diff --git a/src/core/ws_pool.ml b/src/core/ws_pool.ml
index 70e4bb80..5be467fa 100644
--- a/src/core/ws_pool.ml
+++ b/src/core/ws_pool.ml
@@ -77,7 +77,9 @@ let[@inline] try_wake_someone_ (self : state) : unit =
     Mutex.unlock self.mutex
   )
 
-let schedule_on_w (self : worker_state) task : unit =
+(** Push into worker's local queue, open to work stealing.
+    precondition: this runs on the worker thread whose state is [self] *)
+let schedule_on_current_worker (self : worker_state) task : unit =
   (* we're on this same pool, schedule in the worker's state. Otherwise
      we might also be on pool A but asking to schedule on pool B,
      so we have to check that identifiers match. *)
@@ -92,7 +94,8 @@ let schedule_on_w (self : worker_state) task : unit =
     Mutex.unlock self.st.mutex
   )
 
-let schedule_on_main (self : state) task : unit =
+(** Push into the shared queue of this pool *)
+let schedule_in_main_queue (self : state) task : unit =
   if A.get self.active then (
     (* push into the main queue *)
     Mutex.lock self.mutex;
@@ -108,8 +111,8 @@ let schedule_from_w (self : worker_state) (task : WL.task_full) : unit =
   match get_current_worker_ () with
   | Some w when Id.equal self.st.id_ w.st.id_ ->
     (* use worker from the same pool *)
-    schedule_on_w w task
-  | _ -> schedule_on_main self.st task
+    schedule_on_current_worker w task
+  | _ -> schedule_in_main_queue self.st task
 
 exception Got_task of WL.task_full
 
@@ -139,19 +142,19 @@ let[@inline] wait_for_condition_ (self : state) : unit =
   if self.n_waiting = 0 then self.n_waiting_nonzero <- false
 
 let rec get_next_task (self : worker_state) : WL.task_full =
-  if not (A.get self.st.active) then raise WL.No_more_tasks;
+  (* see if we can empty the local queue *)
   match WSQ.pop_exn self.q with
   | task ->
     try_wake_someone_ self.st;
     task
-  | exception WSQ.Empty -> try_steal_from_other_workers_ self
+  | exception WSQ.Empty -> try_to_steal_from_other_workers_ self
 
-and try_steal_from_other_workers_ (self : worker_state) =
+and try_to_steal_from_other_workers_ (self : worker_state) =
   match try_to_steal_work_once_ self with
   | exception Got_task task -> task
-  | () -> wait_on_worker self
+  | () -> wait_on_main_queue self
 
-and wait_on_worker (self : worker_state) : WL.task_full =
+and wait_on_main_queue (self : worker_state) : WL.task_full =
   Mutex.lock self.st.mutex;
   match Queue.pop self.st.main_q with
   | task ->
@@ -169,7 +172,7 @@ and wait_on_worker (self : worker_state) : WL.task_full =
         task
       | exception Queue.Empty ->
         Mutex.unlock self.st.mutex;
-        try_steal_from_other_workers_ self
+        try_to_steal_from_other_workers_ self
     ) else (
       (* do nothing more: no task in main queue, and we are shutting
          down so no new task should arrive.
@@ -230,7 +233,8 @@ let shutdown_ ~wait (self : state) : unit =
 let as_runner_ (self : state) : t =
   Runner.For_runner_implementors.create
     ~shutdown:(fun ~wait () -> shutdown_ self ~wait)
-    ~run_async:(fun ~fiber f -> schedule_on_main self @@ T_start { fiber; f })
+    ~run_async:(fun ~fiber f ->
+      schedule_in_main_queue self @@ T_start { fiber; f })
     ~size:(fun () -> size_ self)
     ~num_tasks:(fun () -> num_tasks_ self)
     ()