diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index d4f0cf392d36822bb238fc6cff1f290f3935ff2a..3591f70cf746c4b9d0928b664419650cad9046ee 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -159,6 +159,10 @@ clang-tidy:
   variables:
     EMPER_IO_LOCKLESS_CQ: 'true'
 
+.emper-io-waitfree-stealing:
+  variables:
+    EMPER_IO_WAITFREE_STEALING: 'true'
+
 .default-library-static:
   variables:
     EMPER_DEFAULT_LIBRARY: 'static'
@@ -435,6 +439,13 @@ test-lockless-io-stealing:
     - .emper-io-stealing
     - .emper-lockless-cq
 
+test-waitfree-io-stealing:
+  extends:
+    - .test
+    - .emper-io-stealing
+    - .emper-lockless-cq
+    - .emper-io-waitfree-stealing
+
 test-io-stealing-pipe-no-completer:
   extends:
     - .test
diff --git a/emper/io/IoContext.cpp b/emper/io/IoContext.cpp
index b183abf03dacf14729c6693566f1e991d0e68983..10ecca47b9a4dbad1b7c109e2099569e624c5361 100644
--- a/emper/io/IoContext.cpp
+++ b/emper/io/IoContext.cpp
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ static constexpr auto LL_WRITE_MEM_ORDER =
 				: std::memory_order_seq_cst;
 
 template <CallerEnvironment callerEnvironment>
-auto IoContext::tryReapCompletionWaitFree(Fiber *continuation) -> emper::StealingResult {
+auto IoContext::tryReapCompletionWaitFree(Fiber **continuation) -> emper::StealingResult {
 	Completion completion;
 
 	struct io_uring_cq *cq = &ring.cq;
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ auto IoContext::tryReapCompletionWaitFree(Fiber *continuation) -> emper::Stealin
 	completion.first = cqe->res;
 	completion.second = cqe_data;
 
-	if (!ahead->compare_exchange_weak(head, head + 1, LL_WRITE_MEM_ORDER, LL_READ_MEM_ORDER))
+	if (!ahead->compare_exchange_strong(head, head + 1, LL_WRITE_MEM_ORDER, LL_READ_MEM_ORDER))
 		return emper::StealingResult::LostRace;
 
 	trackReqsInUring(-1);
@@ -283,6 +283,14 @@ auto IoContext::tryReapCompletionWaitFree(Fiber *continuation) -> emper::Stealin
 	return emper::StealingResult::Stolen;
 }
 
+// show the compiler our template incarnations
+template auto IoContext::tryReapCompletionWaitFree<CallerEnvironment::OWNER>(Fiber **continuation)
+		-> emper::StealingResult;
+template auto IoContext::tryReapCompletionWaitFree<CallerEnvironment::EMPER>(Fiber **continuation)
+		-> emper::StealingResult;
+template auto IoContext::tryReapCompletionWaitFree<CallerEnvironment::ANYWHERE>(
+		Fiber **continuation) -> emper::StealingResult;
+
 template <CallerEnvironment callerEnvironment, unsigned toReap>
 auto IoContext::reapCompletionsLockless(Fiber **continuations) -> unsigned {
 	Completion reapedCompletions[toReap];	 // NOLINT(modernize-avoid-c-arrays)
diff --git a/emper/io/IoContext.hpp b/emper/io/IoContext.hpp
index a877a7488b1a6f393f21b825b62a352cc5ecaef4..2a0ba954455203db6dd337c031701e3a47c1b220 100644
--- a/emper/io/IoContext.hpp
+++ b/emper/io/IoContext.hpp
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ class IoContext : public Logger<LogSubsystem::IO> {
 	}
 
 	template <CallerEnvironment callerEnvironment>
-	[[nodiscard]] auto tryReapCompletionWaitFree(Fiber *continuation) -> emper::StealingResult;
+	[[nodiscard]] auto tryReapCompletionWaitFree(Fiber **continuation) -> emper::StealingResult;
 
 	template <CallerEnvironment callerEnvironment, unsigned toReap>
 	[[nodiscard]] auto reapCompletionsLockless(Fiber **continuations) -> unsigned;