diff --git a/src/gc.c b/src/gc.c
index a920958307c48c..c2d194b8a28bb7 100644
--- a/src/gc.c
+++ b/src/gc.c
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "gc.h"
 #include "gc-page-profiler.h"
 #include "julia.h"
+#include "julia_atomics.h"
 #include "julia_gcext.h"
 #include "julia_assert.h"
 #ifdef __GLIBC__
@@ -540,7 +541,7 @@ void jl_gc_run_all_finalizers(jl_task_t *ct)
 
 void jl_gc_add_finalizer_(jl_ptls_t ptls, void *v, void *f) JL_NOTSAFEPOINT
 {
-    assert(jl_atomic_load_relaxed(&ptls->gc_state) == 0);
+    assert(jl_atomic_load_relaxed(&ptls->gc_state) == JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE);
     arraylist_t *a = &ptls->finalizers;
     // This acquire load and the release store at the end are used to
     // synchronize with `finalize_object` on another thread. Apart from the GC,
@@ -1676,7 +1677,7 @@ void gc_sweep_wake_all(jl_ptls_t ptls, jl_gc_padded_page_stack_t *new_gc_allocd_
 void gc_sweep_wait_for_all(void)
 {
     jl_atomic_store(&gc_allocd_scratch, NULL);
-    while (jl_atomic_load_relaxed(&gc_n_threads_sweeping) != 0) {
+    while (jl_atomic_load_acquire(&gc_n_threads_sweeping) != 0) {
         jl_cpu_pause();
     }
 }
@@ -2966,9 +2967,7 @@ void gc_mark_and_steal(jl_ptls_t ptls)
     jl_gc_markqueue_t *mq = &ptls->mark_queue;
     jl_gc_markqueue_t *mq_master = NULL;
     int master_tid = jl_atomic_load(&gc_master_tid);
-    if (master_tid == -1) {
-        return;
-    }
+    assert(master_tid != -1);
     mq_master = &gc_all_tls_states[master_tid]->mark_queue;
     void *new_obj;
     jl_gc_chunk_t c;
@@ -3060,54 +3059,37 @@ size_t gc_count_work_in_queue(jl_ptls_t ptls) JL_NOTSAFEPOINT
  * Correctness argument for the mark-loop termination protocol.
  *
  * Safety properties:
- * - No work items shall be in any thread's queues when `gc_mark_loop_barrier` observes
+ * - No work items shall be in any thread's queues when `gc_should_mark` observes
  * that `gc_n_threads_marking` is zero.
  *
  * - No work item shall be stolen from the master thread (i.e. mutator thread which started
  * GC and which helped the `jl_n_markthreads` - 1 threads to mark) after
- * `gc_mark_loop_barrier` observes that `gc_n_threads_marking` is zero. This property is
+ * `gc_should_mark` observes that `gc_n_threads_marking` is zero. This property is
  * necessary because we call `gc_mark_loop_serial` after marking the finalizer list in
  * `_jl_gc_collect`, and want to ensure that we have the serial mark-loop semantics there,
  * and that no work is stolen from us at that point.
  *
  * Proof:
- * - Suppose the master thread observes that `gc_n_threads_marking` is zero in
- * `gc_mark_loop_barrier` and there is a work item left in one thread's queue at that point.
- * Since threads try to steal from all threads' queues, this implies that all threads must
- * have tried to steal from the queue which still has a work item left, but failed to do so,
- * which violates the semantics of Chase-Lev's work-stealing queue.
- *
- * - Let E1 be the event "master thread writes -1 to gc_master_tid" and E2 be the event
- * "master thread observes that `gc_n_threads_marking` is zero". Since we're using
- * sequentially consistent atomics, E1 => E2. Now suppose one thread which is spinning in
- * `gc_should_mark` tries to enter the mark-loop after E2. In order to do so, it must
- * increment `gc_n_threads_marking` to 1 in an event E3, and then read `gc_master_tid` in an
- * event E4. Since we're using sequentially consistent atomics, E3 => E4. Since we observed
- * `gc_n_threads_marking` as zero in E2, then E2 => E3, and we conclude E1 => E4, so that
- * the thread which is spinning in `gc_should_mark` must observe that `gc_master_tid` is -1
- * and therefore won't enter the mark-loop.
+ * - If a thread observes that `gc_n_threads_marking` is zero inside `gc_should_mark`, that
+ * means that no thread has work on their queue, this is guaranteed because a thread may only exit
+ * `gc_mark_and_steal` when its own queue is empty, this information is synchronized by the
+ * seq-cst fetch_add to a thread that is in `gc_should_mark`. `gc_queue_observer_lock`
+ * guarantees that once `gc_n_threads_marking` reaches zero, no thread will increment it again,
+ * because incrementing is only legal from inside the lock. Therefore, no thread will reenter
+ * the mark-loop after `gc_n_threads_marking` reaches zero.
  */
 
