diff --git a/io_uring/poll.c b/io_uring/poll.c
index 055632e..1b78b52 100644
--- a/io_uring/poll.c
+++ b/io_uring/poll.c
@@ -518,7 +518,6 @@
 				 unsigned issue_flags)
 {
 	struct io_ring_ctx *ctx = req->ctx;
-	int v;
 
 	INIT_HLIST_NODE(&req->hash_node);
 	req->work.cancel_seq = atomic_read(&ctx->cancel_seq);
@@ -586,11 +585,10 @@
 
 	if (ipt->owning) {
 		/*
-		 * Release ownership. If someone tried to queue a tw while it was
-		 * locked, kick it off for them.
+		 * Try to release ownership. If we see a change of state, e.g.
+		 * poll was waken up, queue up a tw, it'll deal with it.
 		 */
-		v = atomic_dec_return(&req->poll_refs);
-		if (unlikely(v & IO_POLL_REF_MASK))
+		if (atomic_cmpxchg(&req->poll_refs, 1, 0) != 1)
 			__io_poll_execute(req, 0);
 	}
 	return 0;