diff --git a/kernel/include/ksched.h b/kernel/include/ksched.h
index caae85444ae..4586ff95238 100644
--- a/kernel/include/ksched.h
+++ b/kernel/include/ksched.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ extern int _reschedule_yield(int key);
 extern void k_sched_unlock(void);
 extern void _pend_thread(struct k_thread *thread,
 			 _wait_q_t *wait_q, s32_t timeout);
-extern void _pend_current_thread(_wait_q_t *wait_q, s32_t timeout);
+extern int _pend_current_thread(int key, _wait_q_t *wait_q, s32_t timeout);
 extern void _move_thread_to_end_of_prio_q(struct k_thread *thread);
 extern int _is_thread_time_slicing(struct k_thread *thread);
 extern void _update_time_slice_before_swap(void);
diff --git a/kernel/mailbox.c b/kernel/mailbox.c
index 42bd8a029bc..fd02c734846 100644
--- a/kernel/mailbox.c
+++ b/kernel/mailbox.c
@@ -285,8 +285,8 @@ static int mbox_message_put(struct k_mbox *mbox, struct k_mbox_msg *tx_msg,
 			 * synchronous send: pend current thread (unqueued)
 			 * until the receiver consumes the message
 			 */
-			_pend_current_thread(NULL, K_FOREVER);
-			return _Swap(key);
+			return _pend_current_thread(key, NULL, K_FOREVER);
+
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -306,8 +306,7 @@ static int mbox_message_put(struct k_mbox *mbox, struct k_mbox_msg *tx_msg,
 #endif
 
 	/* synchronous send: sender waits on tx queue for receiver or timeout */
-	_pend_current_thread(&mbox->tx_msg_queue, timeout);
-	return _Swap(key);
+	return _pend_current_thread(key, &mbox->tx_msg_queue, timeout);
 }
 
 int k_mbox_put(struct k_mbox *mbox, struct k_mbox_msg *tx_msg, s32_t timeout)
@@ -461,9 +460,8 @@ int k_mbox_get(struct k_mbox *mbox, struct k_mbox_msg *rx_msg, void *buffer,
 	}
 
 	/* wait until a matching sender appears or a timeout occurs */
-	_pend_current_thread(&mbox->rx_msg_queue, timeout);
 	_current->base.swap_data = rx_msg;
-	result = _Swap(key);
+	result = _pend_current_thread(key, &mbox->rx_msg_queue, timeout);
 
 	/* consume message data immediately, if needed */
 	if (result == 0) {
diff --git a/kernel/mem_slab.c b/kernel/mem_slab.c
index 2dd8b5344d5..6c0c0476125 100644
--- a/kernel/mem_slab.c
+++ b/kernel/mem_slab.c
@@ -101,8 +101,7 @@ int k_mem_slab_alloc(struct k_mem_slab *slab, void **mem, s32_t timeout)
 		result = -ENOMEM;
 	} else {
 		/* wait for a free block or timeout */
-		_pend_current_thread(&slab->wait_q, timeout);
-		result = _Swap(key);
+		result = _pend_current_thread(key, &slab->wait_q, timeout);
 		if (result == 0) {
 			*mem = _current->base.swap_data;
 		}
diff --git a/kernel/mempool.c b/kernel/mempool.c
index 83b2437cb4f..ae7dca98e09 100644
--- a/kernel/mempool.c
+++ b/kernel/mempool.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ SYS_INIT(init_static_pools, PRE_KERNEL_1, CONFIG_KERNEL_INIT_PRIORITY_OBJECTS);
 int k_mem_pool_alloc(struct k_mem_pool *p, struct k_mem_block *block,
 		     size_t size, s32_t timeout)
 {
-	int ret, key;
+	int ret;
 	s64_t end = 0;
 
 	__ASSERT(!(_is_in_isr() && timeout != K_NO_WAIT), "");
@@ -74,9 +74,7 @@ int k_mem_pool_alloc(struct k_mem_pool *p, struct k_mem_block *block,
 			return ret;
 		}
 
-		key = irq_lock();
-		_pend_current_thread(&p->wait_q, timeout);
-		_Swap(key);
+		_pend_current_thread(irq_lock(), &p->wait_q, timeout);
 
 		if (timeout != K_FOREVER) {
 			timeout = end - _tick_get();
diff --git a/kernel/msg_q.c b/kernel/msg_q.c
index cd9810e5939..4b9ffe58ec5 100644
--- a/kernel/msg_q.c
+++ b/kernel/msg_q.c
@@ -112,9 +112,8 @@ int _impl_k_msgq_put(struct k_msgq *q, void *data, s32_t timeout)
 		result = -ENOMSG;
 	} else {
 		/* wait for put message success, failure, or timeout */
-		_pend_current_thread(&q->wait_q, timeout);
 		_current->base.swap_data = data;
-		return _reschedule_yield(key);
+		return _pend_current_thread(key, &q->wait_q, timeout);
 	}
 
