diff --git a/source/vibe/core/sync.d b/source/vibe/core/sync.d
index 866dec4..d7c15c8 100644
--- a/source/vibe/core/sync.d
+++ b/source/vibe/core/sync.d
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ import std.traits : ReturnType;
 */
 LocalManualEvent createManualEvent()
 @safe {
-	return LocalManualEvent.init;
+	LocalManualEvent ret;
+	ret.initialize();
+	return ret;
 }
 /// ditto
 shared(ManualEvent) createSharedManualEvent()
@@ -319,7 +321,6 @@ unittest {
 	}
 }
 
-version (VibeLibevDriver) {} else // timers are not implemented for libev, yet
 unittest { // test deferred throwing
 	import vibe.core.core;
 
@@ -357,7 +358,6 @@ unittest { // test deferred throwing
 	runEventLoop();
 }
 
-version (VibeLibevDriver) {} else // timers are not implemented for libev, yet
 unittest {
 	runMutexUnitTests!TaskMutex();
 }
@@ -679,28 +679,45 @@ struct LocalManualEvent {
 	@safe:
 
 	private {
-		int m_emitCount;
-		ThreadLocalWaiter m_waiter;
+		alias Waiter = ThreadLocalWaiter!false;
+
+		Waiter m_waiter;
 	}
 
 	// thread destructor in vibe.core.core will decrement the ref. count
 	package static EventID ms_threadEvent;
 
-	//@disable this(this); // FIXME: commenting this out this is not a good idea...
+	private void initialize()
+	{
+		import vibe.internal.allocator : Mallocator, makeGCSafe;
+		m_waiter = () @trusted { return Mallocator.instance.makeGCSafe!Waiter; } ();
+	}
 
-	deprecated("LocalManualEvent is always non-null!")
-	bool opCast() const nothrow { return true; }
+	this(this)
+	{
+		if (m_waiter)
+			return m_waiter.addRef();
+	}
+
+	~this()
+	{
+		import vibe.internal.allocator : Mallocator, disposeGCSafe;
+		if (m_waiter) {
+			if (!m_waiter.releaseRef())
+				() @trusted { Mallocator.instance.disposeGCSafe(m_waiter); } ();
+		}
+	}
+
+	bool opCast() const nothrow { return m_waiter !is null; }
 
 	/// A counter that is increased with every emit() call
-	int emitCount() const nothrow { return m_emitCount; }
-	/// ditto
-	int emitCount() const shared nothrow @trusted { return atomicLoad(m_emitCount); }
+	int emitCount() const nothrow { return m_waiter.m_emitCount; }
 
 	/// Emits the signal, waking up all owners of the signal.
 	int emit()
 	nothrow {
 		logTrace("unshared emit");
-		auto ec = m_emitCount++;
+		auto ec = m_waiter.m_emitCount++;
 		m_waiter.emit();
 		return ec;
 	}
@@ -709,7 +726,7 @@ struct LocalManualEvent {
 	int emitSingle()
 	nothrow {
 		logTrace("unshared single emit");
-		auto ec = m_emitCount++;
+		auto ec = m_waiter.m_emitCount++;
 		m_waiter.emitSingle();
 		return ec;
 	}
@@ -758,14 +775,14 @@ struct LocalManualEvent {
 			target_timeout = now + timeout;
 		}
 
-		while (m_emitCount <= emit_count) {
+		while (m_waiter.m_emitCount <= emit_count) {
 			m_waiter.wait!interruptible(timeout != Duration.max ? target_timeout - now : Duration.max);
 			try now = Clock.currTime(UTC());
 			catch (Exception e) { assert(false, e.msg); }
 			if (now >= target_timeout) break;
 		}
 
-		return m_emitCount;
+		return m_waiter.m_emitCount;
 	}
 }
 
@@ -793,14 +810,17 @@ unittest {
 struct ManualEvent {
 	import core.thread : Thread;
 	import vibe.internal.async : Waitable, asyncAwait, asyncAwaitUninterruptible, asyncAwaitAny;
+	import vibe.internal.list : StackSList;
 
 	@safe:
 
 	private {
+		alias ThreadWaiter = ThreadLocalWaiter!true;
+
 		int m_emitCount;
 		static struct Waiters {
-			StackSList!ThreadLocalWaiter active; // actively waiting
-			StackSList!ThreadLocalWaiter free; // free-list of reusable waiter structs
+			StackSList!ThreadWaiter active; // actively waiting
+			StackSList!ThreadWaiter free; // free-list of reusable waiter structs
 		}
 		Monitor!(Waiters, shared(SpinLock)) m_waiters;
 	}
@@ -813,7 +833,7 @@ struct ManualEvent {
 		all
 	}
 
