Index: libcfa/src/concurrency/io/types.hfa
===================================================================
--- libcfa/src/concurrency/io/types.hfa	(revision dafbde8dedf38315f3298b109629f5e705f00ebe)
+++ libcfa/src/concurrency/io/types.hfa	(revision 454f478e4ba5abab2a66dcf28ad9efa8a5d7f313)
@@ -5,5 +5,6 @@
 // file "LICENCE" distributed with Cforall.
 //
-// io/types.hfa --
+// io/types.hfa -- PRIVATE
+// Types used by the I/O subsystem
 //
 // Author           : Thierry Delisle
@@ -20,5 +21,5 @@
 }
 
-#include "bits/locks.hfa"
+#include "kernel/fwd.hfa"
 
 #if defined(CFA_HAVE_LINUX_IO_URING_H)
Index: libcfa/src/concurrency/kernel.cfa
===================================================================
--- libcfa/src/concurrency/kernel.cfa	(revision dafbde8dedf38315f3298b109629f5e705f00ebe)
+++ libcfa/src/concurrency/kernel.cfa	(revision 454f478e4ba5abab2a66dcf28ad9efa8a5d7f313)
@@ -224,5 +224,5 @@
 	}
 
-	V( this->terminated );
+	post( this->terminated );
 
 	if(this == mainProcessor) {
@@ -665,62 +665,4 @@
 //=============================================================================================
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Locks
-void  ?{}( semaphore & this, int count = 1 ) {
-	(this.lock){};
-	this.count = count;
-	(this.waiting){};
-}
-void ^?{}(semaphore & this) {}
-
-bool P(semaphore & this) with( this ){
-	lock( lock __cfaabi_dbg_ctx2 );
-	count -= 1;
-	if ( count < 0 ) {
-		// queue current task
-		append( waiting, active_thread() );
-
-		// atomically release spin lock and block
-		unlock( lock );
-		park();
-		return true;
-	}
-	else {
-	    unlock( lock );
-	    return false;
-	}
-}
-
-bool V(semaphore & this) with( this ) {
-	$thread * thrd = 0p;
-	lock( lock __cfaabi_dbg_ctx2 );
-	count += 1;
-	if ( count <= 0 ) {
-		// remove task at head of waiting list
-		thrd = pop_head( waiting );
-	}
-
-	unlock( lock );
-
-	// make new owner
-	unpark( thrd );
-
-	return thrd != 0p;
-}
-
-bool V(semaphore & this, unsigned diff) with( this ) {
-	$thread * thrd = 0p;
-	lock( lock __cfaabi_dbg_ctx2 );
-	int release = max(-count, (int)diff);
-	count += diff;
-	for(release) {
-		unpark( pop_head( waiting ) );
-	}
-
-	unlock( lock );
-
-	return thrd != 0p;
-}
-
-//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Debug
 __cfaabi_dbg_debug_do(
Index: libcfa/src/concurrency/kernel.hfa
===================================================================
--- libcfa/src/concurrency/kernel.hfa	(revision dafbde8dedf38315f3298b109629f5e705f00ebe)
+++ libcfa/src/concurrency/kernel.hfa	(revision 454f478e4ba5abab2a66dcf28ad9efa8a5d7f313)
@@ -5,5 +5,5 @@
 // file "LICENCE" distributed with Cforall.
 //
-// kernel --
+// kernel -- Header containing the core of the kernel API
 //
 // Author           : Thierry Delisle
@@ -24,20 +24,66 @@
 extern "C" {
 	#include <bits/pthreadtypes.h>
+	#include <pthread.h>
 	#include <linux/types.h>
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Locks
-struct semaphore {
-	__spinlock_t lock;
-	int count;
-	__queue_t($thread) waiting;
-};
-
-void  ?{}(semaphore & this, int count = 1);
-void ^?{}(semaphore & this);
-bool   P (semaphore & this);
-bool   V (semaphore & this);
-bool   V (semaphore & this, unsigned count);
+// Underlying Locks
+#ifdef __CFA_WITH_VERIFY__
+	extern bool __cfaabi_dbg_in_kernel();
+#endif
+
+extern "C" {
+	char * strerror(int);
+}
+#define CHECKED(x) { int err = x; if( err != 0 ) abort("KERNEL ERROR: Operation \"" #x "\" return error %d - %s\n", err, strerror(err)); }
+
+struct __bin_sem_t {
+	pthread_mutex_t 	lock;
+	pthread_cond_t  	cond;
+	int     		val;
+};
+
+static inline void ?{}(__bin_sem_t & this) with( this ) {
+	// Create the mutex with error checking
+	pthread_mutexattr_t mattr;
+	pthread_mutexattr_init( &mattr );
+	pthread_mutexattr_settype( &mattr, PTHREAD_MUTEX_ERRORCHECK_NP);
+	pthread_mutex_init(&lock, &mattr);
+
+	pthread_cond_init (&cond, (const pthread_condattr_t *)0p);  // workaround trac#208: cast should not be required
+	val = 0;
+}
+
+static inline void ^?{}(__bin_sem_t & this) with( this ) {
+	CHECKED( pthread_mutex_destroy(&lock) );
+	CHECKED( pthread_cond_destroy (&cond) );
+}
+
+static inline void wait(__bin_sem_t & this) with( this ) {
+	verify(__cfaabi_dbg_in_kernel());
+	CHECKED( pthread_mutex_lock(&lock) );
+		while(val < 1) {
+			pthread_cond_wait(&cond, &lock);
+		}
+		val -= 1;
+	CHECKED( pthread_mutex_unlock(&lock) );
+}
+
+static inline bool post(__bin_sem_t & this) with( this ) {
+	bool needs_signal = false;
+
+	CHECKED( pthread_mutex_lock(&lock) );
+		if(val < 1) {
+			val += 1;
+			pthread_cond_signal(&cond);
+			needs_signal = true;
+		}
+	CHECKED( pthread_mutex_unlock(&lock) );
+
+	return needs_signal;
+}
+
+#undef CHECKED
 
