diff --git a/bench/mpmc_queue.ml b/bench/mpmc_queue.ml
index f852296e..924b1624 100644
--- a/bench/mpmc_queue.ml
+++ b/bench/mpmc_queue.ml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ module Bench (Q : QUEUE) = struct
   let num_of_elements = ref 2_100_000
   let num_of_pushers = ref 4
   let num_of_takers = ref 4
-  let num_of_iterations = ref 10
+  let num_of_iterations = ref 20
 
   let taker queue num_of_elements () =
     let i = ref 0 in
@@ -100,9 +100,10 @@ module Bench (Q : QUEUE) = struct
 
   let bench : (unit -> _) list =
     [
+      benchmark ~takers:1 ~pushers:1;
       benchmark ~takers:4 ~pushers:4;
-      benchmark ~takers:1 ~pushers:8;
-      benchmark ~takers:8 ~pushers:1;
+      benchmark ~takers:1 ~pushers:7;
+      benchmark ~takers:7 ~pushers:1;
     ]
 end
 
diff --git a/src/mpmc_queue.ml b/src/mpmc_queue.ml
index 676a2247..8427f52c 100644
--- a/src/mpmc_queue.ml
+++ b/src/mpmc_queue.ml
@@ -1,145 +1,110 @@
-let default_capacity = 4096
-let spinlock_iterations = 16
-
-type 'a cell =
-  | Empty
-  | Tombstone
-  | Value of 'a
-
-type 'a s =
-  { buffer : 'a cell Atomic.t array
-  ; head : int Atomic.t
-  ; tail : int Atomic.t
-  ; rest : 'a s option Atomic.t
+module Array = struct
+  include Array
+
+  let get = unsafe_get
+  let set = unsafe_set
+end
+
+let default_capacity = 512
+
+type 'a s = {
+  status : int Atomic.t array;
+  buffer : 'a array;
+  head : int Atomic.t;
+  tail : int Atomic.t;
+  rest : 'a s option Atomic.t;
+}
+
+type 'a t = { first : 'a s Atomic.t; last : 'a s Atomic.t; dummy : 'a }
+
+let pack_size = Sys.int_size / 2
+
+let make_s ~capacity ~dummy =
+  {
+    head = Atomic.make 0;
+    tail = Atomic.make (-1);
+    buffer = Array.make capacity dummy;
+    status = Array.init (1 + (capacity / pack_size)) (fun _ -> Atomic.make 0);
+    rest = Atomic.make None;
   }
 
-type 'a t =
-  { first : 'a s Atomic.t
-  ; last : 'a s Atomic.t
-  }
-
-let make_s ~capacity () =
-  { head = Atomic.make 0
-  ; tail = Atomic.make (-1)
-  ; buffer = Array.init capacity (fun _ -> Atomic.make Empty)
-  ; rest = Atomic.make None
-  }
-
-let make ?(capacity = default_capacity) () =
-  let s = make_s ~capacity () in
-  { first = Atomic.make s
-  ; last = Atomic.make s
-  }
+let make ?(capacity = default_capacity) ~dummy () =
+  let s = make_s ~capacity ~dummy in
+  { first = Atomic.make s; last = Atomic.make s; dummy }
 
 let rec gift_rest t some_s =
-  if Atomic.compare_and_set t.rest None some_s
-  then ()
-  else follow_rest t some_s
+  if not (Atomic.compare_and_set t.rest None some_s) then follow_rest t some_s
 
 and follow_rest t some_s =
   match Atomic.get t.rest with
   | None -> gift_rest t some_s
   | Some t -> follow_rest t some_s
 
