
+      return size_;
+    }
+
+private:
+    size_t front_ = 0;
+    size_t size_ = 0;
+    std::array<size_t, N> array_;
   };
 
-  std::array<PoolMember, Size> pool_;
-  size_t next_array_index_;
+  // It's very important that these are shared_ptrs, since users of this class might hold a
+  // reference to a pool item longer than the lifetime of the class.  In that scenario, the
+  // shared_ptr ensures that the lifetime of these variables outlives this class, and hence ensures
+  // the custom destructor for each pool item can successfully run.
+  std::shared_ptr<std::mutex> pool_mutex_;
+  std::shared_ptr<std::array<MessageT *, Size>> pool_;
+  std::shared_ptr<CircularArray<Size>> free_list_;
 };
 
 }  // namespace message_pool_memory_strategy
diff --git a/rclcpp/test/rclcpp/strategies/test_message_pool_memory_strategy.cpp b/rclcpp/test/rclcpp/strategies/test_message_pool_memory_strategy.cpp
index b68bc96ab6..69198adf59 100644
--- a/rclcpp/test/rclcpp/strategies/test_message_pool_memory_strategy.cpp
+++ b/rclcpp/test/rclcpp/strategies/test_message_pool_memory_strategy.cpp
@@ -56,18 +56,28 @@ TEST_F(TestMessagePoolMemoryStrategy, borrow_too_many) {
   // Size is 1, borrowing second time should fail
   RCLCPP_EXPECT_THROW_EQ(
     message_memory_strategy_->borrow_message(),
-    std::runtime_error("Tried to access message that was still in use! Abort."));
+    std::runtime_error("No more free slots in the pool"));
   EXPECT_NO_THROW(message_memory_strategy_->return_message(message));
 }
 
-TEST_F(TestMessagePoolMemoryStrategy, return_unrecognized) {
-  auto message = message_memory_strategy_->borrow_message();
-  ASSERT_NE(nullptr, message);
+TEST_F(TestMessagePoolMemoryStrategy, borrow_hold_reference) {
+  {
+    auto message = message_memory_strategy_->borrow_message();
+    ASSERT_NE(nullptr, message);
 
-  auto unrecognized = std::make_shared<test_msgs::msg::Empty>();
-  // Unrecognized does not belong to pool
-  RCLCPP_EXPECT_THROW_EQ(
-    message_memory_strategy_->return_message(unrecognized),
-    std::runtime_error("Unrecognized message ptr in return_message."));
-  EXPECT_NO_THROW(message_memory_strategy_->return_message(message));
+    // Return it.
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(message_memory_strategy_->return_message(message));
+
+    // But we are still holding the reference, so we expect that there is still no room in the pool.
+    RCLCPP_EXPECT_THROW_EQ(
+      message_memory_strategy_->borrow_message(),
+      std::runtime_error("No more free slots in the pool"));
+  }
+
+  // Now that we've dropped the reference (left the scope), we expect to be able to borrow again.
+
+  auto message2 = message_memory_strategy_->borrow_message();
+  ASSERT_NE(nullptr, message2);
+
+  EXPECT_NO_THROW(message_memory_strategy_->return_message(message2));
 }