 int gc_should_mark(void)
 {
     int should_mark = 0;
-    int n_threads_marking = jl_atomic_load(&gc_n_threads_marking);
-    // fast path
-    if (n_threads_marking == 0) {
-        return 0;
-    }
     uv_mutex_lock(&gc_queue_observer_lock);
     while (1) {
-        int tid = jl_atomic_load(&gc_master_tid);
-        // fast path
-        if (tid == -1) {
-            break;
-        }
-        n_threads_marking = jl_atomic_load(&gc_n_threads_marking);
-        // fast path
+        int n_threads_marking = jl_atomic_load(&gc_n_threads_marking);
         if (n_threads_marking == 0) {
             break;
         }
+        int tid = jl_atomic_load_relaxed(&gc_master_tid);
+        assert(tid != -1);
         size_t work = gc_count_work_in_queue(gc_all_tls_states[tid]);
         for (tid = gc_first_tid; tid < gc_first_tid + jl_n_markthreads; tid++) {
             jl_ptls_t ptls2 = gc_all_tls_states[tid];
@@ -3118,7 +3100,8 @@ int gc_should_mark(void)
         }
         // if there is a lot of work left, enter the mark loop
         if (work >= 16 * n_threads_marking) {
-            jl_atomic_fetch_add(&gc_n_threads_marking, 1);
+            jl_atomic_fetch_add(&gc_n_threads_marking, 1); // A possibility would be to allow a thread that found lots
+                                                           // of work to increment this
             should_mark = 1;
             break;
         }
@@ -3130,9 +3113,7 @@ int gc_should_mark(void)
 
 void gc_wake_all_for_marking(jl_ptls_t ptls)
 {
-    jl_atomic_store(&gc_master_tid, ptls->tid);
     uv_mutex_lock(&gc_threads_lock);
-    jl_atomic_fetch_add(&gc_n_threads_marking, 1);
     uv_cond_broadcast(&gc_threads_cond);
     uv_mutex_unlock(&gc_threads_lock);
 }
@@ -3140,6 +3121,8 @@ void gc_wake_all_for_marking(jl_ptls_t ptls)
 void gc_mark_loop_parallel(jl_ptls_t ptls, int master)
 {
     if (master) {
+        jl_atomic_store(&gc_master_tid, ptls->tid);
+        jl_atomic_fetch_add(&gc_n_threads_marking, 1);
         gc_wake_all_for_marking(ptls);
         gc_mark_and_steal(ptls);
         jl_atomic_fetch_add(&gc_n_threads_marking, -1);
@@ -3166,10 +3149,8 @@ void gc_mark_loop(jl_ptls_t ptls)
 
 void gc_mark_loop_barrier(void)
 {
-    jl_atomic_store(&gc_master_tid, -1);
-    while (jl_atomic_load(&gc_n_threads_marking) != 0) {
-        jl_cpu_pause();
-    }
+    assert(jl_atomic_load_relaxed(&gc_n_threads_marking) == 0);
+    jl_atomic_store_relaxed(&gc_master_tid, -1);
 }
 
