diff --git a/rtic-sync/src/channel.rs b/rtic-sync/src/channel.rs
index 17fd50a8fa3..d3a64b6f1c2 100644
--- a/rtic-sync/src/channel.rs
+++ b/rtic-sync/src/channel.rs
@@ -108,6 +108,30 @@ impl<T, const N: usize> Channel<T, N> {
             }
         }
     }
+
+    /// Return free slot `slot` to the channel.
+    ///
+    /// This will do one of two things:
+    /// 1. If there are any waiting `send`-ers, wake the longest-waiting one and hand it `slot`.
+    /// 2. else, insert `slot` into `self.freeq`.
+    ///
+    /// SAFETY: `slot` must be a `u8` that is obtained by dequeueing from [`Self::readyq`].
+    unsafe fn return_free_slot(&self, slot: u8) {
+        critical_section::with(|cs| {
+            fence(Ordering::SeqCst);
+
+            // If someone is waiting in the `wait_queue`, wake the first one up & hand it the free slot.
+            if let Some((wait_head, mut freeq_slot)) = self.wait_queue.pop() {
+                // SAFETY: `freeq_slot` is valid for writes: we are in a critical
+                // section & the `SlotPtr` lives for at least the duration of the wait queue link.
+                unsafe { freeq_slot.replace(Some(slot), cs) };
+                wait_head.wake();
+            } else {
+                assert!(!self.access(cs).freeq.is_full());
+                unsafe { self.access(cs).freeq.push_back_unchecked(slot) }
+            }
+        })
+    }
 }
 
 /// Creates a split channel with `'static` lifetime.
@@ -313,18 +337,16 @@ impl<T, const N: usize> Sender<'_, T, N> {
                 link.remove_from_list(&self.0.wait_queue);
             }
 
+            // Return our potentially-unused free slot.
             // Potentially unnecessary c-s because our link was already popped, so there
             // is no way for anything else to access the free slot ptr. Gotta think
             // about this a bit more...
-            //
-            // SAFETY(replace): `free_slot_ptr2` is valid for writes.
             critical_section::with(|cs| {
                 if let Some(freed_slot) = unsafe { free_slot_ptr2.replace(None, cs) } {
-                    debug_assert!(!self.0.access(cs).freeq.is_full());
-                    // SAFETY: freeq is not full.
-                    unsafe {
-                        self.0.access(cs).freeq.push_back_unchecked(freed_slot);
-                    }
+                    // SAFETY: freed slot is passed to us from `return_free_slot`, which either
+                    // directly (through `try_recv`), or indirectly (through another `return_free_slot`)
+                    // comes from `readyq`.
+                    unsafe { self.0.return_free_slot(freed_slot) };
                 }
             });
         });
@@ -350,7 +372,7 @@ impl<T, const N: usize> Sender<'_, T, N> {
                         let slot = unsafe { free_slot_ptr.replace(None, cs) };
 
                         // If our link is popped, then:
-                        // 1. We were popped by `try_recv` and it provided us with a slot.
+                        // 1. We were popped by `return_free_lot` and provided us with a slot.
                         // 2. We were popped by `Receiver::drop` and it did not provide us with a slot, and the channel is closed.
                         if let Some(slot) = slot {
                             Poll::Ready(Ok(slot))
@@ -482,22 +504,10 @@ impl<T, const N: usize> Receiver<'_, T, N> {
             let r = unsafe { ptr::read(self.0.slots.get_unchecked(rs as usize).get() as *const T) };
 
             // Return the index to the free queue after we've read the value.
-            critical_section::with(|cs| {
-                fence(Ordering::SeqCst);
+            // SAFETY: `rs` comes directly from `readyq`.
+            unsafe { self.0.return_free_slot(rs) };
 
-                // If someone is waiting in the WaiterQueue, wake the first one up & hand it the free slot.
-                if let Some((wait_head, mut freeq_slot)) = self.0.wait_queue.pop() {
-                    // SAFETY: `freeq_slot` is valid for writes: we are in a critical
-                    // section & the `SlotPtr` lives for at least the duration of the wait queue link.
-                    unsafe { freeq_slot.replace(Some(rs), cs) };
-                    wait_head.wake();
-                } else {
-                    assert!(!self.0.access(cs).freeq.is_full());
-                    unsafe { self.0.access(cs).freeq.push_back_unchecked(rs) }
-                }
-
-                Ok(r)
-            })
+            Ok(r)
         } else if self.is_closed() {
             Err(ReceiveError::NoSender)
         } else {