diff --git a/glommio/src/executor/mod.rs b/glommio/src/executor/mod.rs
index 5cc2d67ee..7c0184113 100644
--- a/glommio/src/executor/mod.rs
+++ b/glommio/src/executor/mod.rs
@@ -4133,6 +4133,19 @@ mod test {
         });
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn wake_refcount_overflow() {
+        LocalExecutor::default().run(async {
+            const NUM_CLONES: usize = u16::MAX as usize;
+
+            crate::spawn_local(poll_fn::<(), _>(move |cx| {
+                let _wakers = Vec::from_iter((0..NUM_CLONES).map(|_| cx.waker().clone()));
+                Poll::Ready(())
+            }))
+            .await;
+        })
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn blocking_function() {
         LocalExecutor::default().run(async {
diff --git a/glommio/src/task/header.rs b/glommio/src/task/header.rs
index 33fef6070..ab10b4259 100644
--- a/glommio/src/task/header.rs
+++ b/glommio/src/task/header.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use core::{fmt, task::Waker};
 #[cfg(feature = "debugging")]
 use std::cell::Cell;
 use std::sync::{
-    atomic::{AtomicI16, Ordering},
+    atomic::{AtomicI32, Ordering},
     Arc,
 };
 
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ use crate::{
     task::{raw::TaskVTable, state::*, utils::abort_on_panic},
 };
 
+pub(crate) type RefCount = i32;
+pub(crate) type AtomicRefCount = AtomicI32;
+
 /// The header of a task.
 ///
 /// This header is stored right at the beginning of every heap-allocated task.
@@ -31,7 +34,7 @@ pub(crate) struct Header {
     pub(crate) latency_matters: bool,
 
     /// Current reference count of the task.
-    pub(crate) references: AtomicI16,
+    pub(crate) references: AtomicRefCount,
 
     /// The task that is blocked on the `JoinHandle`.
     ///
diff --git a/glommio/src/task/join_handle.rs b/glommio/src/task/join_handle.rs
index 07c84310e..1fdbc7200 100644
--- a/glommio/src/task/join_handle.rs
+++ b/glommio/src/task/join_handle.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ use core::{
 use crate::task::debugging::TaskDebugger;
 use crate::{
     dbg_context,
-    task::{header::Header, state::*},
+    task::{
+        header::{Header, RefCount},
+        state::*,
+    },
 };
 use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
 
@@ -70,7 +73,7 @@ impl<R> JoinHandle<R> {
                     // If we schedule it, need to bump the reference count, since after run() we
                     // decrement it.
                     let refs = (*header).references.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
-                    assert_ne!(refs, i16::MAX);
+                    assert_ne!(refs, RefCount::MAX);
 
                     ((*header).vtable.schedule)(ptr);
                 }
@@ -132,7 +135,7 @@ impl<R> Drop for JoinHandle<R> {
                     if refs == 0 {
                         if state & CLOSED == 0 {
                             let refs = (*header).references.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
-                            assert_ne!(refs, i16::MAX);
+                            assert_ne!(refs, RefCount::MAX);
                             ((*header).vtable.schedule)(ptr);
                         } else {
                             ((*header).vtable.destroy)(ptr);
diff --git a/glommio/src/task/raw.rs b/glommio/src/task/raw.rs
index a42a8e237..04b7bd787 100644
--- a/glommio/src/task/raw.rs
+++ b/glommio/src/task/raw.rs
@@ -13,14 +13,14 @@ use core::{
 };
 #[cfg(feature = "debugging")]
 use std::cell::Cell;
-use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicI16, Ordering};
+use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "debugging")]
 use crate::task::debugging::TaskDebugger;
 use crate::{
     dbg_context, sys,
     task::{
-        header::Header,
+        header::{AtomicRefCount, Header, RefCount},
         state::*,
         utils::{abort, abort_on_panic, extend},
         Task,
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ where
                 notifier: sys::get_sleep_notifier_for(executor_id).unwrap(),
                 state: SCHEDULED | HANDLE,
                 latency_matters,
-                references: AtomicI16::new(0),
+                references: AtomicRefCount::new(0),
                 awaiter: None,
                 vtable: &TaskVTable {
                     schedule: Self::schedule,
@@ -276,12 +276,12 @@ where
     #[track_caller]
     fn increment_references(header: &Header) {
         let refs = header.references.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
-        assert_ne!(refs, i16::MAX, "Waker invariant broken: {header:?}");
+        assert_ne!(refs, RefCount::MAX, "Waker invariant broken: {header:?}");
     }
 
     #[inline]
     #[track_caller]
-    fn decrement_references(header: &Header) -> i16 {
+    fn decrement_references(header: &Header) -> RefCount {
         let refs = header.references.fetch_sub(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
         assert_ne!(refs, 0, "Waker invariant broken: {header:?}");
         refs - 1
diff --git a/glommio/src/task/task_impl.rs b/glommio/src/task/task_impl.rs
index 553ffd2f1..ade8ff1b0 100644
--- a/glommio/src/task/task_impl.rs
+++ b/glommio/src/task/task_impl.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,12 @@ use core::{fmt, future::Future, marker::PhantomData, mem, ptr::NonNull};
 use crate::task::debugging::TaskDebugger;
 use crate::{
     dbg_context,
-    task::{header::Header, raw::RawTask, state::*, JoinHandle},
+    task::{
+        header::{Header, RefCount},
+        raw::RawTask,
+        state::*,
+        JoinHandle,
+    },
 };
 
 use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
@@ -133,7 +138,7 @@ impl Task {
 
         unsafe {
             let refs = (*header).references.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
-            assert_ne!(refs, i16::MAX);
+            assert_ne!(refs, RefCount::MAX);
             ((*header).vtable.run)(ptr)
         }
     }