-	@disable this(this); // FIXME: commenting this out this is not a good idea...
+	@disable this(this);
 
 	deprecated("ManualEvent is always non-null!")
 	bool opCast() const shared nothrow { return true; }
@@ -831,12 +851,14 @@ struct ManualEvent {
 		auto ec = atomicOp!"+="(m_emitCount, 1);
 		auto thisthr = Thread.getThis();
 
-		ThreadLocalWaiter* lw;
+		ThreadWaiter lw;
 		auto drv = eventDriver;
-		m_waiters.lock.active.filter((ThreadLocalWaiter* w) {
+		m_waiters.lock.active.filter((ThreadWaiter w) {
 			() @trusted { logTrace("waiter %s", cast(void*)w); } ();
-			if (w.m_driver is drv) lw = w;
-			else {
+			if (w.m_driver is drv) {
+				lw = w;
+				lw.addRef();
+			} else {
 				try {
 					assert(w.m_event != EventID.init);
 					() @trusted { return cast(shared)w.m_driver; } ().events.trigger(w.m_event, true);
@@ -845,7 +867,10 @@ struct ManualEvent {
 			return true;
 		});
 		() @trusted { logTrace("lw %s", cast(void*)lw); } ();
-		if (lw) lw.emit();
+		if (lw) {
+			lw.emit();
+			releaseWaiter(lw);
+		}
 
 		logTrace("emit shared done");
 
@@ -862,13 +887,15 @@ struct ManualEvent {
 		auto ec = atomicOp!"+="(m_emitCount, 1);
 		auto thisthr = Thread.getThis();
 
-		ThreadLocalWaiter* lw;
+		ThreadWaiter lw;
 		auto drv = eventDriver;
-		m_waiters.lock.active.iterate((ThreadLocalWaiter* w) {
+		m_waiters.lock.active.iterate((ThreadWaiter w) {
 			() @trusted { logTrace("waiter %s", cast(void*)w); } ();
 			if (w.unused) return true;
-			if (w.m_driver is drv) lw = w;
-			else {
+			if (w.m_driver is drv) {
+				lw = w;
+				lw.addRef();
+			} else {
 				try {
 					assert(w.m_event != EventID.invalid);
 					() @trusted { return cast(shared)w.m_driver; } ().events.trigger(w.m_event, true);
@@ -877,7 +904,10 @@ struct ManualEvent {
 			return false;
 		});
 		() @trusted { logTrace("lw %s", cast(void*)lw); } ();
-		if (lw) lw.emit();
+		if (lw) {
+			lw.emitSingle();
+			releaseWaiter(lw);
+		}
 
 		logTrace("emit shared done");
 
@@ -937,7 +967,7 @@ struct ManualEvent {
 
 		int ec = this.emitCount;
 
-		acquireThreadWaiter((ref ThreadLocalWaiter w) {
+		acquireThreadWaiter((scope ThreadWaiter w) {
 			while (ec <= emit_count) {
 				w.wait!interruptible(timeout != Duration.max ? target_timeout - now : Duration.max, ms_threadEvent, () => this.emitCount > emit_count);
 				ec = this.emitCount;
@@ -955,10 +985,9 @@ struct ManualEvent {
 
 	private void acquireThreadWaiter(DEL)(scope DEL del)
 	shared {
-		import vibe.internal.allocator : processAllocator, make;
-		import core.memory : GC;
+		import vibe.internal.allocator : processAllocator, makeGCSafe;
 
-		ThreadLocalWaiter* w;
+		ThreadWaiter w;
 		auto drv = eventDriver;
 
 		with (m_waiters.lock) {
@@ -984,34 +1013,37 @@ struct ManualEvent {
 				if (!w) {
 					() @trusted {
 						try {
-							w = processAllocator.make!ThreadLocalWaiter;
+							w = processAllocator.makeGCSafe!ThreadWaiter;
 							w.m_driver = drv;
 							w.m_event = ms_threadEvent;
-							GC.addRange(cast(void*)w, ThreadLocalWaiter.sizeof);
 						} catch (Exception e) {
 							assert(false, "Failed to allocate thread waiter.");
 						}
 					} ();
 				}
 