 
@@ -91,5 +137,5 @@
 
 	// Termination synchronisation (user semaphore)
-	semaphore terminated;
+	oneshot terminated;
 
 	// pthread Stack
Index: libcfa/src/concurrency/kernel/fwd.hfa
===================================================================
--- libcfa/src/concurrency/kernel/fwd.hfa	(revision dafbde8dedf38315f3298b109629f5e705f00ebe)
+++ libcfa/src/concurrency/kernel/fwd.hfa	(revision 454f478e4ba5abab2a66dcf28ad9efa8a5d7f313)
@@ -5,5 +5,6 @@
 // file "LICENCE" distributed with Cforall.
 //
-// kernel/fwd.hfa --
+// kernel/fwd.hfa -- PUBLIC
+// Fundamental code needed to implement threading M.E.S. algorithms.
 //
 // Author           : Thierry Delisle
@@ -134,4 +135,258 @@
 		extern uint64_t thread_rand();
 
+		// Semaphore which only supports a single thread
+		struct single_sem {
+			struct $thread * volatile ptr;
+		};
+
+		static inline {
+			void  ?{}(single_sem & this) {
+				this.ptr = 0p;
+			}
+
+			void ^?{}(single_sem &) {}
+
+			bool wait(single_sem & this) {
+				for() {
+					struct $thread * expected = this.ptr;
+					if(expected == 1p) {
+						if(__atomic_compare_exchange_n(&this.ptr, &expected, 0p, false, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST)) {
+							return false;
+						}
+					}
+					else {
+						/* paranoid */ verify( expected == 0p );
+						if(__atomic_compare_exchange_n(&this.ptr, &expected, active_thread(), false, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST)) {
+							park();
+							return true;
+						}
+					}
+
+				}
+			}
+
+			bool post(single_sem & this) {
+				for() {
+					struct $thread * expected = this.ptr;
+					if(expected == 1p) return false;
+					if(expected == 0p) {
+						if(__atomic_compare_exchange_n(&this.ptr, &expected, 1p, false, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST)) {
+							return false;
+						}
+					}
+					else {
+						if(__atomic_compare_exchange_n(&this.ptr, &expected, 0p, false, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST)) {
+							unpark( expected );
+							return true;
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Synchronozation primitive which only supports a single thread and one post
+		// Similar to a binary semaphore with a 'one shot' semantic
+		// is expected to be discarded after each party call their side
+		struct oneshot {
+			// Internal state :
+			//     0p     : is initial state (wait will block)
+			//     1p     : fulfilled (wait won't block)
+			// any thread : a thread is currently waiting
+			struct $thread * volatile ptr;
+		};
+
+		static inline {
+			void  ?{}(oneshot & this) {
+				this.ptr = 0p;
+			}
+
+			void ^?{}(oneshot &) {}
+
+			// Wait for the post, return immidiately if it already happened.
+			// return true if the thread was parked
+			bool wait(oneshot & this) {
+				for() {
+					struct $thread * expected = this.ptr;
+					if(expected == 1p) return false;
+					/* paranoid */ verify( expected == 0p );
+					if(__atomic_compare_exchange_n(&this.ptr, &expected, active_thread(), false, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST)) {
+						park();
+						/* paranoid */ verify( this.ptr == 1p );
+						return true;
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
+			// Mark as fulfilled, wake thread if needed
+			// return true if a thread was unparked
+			bool post(oneshot & this) {
+				struct $thread * got = __atomic_exchange_n( &this.ptr, 1p, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
+				if( got == 0p ) return false;
+				unpark( got );
+				return true;
+			}
+		}