 void gc_mark_clean_reclaim_sets(void)
diff --git a/src/julia_threads.h b/src/julia_threads.h
index 1c64a722850f2a..3f8f5391919b48 100644
--- a/src/julia_threads.h
+++ b/src/julia_threads.h
@@ -192,6 +192,9 @@ typedef struct _jl_tls_states_t {
     _Atomic(volatile size_t *) safepoint; // may be changed to the suspend page by any thread
     _Atomic(int8_t) sleep_check_state; // read/write from foreign threads
     // Whether it is safe to execute GC at the same time.
+#define JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE 0
+    // gc_state = 0 means the thread is running Julia code and is not
+    //              safe to run concurrently to the GC
 #define JL_GC_STATE_WAITING 1
     // gc_state = 1 means the thread is doing GC or is waiting for the GC to
     //              finish.
@@ -330,9 +333,7 @@ STATIC_INLINE int8_t jl_gc_state_set(jl_ptls_t ptls, int8_t state,
                                      int8_t old_state)
 {
     jl_atomic_store_release(&ptls->gc_state, state);
-    if (state == JL_GC_STATE_SAFE && old_state == 0)
-        jl_gc_safepoint_(ptls);
-    if (state == 0 && old_state == JL_GC_STATE_SAFE)
+    if (state == JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE || old_state == JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE)
         jl_gc_safepoint_(ptls);
     return old_state;
 }
@@ -347,8 +348,8 @@ void jl_gc_unsafe_leave(jl_ptls_t ptls, int8_t state) JL_NOTSAFEPOINT JL_NOTSAFE
 int8_t jl_gc_safe_enter(jl_ptls_t ptls) JL_NOTSAFEPOINT JL_NOTSAFEPOINT_ENTER;
 void jl_gc_safe_leave(jl_ptls_t ptls, int8_t state) JL_NOTSAFEPOINT_LEAVE; // this might not be a safepoint, but we have to assume it could be (statically)
 #else
-#define jl_gc_unsafe_enter(ptls) jl_gc_state_save_and_set(ptls, 0)
-#define jl_gc_unsafe_leave(ptls, state) ((void)jl_gc_state_set(ptls, (state), 0))
+#define jl_gc_unsafe_enter(ptls) jl_gc_state_save_and_set(ptls, JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE)
+#define jl_gc_unsafe_leave(ptls, state) ((void)jl_gc_state_set(ptls, (state), JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE))
 #define jl_gc_safe_enter(ptls) jl_gc_state_save_and_set(ptls, JL_GC_STATE_SAFE)
 #define jl_gc_safe_leave(ptls, state) ((void)jl_gc_state_set(ptls, (state), JL_GC_STATE_SAFE))
 #endif
diff --git a/src/llvm-codegen-shared.h b/src/llvm-codegen-shared.h
index a4f77bc1b3b381..2c60907ca086c0 100644
--- a/src/llvm-codegen-shared.h
+++ b/src/llvm-codegen-shared.h
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ static inline llvm::Value *emit_gc_unsafe_enter(llvm::IRBuilder<> &builder, llvm
 static inline llvm::Value *emit_gc_unsafe_leave(llvm::IRBuilder<> &builder, llvm::Type *T_size, llvm::Value *ptls, llvm::Value *state, bool final)
 {
     using namespace llvm;
-    Value *old_state = builder.getInt8(0);
+    Value *old_state = builder.getInt8(JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE);
     return emit_gc_state_set(builder, T_size, ptls, state, old_state, final);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/safepoint.c b/src/safepoint.c
index a05d37e4928132..22cda0a89444d5 100644
--- a/src/safepoint.c
+++ b/src/safepoint.c
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ void jl_safepoint_wait_gc(void) JL_NOTSAFEPOINT
     jl_task_t *ct = jl_current_task; (void)ct;
     JL_TIMING_SUSPEND_TASK(GC_SAFEPOINT, ct);
     // The thread should have set this is already
-    assert(jl_atomic_load_relaxed(&ct->ptls->gc_state) != 0);
+    assert(jl_atomic_load_relaxed(&ct->ptls->gc_state) != JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE);
     // Use normal volatile load in the loop for speed until GC finishes.
     // Then use an acquire load to make sure the GC result is visible on this thread.
     while (jl_atomic_load_relaxed(&jl_gc_running) || jl_atomic_load_acquire(&jl_gc_running)) {
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ int jl_safepoint_suspend_thread(int tid, int waitstate)
         }
         while (jl_atomic_load_acquire(&ptls2->suspend_count) != 0) {
             int8_t state2 = jl_atomic_load_acquire(&ptls2->gc_state);
-            if (waitstate <= 2 && state2 != 0)
+            if (waitstate <= 2 && state2 != JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE)
                 break;
             if (waitstate == 3 && state2 == JL_GC_STATE_WAITING)
                 break;
diff --git a/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler.c
index 2af88db89ca14e..dbc913353ce4c9 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler.c
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ void jl_parallel_gc_threadfun(void *arg)
     jl_ptls_t ptls = jl_init_threadtls(targ->tid);
 