+				assert(w.m_refCount == 1);
 				active.add(w);
 			}
 		}
 
-		scope (exit) {
-			if (!w.releaseRef()) {
-				assert(w.m_driver is drv);
-				assert(w.unused);
-				with (m_waiters.lock) {
-					auto rmvd = active.remove(w);
-					assert(rmvd);
-					free.add(w);
-					// TODO: cap size of m_freeWaiters
-				}
+		scope (exit) releaseWaiter(w);
+
+		del(w);
+	}
+
+	private void releaseWaiter(ThreadWaiter w)
+	shared nothrow {
+		if (!w.releaseRef()) {
+			assert(w.m_driver is eventDriver, "Waiter was reassigned a different driver!?");
+			assert(w.unused, "Waiter still used, but not referenced!?");
+			with (m_waiters.lock) {
+				auto rmvd = active.remove(w);
+				assert(rmvd, "Waiter not in active queue anymore!?");
+				free.add(w);
+				// TODO: cap size of m_freeWaiters
 			}
 		}
-
-		del(*w);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1155,10 +1187,12 @@ package struct SpinLock {
 	}
 }
 
-private struct ThreadLocalWaiter {
+private final class ThreadLocalWaiter(bool EVENT_TRIGGERED) {
+	import vibe.internal.list : CircularDList;
+
 	private {
-		static struct Waiter {
-			Waiter* next;
+		static struct TaskWaiter {
+			TaskWaiter* prev, next;
 			Task task;
 			void delegate() @safe nothrow notifier;
 			bool cancelled;
@@ -1170,50 +1204,52 @@ private struct ThreadLocalWaiter {
 			void cancel() @safe nothrow { cancelled = true; notifier = null; }
 		}
 
-		ThreadLocalWaiter* next;
-		NativeEventDriver m_driver;
-		EventID m_event = EventID.invalid;
-		StackSList!Waiter m_waiters;
+		static if (EVENT_TRIGGERED) {
+			package(vibe) ThreadLocalWaiter next; // queue of other waiters of the same thread
+			NativeEventDriver m_driver;
+			EventID m_event = EventID.invalid;
+		} else {
+			int m_emitCount = 0;
+		}
 		int m_refCount = 1;
+		TaskWaiter m_pivot;
+		TaskWaiter m_emitPivot;
+		CircularDList!(TaskWaiter*) m_waiters;
 	}
 
-	this(this)
-	@safe nothrow {
-		if (m_event != EventID.invalid)
-			m_driver.events.addRef(m_event);
+	this()
+	{
+		m_waiters = CircularDList!(TaskWaiter*)(() @trusted { return &m_pivot; } ());
 	}
 
-	~this()
-	@safe nothrow {
-		if (m_event != EventID.invalid)
-			m_driver.events.releaseRef(m_event);
+	static if (EVENT_TRIGGERED) {
+		~this()
+		{
+			if (m_event != EventID.invalid)
+				eventDriver.events.releaseRef(m_event);
+		}
 	}
 
 	@property bool unused() const @safe nothrow { return m_waiters.empty; }
 
-	void addRef() @safe nothrow { m_refCount++; }
-	bool releaseRef() @safe nothrow { return --m_refCount > 0; }
+	void addRef() @safe nothrow { assert(m_refCount >= 0); m_refCount++; }
+	bool releaseRef() @safe nothrow { assert(m_refCount > 0); return --m_refCount > 0; }
 
 	bool wait(bool interruptible)(Duration timeout, EventID evt = EventID.invalid, scope bool delegate() @safe nothrow exit_condition = null)
 	@safe {
 		import std.datetime : SysTime, Clock, UTC;
 		import vibe.internal.async : Waitable, asyncAwaitAny;
 
-		Waiter w;
-		Waiter* pw = () @trusted { return &w; } ();
+		TaskWaiter waiter_store;
+		TaskWaiter* waiter = () @trusted { return &waiter_store; } ();
 
-
-		debug void assertWaiterNotInQueue()
-		{
-			m_waiters.iterate((w) {
-				assert(w !is pw, "Thread local waiter already in queue!?");
-				return true;
-			});
-		}
-
-		m_waiters.add(pw);
-
-		scope (failure) m_waiters.remove(pw);
+		m_waiters.insertBack(waiter);
+		assert(waiter.next !is null);
+		scope (exit)
+			if (waiter.next !is null) {
+				m_waiters.remove(waiter);
+				assert(!waiter.next);
+			}
 
 		SysTime target_timeout, now;
 		if (timeout != Duration.max) {
@@ -1222,16 +1258,16 @@ private struct ThreadLocalWaiter {
 			target_timeout = now + timeout;
 		}
 