+
+		// base types for future to build upon
+		// It is based on the 'oneshot' type to allow multiple futures
+		// to block on the same instance, permitting users to block a single
+		// thread on "any of" [a given set of] futures.
+		// does not support multiple threads waiting on the same future
+		struct future_t {
+			// Internal state :
+			//     0p      : is initial state (wait will block)
+			//     1p      : fulfilled (wait won't block)
+			//     2p      : in progress ()
+			//     3p      : abandoned, server should delete
+			// any oneshot : a context has been setup to wait, a thread could wait on it
+			struct oneshot * volatile ptr;
+		};
+
+		static inline {
+			void  ?{}(future_t & this) {
+				this.ptr = 0p;
+			}
+
+			void ^?{}(future_t &) {}
+
+			void reset(future_t & this) {
+				// needs to be in 0p or 1p
+				__atomic_exchange_n( &this.ptr, 0p, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
+			}
+
+			// check if the future is available
+			bool available( future_t & this ) {
+				return this.ptr == 1p;
+			}
+
+			// Prepare the future to be waited on
+			// intented to be use by wait, wait_any, waitfor, etc. rather than used directly
+			bool setup( future_t & this, oneshot & wait_ctx ) {
+				/* paranoid */ verify( wait_ctx.ptr == 0p );
+				// The future needs to set the wait context
+				for() {
+					struct oneshot * expected = this.ptr;
+					// Is the future already fulfilled?
+					if(expected == 1p) return false; // Yes, just return false (didn't block)
+
+					// The future is not fulfilled, try to setup the wait context
+					/* paranoid */ verify( expected == 0p );
+					if(__atomic_compare_exchange_n(&this.ptr, &expected, &wait_ctx, false, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST)) {
+						return true;
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
+			// Stop waiting on a future
+			// When multiple futures are waited for together in "any of" pattern
+			// futures that weren't fulfilled before the thread woke up
+			// should retract the wait ctx
+			// intented to be use by wait, wait_any, waitfor, etc. rather than used directly
+			void retract( future_t & this, oneshot & wait_ctx ) {
+				// Remove the wait context
+				struct oneshot * got = __atomic_exchange_n( &this.ptr, 0p, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
+
+				// got == 0p: future was never actually setup, just return
+				if( got == 0p ) return;
+
+				// got == wait_ctx: since fulfil does an atomic_swap,
+				// if we got back the original then no one else saw context
+				// It is safe to delete (which could happen after the return)
+				if( got == &wait_ctx ) return;
+
+				// got == 1p: the future is ready and the context was fully consumed
+				// the server won't use the pointer again
+				// It is safe to delete (which could happen after the return)
+				if( got == 1p ) return;
+
+				// got == 2p: the future is ready but the context hasn't fully been consumed
+				// spin until it is safe to move on
+				if( got == 2p ) {
+					while( this.ptr != 1p ) Pause();
+					return;
+				}
+
+				// got == any thing else, something wen't wrong here, abort
+				abort("Future in unexpected state");
+			}
+
+			// Mark the future as abandoned, meaning it will be deleted by the server
+			bool abandon( future_t & this ) {
+				/* paranoid */ verify( this.ptr != 3p );
+
+				// Mark the future as abandonned
+				struct oneshot * got = __atomic_exchange_n( &this.ptr, 3p, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
+
