diff --git a/src/libcore/comm.rs b/src/libcore/comm.rs
index 636fc702d35c..cbcc8e663e09 100644
--- a/src/libcore/comm.rs
+++ b/src/libcore/comm.rs
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ native mod rustrt {
     fn get_port_id(po: *rust_port) -> port_id;
     fn rust_port_size(po: *rust_port) -> ctypes::size_t;
     fn port_recv(dptr: *uint, po: *rust_port,
-                 yield: *ctypes::uintptr_t,
-                 killed: *ctypes::uintptr_t);
+                 yield: *ctypes::uintptr_t);
     fn rust_port_select(dptr: **rust_port, ports: **rust_port,
                         n_ports: ctypes::size_t,
                         yield: *ctypes::uintptr_t);
@@ -142,21 +141,19 @@ fn recv_<T: send>(p: *rust_port) -> T {
     // that will grab the value of the return pointer, then call this
     // function, which we will then use to call the runtime.
     fn recv(dptr: *uint, port: *rust_port,
-            yield: *ctypes::uintptr_t,
-            killed: *ctypes::uintptr_t) unsafe {
-        rustrt::port_recv(dptr, port, yield, killed);
+            yield: *ctypes::uintptr_t) unsafe {
+        rustrt::port_recv(dptr, port, yield);
     }
     let yield = 0u;
     let yieldp = ptr::addr_of(yield);
-    let killed = 0u;
-    let killedp = ptr::addr_of(killed);
-    let res = rusti::call_with_retptr(bind recv(_, p, yieldp, killedp));
-    if killed != 0u {
-        fail "killed";
-    }
+    let res = rusti::call_with_retptr(bind recv(_, p, yieldp));
     if yield != 0u {
         // Data isn't available yet, so res has not been initialized.
         task::yield();
+    } else {
+        // In the absense of compiler-generated preemption points
+        // this is a good place to yield
+        task::yield();
     }
     ret res;
 }
@@ -186,6 +183,10 @@ fn select2<A: send, B: send>(
     if yield != 0u {
         // Wait for data
         task::yield();
+    } else {
+        // As in recv, this is a good place to yield anyway until
+        // the compiler generates yield calls
+        task::yield();
     }
 
     // Now we know the port we're supposed to receive from
diff --git a/src/rt/rust_builtin.cpp b/src/rt/rust_builtin.cpp
index 17c958633d19..d37245c29a41 100644
--- a/src/rt/rust_builtin.cpp
+++ b/src/rt/rust_builtin.cpp
@@ -543,10 +543,8 @@ rust_task_yield(rust_task *task, bool *killed) {
 }
 
 extern "C" CDECL void
-port_recv(uintptr_t *dptr, rust_port *port,
-          uintptr_t *yield, uintptr_t *killed) {
+port_recv(uintptr_t *dptr, rust_port *port, uintptr_t *yield) {
     *yield = false;
-    *killed = false;
     rust_task *task = rust_task_thread::get_task();
     {
         scoped_lock with(port->lock);
@@ -559,13 +557,6 @@ port_recv(uintptr_t *dptr, rust_port *port,
             return;
         }
 
-        // If this task has been killed then we're not going to bother
-        // blocking, we have to unwind.
-        if (task->must_fail_from_being_killed()) {
-            *killed = true;
-            return;
-        }
-
         // No data was buffered on any incoming channel, so block this task on
         // the port. Remember the rendezvous location so that any sender task
         // can write to it before waking up this task.