-		Waitable!(typeof(Waiter.notifier),
-			cb => w.wait(cb),
-			cb => w.cancel(),
+		Waitable!(typeof(TaskWaiter.notifier),
+			cb => waiter.wait(cb),
+			cb => waiter.cancel(),
 		) waitable;
 
 		if (evt != EventID.invalid) {
 			Waitable!(EventCallback,
 				(cb) {
 					eventDriver.events.wait(evt, cb);
-					// check for exit codition *after* starting to wait for the event
+					// check for exit condition *after* starting to wait for the event
 					// to avoid a race condition
 					if (exit_condition()) {
 						eventDriver.events.cancelWait(evt, cb);
@@ -1246,111 +1282,57 @@ private struct ThreadLocalWaiter {
 		}
 
 		if (waitable.cancelled) {
-			m_waiters.remove(pw);
+			assert(waiter.next !is null, "Cancelled waiter not in queue anymore!?");
 			return false;
-		} else debug assertWaiterNotInQueue();
-
-		return true;
+		} else {
+			assert(waiter.next is null, "Triggered waiter still in queue!?");
+			return true;
+		}
 	}
 
-	bool emit()
+	void emit()
 	@safe nothrow {
 		import std.algorithm.mutation : swap;
+		import vibe.core.core : yield;
 
-		if (m_waiters.empty) return false;
+		if (m_waiters.empty) return;
 
-		StackSList!Waiter waiters;
-		swap(m_waiters, waiters);
+		TaskWaiter* pivot = () @trusted { return &m_emitPivot; } ();
 
-		// FIXME: during iteration, waiters could remove themselves, but the head element will always stay in the list!
-		waiters.iterate((w) {
-			if (w.notifier !is null) {
-				logTrace("notify task %s %s %s", cast(void*)w, () @trusted { return cast(void*)w.notifier.funcptr; } (), w.notifier.ptr);
-				w.notifier();
-				w.notifier = null;
-			} else logTrace("notify callback is null");
-			return true;
-		});
+		if (pivot.next) { // another emit in progress?
+			// shift pivot to the end, so that the other emit call will process all pending waiters
+			if (pivot !is m_waiters.back) {
+				m_waiters.remove(pivot);
+				m_waiters.insertBack(pivot);
+			}
+			return;
+		}
 
-		return true;
+		m_waiters.insertBack(pivot);
+		scope (exit) m_waiters.remove(pivot);
+
+		foreach (w; m_waiters) {
+			if (w is pivot) break;
+			emitWaiter(w);
+		}
 	}
 
 	bool emitSingle()
 	@safe nothrow {
 		if (m_waiters.empty) return false;
+		emitWaiter(m_waiters.front);
+		return true;
+	}
 
-		auto w = m_waiters.first;
+	private void emitWaiter(TaskWaiter* w)
+	@safe nothrow {
 		m_waiters.remove(w);
+
 		if (w.notifier !is null) {
 			logTrace("notify task %s %s %s", cast(void*)w, () @trusted { return cast(void*)w.notifier.funcptr; } (), w.notifier.ptr);
 			w.notifier();
 			w.notifier = null;
 		} else logTrace("notify callback is null");
-
-		return true;
-	}
-}
-
-private struct StackSList(T)
-{
-@safe nothrow:
-
-	import core.atomic : cas;
-
-	private T* m_first;
-
-	@property T* first() { return m_first; }
-	@property shared(T)* first() shared @trusted { return atomicLoad(m_first); }
-
-	bool empty() const { return m_first is null; }
-
-	void add(T* elem)
-	{
-		debug iterate((el) { assert(el !is elem, "Double-insertion of list element."); return true; });
-		elem.next = m_first;
-		m_first = elem;
-	}
-
-	bool remove(T* elem)
-	{
-		debug uint counter = 0;
-		T* w = m_first, wp;
-		while (w !is elem) {
-			if (!w) return false;
-			wp = w;
-			w = w.next;
-			debug assert(++counter < 1_000_000, "Cycle in linked list?");
-		}
-		if (wp) wp.next = w.next;
-		else m_first = w.next;
-		return true;
-	}
-
-	void filter(scope bool delegate(T* el) @safe nothrow del)
-	{
-		debug uint counter = 0;
-		T* w = m_first, pw;
-		while (w !is null) {
-			auto wnext = w.next;
-			if (!del(w)) {
-				if (pw) pw.next = wnext;
-				else m_first = wnext;
-			} else pw = w;
-			w = wnext;
-			debug assert(++counter < 1_000_000, "Cycle in linked list?");
-		}
-	}
-
-	void iterate(scope bool delegate(T* el) @safe nothrow del)
-	{
-		debug uint counter = 0;
-		T* w = m_first;
-		while (w !is null) {
-			auto wnext = w.next;
-			if (!del(w)) break;
-			w = wnext;
-			debug assert(++counter < 1_000_000, "Cycle in linked list?");
-		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1366,7 +1348,6 @@ private struct TaskMutexImpl(bool INTERRUPTIBLE) {
 	{
 	}
 
-
 	@trusted bool tryLock()
 	{
 		if (cas(&m_locked, false, true)) {