+				// If the future isn't already fulfilled, let the server delete it
+				if( got == 0p ) return false;
+
+				// got == 2p: the future is ready but the context hasn't fully been consumed
+				// spin until it is safe to move on
+				if( got == 2p ) {
+					while( this.ptr != 1p ) Pause();
+					got = 1p;
+				}
+
+				// The future is completed delete it now
+				/* paranoid */ verify( this.ptr != 1p );
+				free( &this );
+				return true;
+			}
+
+			// from the server side, mark the future as fulfilled
+			// delete it if needed
+			bool fulfil( future_t & this ) {
+				for() {
+					struct oneshot * expected = this.ptr;
+					// was this abandoned?
+					#if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ >= 7
+						#pragma GCC diagnostic push
+						#pragma GCC diagnostic ignored "-Wfree-nonheap-object"
+					#endif
+						if( expected == 3p ) { free( &this ); return false; }
+					#if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ >= 7
+						#pragma GCC diagnostic pop
+					#endif
+
+					/* paranoid */ verify( expected != 1p ); // Future is already fulfilled, should not happen
+					/* paranoid */ verify( expected != 2p ); // Future is bein fulfilled by someone else, this is even less supported then the previous case.
+
+					// If there is a wait context, we need to consume it and mark it as consumed after
+					// If there is no context then we can skip the in progress phase
+					struct oneshot * want = expected == 0p ? 1p : 2p;
+					if(__atomic_compare_exchange_n(&this.ptr, &expected, want, false, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST)) {
+						if( expected == 0p ) { /* paranoid */ verify( this.ptr == 1p); return false; }
+						bool ret = post( *expected );
+						__atomic_store_n( &this.ptr, 1p, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
+						return ret;
+					}
+				}
+
+			}
+
+			// Wait for the future to be fulfilled
+			bool wait( future_t & this ) {
+				oneshot temp;
+				if( !setup(this, temp) ) return false;
+
+				// Wait context is setup, just wait on it
+				bool ret = wait( temp );
+
+				// Wait for the future to tru
+				while( this.ptr == 2p ) Pause();
+				// Make sure the state makes sense
+				// Should be fulfilled, could be in progress but it's out of date if so
+				// since if that is the case, the oneshot was fulfilled (unparking this thread)
+				// and the oneshot should not be needed any more
+				__attribute__((unused)) struct oneshot * was = this.ptr;
+				/* paranoid */ verifyf( was == 1p, "Expected this.ptr to be 1p, was %p\n", was );
+
+				// Mark the future as fulfilled, to be consistent
+				// with potential calls to avail
+				// this.ptr = 1p;
+				return ret;
+			}
+		}
+
 		//-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 		// Statics call at the end of each thread to register statistics
Index: libcfa/src/concurrency/kernel/startup.cfa
===================================================================
--- libcfa/src/concurrency/kernel/startup.cfa	(revision dafbde8dedf38315f3298b109629f5e705f00ebe)
+++ libcfa/src/concurrency/kernel/startup.cfa	(revision 454f478e4ba5abab2a66dcf28ad9efa8a5d7f313)
@@ -199,5 +199,5 @@
 	void ?{}(processor & this) with( this ) {
 		( this.idle ){};
-		( this.terminated ){ 0 };
+		( this.terminated ){};
 		( this.runner ){};
 		init( this, "Main Processor", *mainCluster );
@@ -528,5 +528,5 @@
 void ?{}(processor & this, const char name[], cluster & _cltr) {
 	( this.idle ){};
-	( this.terminated ){ 0 };
+	( this.terminated ){};
 	( this.runner ){};
 