-let force_rest t =
+let force_rest ~dummy t =
   match Atomic.get t.rest with
   | Some s -> s
-  | None ->
-      let s = make_s ~capacity:(Array.length t.buffer) () in
+  | None -> (
+      let s = make_s ~capacity:(Array.length t.buffer) ~dummy in
       let some_s = Some s in
-      if Atomic.compare_and_set t.rest None some_s
-      then s
-      else match Atomic.get t.rest with
-           | None -> assert false
-           | Some rest ->
-              gift_rest rest some_s ;
-              rest
-
-let rec push_s t x =
+      if Atomic.compare_and_set t.rest None some_s then s
+      else
+        match Atomic.get t.rest with
+        | None -> assert false
+        | Some rest ->
+            gift_rest rest some_s;
+            rest)
+
+let mark t i =
+  let status = t.status.(i / pack_size) in
+  let shift = 2 * (i mod pack_size) in
+  let status = Atomic.fetch_and_add status (1 lsl shift) in
+  (status lsr shift) land 1 = 0
+
+let rec push_s ~dummy t x =
   let i = Atomic.fetch_and_add t.tail 1 in
-  if i < 0
-  then (let _ = force_rest t in push_s t x)
-  else if i >= Array.length t.buffer
-  then false
-  else begin
-    let cell = Array.unsafe_get t.buffer i in
-    match Atomic.get cell with
-    | Empty ->
-        if Atomic.compare_and_set cell Empty (Value x)
-        then true
-        else begin
-          assert (Atomic.get cell = Tombstone) ;
-          push_s t x
-        end
-    | Tombstone ->
-        push_s t x
-    | Value _ -> assert false
-  end
-
-let rec push t x =
-  let last = Atomic.get t.last in
-  if push_s last x
-  then ()
-  else begin
-    let rest = force_rest last in
-    let _ : bool = Atomic.compare_and_set t.last last rest in
+  if i < 0 then
+    let _ = force_rest ~dummy t in
+    push_s ~dummy t x
+  else if i >= Array.length t.buffer then false
+  else (
+    t.buffer.(i) <- x;
+    if mark t i then true
+    else (
+      t.buffer.(i) <- dummy;
+      let hd = Atomic.get t.head in
+      let (_ : bool) = Atomic.compare_and_set t.tail (i + 1) (hd + 1) in
+      push_s ~dummy t x))
+
+let rec push ({ last; dummy; _ } as t) x =
+  let last_s = Atomic.get last in
+  if not (push_s ~dummy last_s x) then
+    let rest = force_rest ~dummy last_s in
+    let (_ : bool) = Atomic.compare_and_set last last_s rest in
     push t x
-  end
-
 
-type 'a pop_result =
-  | Is_empty
-  | Wait_for_it
-  | Pop of 'a
+type 'a pop_result = Is_empty | Wait_for_it | Pop of 'a
 
-let rec pop_s t =
+let rec pop_s ~dummy t =
   let current_head = Atomic.get t.head in
-  if current_head >= Array.length t.buffer
-  then Is_empty
-  else if current_head >= Atomic.get t.tail
-  then Wait_for_it
+  if current_head >= Array.length t.buffer then Is_empty
+  else if current_head >= Atomic.get t.tail then Wait_for_it
   else
     let i = Atomic.fetch_and_add t.head 1 in
-    if i >= Array.length t.buffer
-    then Is_empty
+    if i >= Array.length t.buffer then Is_empty
+    else if mark t i then pop_s ~dummy t
     else
-      let cell = Array.unsafe_get t.buffer i in
-      if i >= Atomic.get t.tail
-      then tombstone t cell
-      else spinlock ~retry:spinlock_iterations t cell
-
-and tombstone t cell =
-  if Atomic.compare_and_set cell Empty Tombstone
-  then pop_s t
-  else begin match Atomic.get cell with
-       | (Value v) as old ->
-           assert (Atomic.compare_and_set cell old Tombstone) ;
-           Pop v
-       | _ -> assert false
-       end
-
-and spinlock ~retry t cell =
-  match Atomic.get cell with
-  | (Value v) as old ->
-      assert (Atomic.compare_and_set cell old Tombstone) ;
+      let v = t.buffer.(i) in
+      t.buffer.(i) <- dummy;
       Pop v
-  | Empty when retry <= 0 ->
-      tombstone t cell
-  | Empty ->
-      Domain.cpu_relax () ;
-      spinlock ~retry:(retry - 1) t cell
-  | Tombstone ->
-      assert false
 
 let rec pop t =
   let first = Atomic.get t.first in
-  match pop_s first with
+  match pop_s ~dummy:t.dummy first with
   | Pop v -> Some v
   | Wait_for_it -> None
-  | Is_empty ->
-      begin match Atomic.get first.rest with
+  | Is_empty -> (
+      match Atomic.get first.rest with
       | None -> None
       | Some rest ->
-          let _ : bool = Atomic.compare_and_set t.first first rest in
-          pop t
-      end
+          let (_ : bool) = Atomic.compare_and_set t.first first rest in
+          pop t)
diff --git a/src/mpmc_queue.mli b/src/mpmc_queue.mli
index 033de040..70f6f174 100644
--- a/src/mpmc_queue.mli
+++ b/src/mpmc_queue.mli
@@ -3,13 +3,15 @@
 type 'a t
 (** A queue of items of type ['a]. *)
 
-val make : ?capacity:int -> unit -> 'a t
-(** [make ()] creates a new empty queue.
+val make : ?capacity:int -> dummy:'a -> unit -> 'a t
+(** [make ~dummy ()] creates a new empty queue.
 
-    The optional parameter [?capacity] defaults to 4096 and is used to size the
-    internal buffers of the queue: Choosing a small number lower the pause
-    durations caused by allocations, but a larger capacity provides overall
-    faster operations. *)
+    - The [dummy] element is a placeholder for ['a] values.
+    - The optional parameter [?capacity] defaults to 512 and is used to size the
+      internal buffers of the queue: Choosing a small number lower the pause
+      durations caused by allocations, but a larger capacity can provide overall
+      faster operations.
+*)
 
 val push : 'a t -> 'a -> unit
 (** [push t x] adds [x] to the tail of the queue. *)