     // wait for all threads
-    jl_gc_state_set(ptls, JL_GC_STATE_WAITING, 0);
+    jl_gc_state_set(ptls, JL_GC_STATE_WAITING, JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE);
     uv_barrier_wait(targ->barrier);
 
     // free the thread argument here
@@ -143,9 +143,7 @@ void jl_parallel_gc_threadfun(void *arg)
             uv_cond_wait(&gc_threads_cond, &gc_threads_lock);
         }
         uv_mutex_unlock(&gc_threads_lock);
-        if (may_mark()) {
-            gc_mark_loop_parallel(ptls, 0);
-        }
+        gc_mark_loop_parallel(ptls, 0);
         if (may_sweep(ptls)) { // not an else!
             gc_sweep_pool_parallel(ptls);
             jl_atomic_fetch_add(&ptls->gc_sweeps_requested, -1);
@@ -162,7 +160,7 @@ void jl_concurrent_gc_threadfun(void *arg)
     jl_ptls_t ptls = jl_init_threadtls(targ->tid);
 
     // wait for all threads
-    jl_gc_state_set(ptls, JL_GC_STATE_WAITING, 0);
+    jl_gc_state_set(ptls, JL_GC_STATE_WAITING, JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE);
     uv_barrier_wait(targ->barrier);
 
     // free the thread argument here
@@ -190,7 +188,7 @@ void jl_threadfun(void *arg)
     JL_GC_PROMISE_ROOTED(ct);
 
     // wait for all threads
-    jl_gc_state_set(ptls, JL_GC_STATE_SAFE, 0);
+    jl_gc_state_set(ptls, JL_GC_STATE_SAFE, JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE);
     uv_barrier_wait(targ->barrier);
 
     // free the thread argument here
diff --git a/src/signal-handling.c b/src/signal-handling.c
index abe63ba6d2d7f2..2ddbf2ad1cc8e0 100644
--- a/src/signal-handling.c
+++ b/src/signal-handling.c
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ void jl_task_frame_noreturn(jl_task_t *ct) JL_NOTSAFEPOINT
         ct->ptls->in_finalizer = 0;
         ct->ptls->defer_signal = 0;
         // forcibly exit GC (if we were in it) or safe into unsafe, without the mandatory safepoint
-        jl_atomic_store_release(&ct->ptls->gc_state, 0);
+        jl_atomic_store_release(&ct->ptls->gc_state, JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE);
         // allow continuing to use a Task that should have already died--unsafe necromancy!
         jl_atomic_store_relaxed(&ct->_state, JL_TASK_STATE_RUNNABLE);
     }
diff --git a/src/threading.c b/src/threading.c
index 648f7d935bac29..dcfc6ac7e93bb6 100644
--- a/src/threading.c
+++ b/src/threading.c
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ jl_ptls_t jl_init_threadtls(int16_t tid)
         }
     }
 #endif
-    jl_atomic_store_relaxed(&ptls->gc_state, 0); // GC unsafe
+    jl_atomic_store_relaxed(&ptls->gc_state, JL_GC_STATE_UNSAFE); // GC unsafe
     // Conditionally initialize the safepoint address. See comment in
     // `safepoint.c`
     if (tid == 0) {