@@ -549,5 +549,5 @@
 		__wake_proc( &this );
 
-		P( terminated );
+		wait( terminated );
 		/* paranoid */ verify( active_processor() != &this);
 	}
Index: libcfa/src/concurrency/locks.cfa
===================================================================
--- libcfa/src/concurrency/locks.cfa	(revision dafbde8dedf38315f3298b109629f5e705f00ebe)
+++ libcfa/src/concurrency/locks.cfa	(revision 454f478e4ba5abab2a66dcf28ad9efa8a5d7f313)
@@ -356,2 +356,60 @@
 	bool wait( condition_variable(L) & this, L & l, uintptr_t info, Time time         ) with(this) { WAIT_TIME( info, &l , time ) }
 }
+
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Semaphore
+void  ?{}( semaphore & this, int count = 1 ) {
+	(this.lock){};
+	this.count = count;
+	(this.waiting){};
+}
+void ^?{}(semaphore & this) {}
+
+bool P(semaphore & this) with( this ){
+	lock( lock __cfaabi_dbg_ctx2 );
+	count -= 1;
+	if ( count < 0 ) {
+		// queue current task
+		append( waiting, active_thread() );
+
+		// atomically release spin lock and block
+		unlock( lock );
+		park();
+		return true;
+	}
+	else {
+	    unlock( lock );
+	    return false;
+	}
+}
+
+bool V(semaphore & this) with( this ) {
+	$thread * thrd = 0p;
+	lock( lock __cfaabi_dbg_ctx2 );
+	count += 1;
+	if ( count <= 0 ) {
+		// remove task at head of waiting list
+		thrd = pop_head( waiting );
+	}
+
+	unlock( lock );
+
+	// make new owner
+	unpark( thrd );
+
+	return thrd != 0p;
+}
+
+bool V(semaphore & this, unsigned diff) with( this ) {
+	$thread * thrd = 0p;
+	lock( lock __cfaabi_dbg_ctx2 );
+	int release = max(-count, (int)diff);
+	count += diff;
+	for(release) {
+		unpark( pop_head( waiting ) );
+	}
+
+	unlock( lock );
+
+	return thrd != 0p;
+}
Index: libcfa/src/concurrency/locks.hfa
===================================================================
--- libcfa/src/concurrency/locks.hfa	(revision dafbde8dedf38315f3298b109629f5e705f00ebe)
+++ libcfa/src/concurrency/locks.hfa	(revision 454f478e4ba5abab2a66dcf28ad9efa8a5d7f313)
@@ -157,2 +157,16 @@
 	bool wait( condition_variable(L) & this, L & l, uintptr_t info, Time time );
 }
+
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Semaphore
+struct semaphore {
+	__spinlock_t lock;
+	int count;
+	__queue_t($thread) waiting;
+};
+
+void  ?{}(semaphore & this, int count = 1);
+void ^?{}(semaphore & this);
+bool   P (semaphore & this);
+bool   V (semaphore & this);
+bool   V (semaphore & this, unsigned count);
