diff --git a/xwords4/relay/tpool.cpp b/xwords4/relay/tpool.cpp
index 2cacc9bae..284300e1c 100644
--- a/xwords4/relay/tpool.cpp
+++ b/xwords4/relay/tpool.cpp
@@ -146,9 +146,9 @@ XWThreadPool::CloseSocket( int socket )
 /*     bool do_interrupt = false; */
     if ( !RemoveSocket( socket ) ) {
         RWWriteLock rwl( &m_activeSocketsRWLock );
-        deque<int>::iterator iter = m_queue.begin();
+        deque<QueuePr>::iterator iter = m_queue.begin();
         while ( iter != m_queue.end() ) {
-            if ( *iter == socket ) {
+            if ( iter->second == socket ) {
                 m_queue.erase( iter );
 /*                 do_interrupt = true; */
                 break;
@@ -211,9 +211,12 @@ void*
 XWThreadPool::real_tpool_main()
 {
     logf( XW_LOGINFO, "tpool worker thread starting" );
+    int socket = -1;
     for ( ; ; ) {
 
         pthread_mutex_lock( &m_queueMutex );
+        release_socket_locked( socket );
+
         while ( !m_timeToDie && m_queue.size() == 0 ) {
             pthread_cond_wait( &m_queueCondVar, &m_queueMutex );
         }
@@ -223,12 +226,16 @@ XWThreadPool::real_tpool_main()
             break;
         }
 
-        int socket = m_queue.front();
-        m_queue.pop_front();
+        QueuePr pr;
+        if ( grab_elem_locked( socket, &pr ) ) {
+            socket = pr.second;
+        } else {
+            socket = -1;
+        }
         pthread_mutex_unlock( &m_queueMutex );
         logf( XW_LOGINFO, "worker thread got socket %d from queue", socket );
 
-        if ( get_process_packet( socket ) ) {
+        if ( socket >= 0 && get_process_packet( socket ) ) {
             AddSocket( socket );
         } /* else drop it: error */
     }
@@ -377,9 +384,40 @@ void
 XWThreadPool::enqueue( int socket ) 
 {
     MutexLock ml( &m_queueMutex );
-    m_queue.push_back( socket );
+    pair<QAction, int> pr(Q_READ, socket);
+    m_queue.push_back( pr );
 
     logf( XW_LOGINFO, "calling pthread_cond_signal" );
     pthread_cond_signal( &m_queueCondVar );
     /* implicit unlock */
 }
+
+bool
+XWThreadPool::grab_elem_locked( int curSock, QueuePr* prp )
+{
+    bool found = false;
+    deque<QueuePr>::iterator iter;
+    for ( iter = m_queue.begin(); !found && iter != m_queue.end(); ++iter ) {
+        int socket = iter->second;
+        if ( socket == curSock 
+             || m_sockets_in_use.end() == m_sockets_in_use.find( socket ) ) {
+            *prp = *iter;
+            m_queue.erase( iter );
+            m_sockets_in_use.insert( socket );
+            found = true;
+        }
+    }
+    logf( XW_LOGINFO, "%s()=>%d", __func__, found );
+    return found;
+}
+
+void
+XWThreadPool::release_socket_locked( int socket )
+{
+    logf( XW_LOGINFO, "%s(%d)", __func__, socket );
+    if ( -1 != socket ) {
+        set<int>::iterator iter = m_sockets_in_use.find( socket );
+        assert( iter != m_sockets_in_use.end() );
+        m_sockets_in_use.erase( iter );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/xwords4/relay/tpool.h b/xwords4/relay/tpool.h
index 5aec6c9ad..b99fcecc9 100644
--- a/xwords4/relay/tpool.h
+++ b/xwords4/relay/tpool.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 
 #include <vector>
 #include <deque>
+#include <set>
 
 using namespace std;
 
@@ -48,13 +49,19 @@ class XWThreadPool {
     /* remove from tpool altogether, and close */
     void CloseSocket( int socket );
 
-    void Poll();
+    void EnqueueKill( int socket );
 
  private:
+    typedef enum { Q_READ, Q_KILL } QAction;
+    typedef pair<QAction, int> QueuePr;
+
     /* Remove from set being listened on */
     bool RemoveSocket( int socket );
 
     void enqueue( int socket );
+    void release_socket_locked( int socket );
+    bool grab_elem_locked( int curSock, QueuePr* qpp );
+
     bool get_process_packet( int socket );
     void interrupt_poll();
 
@@ -69,7 +76,8 @@ class XWThreadPool {
     pthread_rwlock_t m_activeSocketsRWLock;
 
     /* Sockets waiting for a thread to read 'em */
-    deque<int> m_queue;
+    deque<QueuePr> m_queue;
+    set<int> m_sockets_in_use;
     pthread_mutex_t m_queueMutex;
     pthread_cond_t m_queueCondVar;