 	irq_unlock(key);
@@ -195,9 +194,8 @@ int _impl_k_msgq_get(struct k_msgq *q, void *data, s32_t timeout)
 		result = -ENOMSG;
 	} else {
 		/* wait for get message success or timeout */
-		_pend_current_thread(&q->wait_q, timeout);
 		_current->base.swap_data = data;
-		return _Swap(key);
+		return _pend_current_thread(key, &q->wait_q, timeout);
 	}
 
 	irq_unlock(key);
diff --git a/kernel/mutex.c b/kernel/mutex.c
index 1602217d6b5..cddfad21597 100644
--- a/kernel/mutex.c
+++ b/kernel/mutex.c
@@ -158,9 +158,7 @@ int _impl_k_mutex_lock(struct k_mutex *mutex, s32_t timeout)
 		adjust_owner_prio(mutex, new_prio);
 	}
 
-	_pend_current_thread(&mutex->wait_q, timeout);
-
-	int got_mutex = _Swap(key);
+	int got_mutex = _pend_current_thread(key, &mutex->wait_q, timeout);
 
 	K_DEBUG("on mutex %p got_mutex value: %d\n", mutex, got_mutex);
 
diff --git a/kernel/pipes.c b/kernel/pipes.c
index d7204030140..aeddc6045ad 100644
--- a/kernel/pipes.c
+++ b/kernel/pipes.c
@@ -529,8 +529,7 @@ int _k_pipe_put_internal(struct k_pipe *pipe, struct k_pipe_async *async_desc,
 		 */
 		key = irq_lock();
 		_sched_unlock_no_reschedule();
-		_pend_current_thread(&pipe->wait_q.writers, timeout);
-		_Swap(key);
+		_pend_current_thread(key, &pipe->wait_q.writers, timeout);
 	} else {
 		k_sched_unlock();
 	}
@@ -672,8 +671,7 @@ int _impl_k_pipe_get(struct k_pipe *pipe, void *data, size_t bytes_to_read,
 		_current->base.swap_data = &pipe_desc;
 		key = irq_lock();
 		_sched_unlock_no_reschedule();
-		_pend_current_thread(&pipe->wait_q.readers, timeout);
-		_Swap(key);
+		_pend_current_thread(key, &pipe->wait_q.readers, timeout);
 	} else {
 		k_sched_unlock();
 	}
diff --git a/kernel/poll.c b/kernel/poll.c
index 7959476877d..858ec99ed3d 100644
--- a/kernel/poll.c
+++ b/kernel/poll.c
@@ -246,9 +246,7 @@ int k_poll(struct k_poll_event *events, int num_events, s32_t timeout)
 
 	_wait_q_t wait_q = _WAIT_Q_INIT(&wait_q);
 
-	_pend_current_thread(&wait_q, timeout);
-
-	int swap_rc = _Swap(key);
+	int swap_rc = _pend_current_thread(key, &wait_q, timeout);
 
 	/*
 	 * Clear all event registrations. If events happen while we're in this
diff --git a/kernel/queue.c b/kernel/queue.c
index e960a83c8e8..36ff8908a53 100644
--- a/kernel/queue.c
+++ b/kernel/queue.c
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ void *k_queue_get(struct k_queue *queue, s32_t timeout)
 	return k_queue_poll(queue, timeout);
 
 #else
-	_pend_current_thread(&queue->wait_q, timeout);
+	int ret = _pend_current_thread(key, &queue->wait_q, timeout);
 
-	return _Swap(key) ? NULL : _current->base.swap_data;
+	return ret ? NULL : _current->base.swap_data;
 #endif /* CONFIG_POLL */
 }
diff --git a/kernel/sched.c b/kernel/sched.c
index 1564e6afd2b..65f1376a8e5 100644
--- a/kernel/sched.c
+++ b/kernel/sched.c
@@ -240,12 +240,15 @@ inserted:
 #endif
 }
 
-/* pend the current thread */
-/* must be called with interrupts locked */
-void _pend_current_thread(_wait_q_t *wait_q, s32_t timeout)
+/* Block the current thread and swap to the next.  Releases the
+ * irq_lock, does a _Swap and returns the return value set at wakeup
+ * time
+ */
+int _pend_current_thread(int key, _wait_q_t *wait_q, s32_t timeout)
 {
 	_remove_thread_from_ready_q(_current);
 	_pend_thread(_current, wait_q, timeout);
+	return _Swap(key);
 }
 
 int _impl_k_thread_priority_get(k_tid_t thread)
diff --git a/kernel/sem.c b/kernel/sem.c
index cddd348c9e7..fccb8f1898e 100644
--- a/kernel/sem.c
+++ b/kernel/sem.c
@@ -160,9 +160,7 @@ int _impl_k_sem_take(struct k_sem *sem, s32_t timeout)
 		return -EBUSY;
 	}
 
-	_pend_current_thread(&sem->wait_q, timeout);
-
-	return _Swap(key);
+	return _pend_current_thread(key, &sem->wait_q, timeout);
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_USERSPACE
diff --git a/kernel/stack.c b/kernel/stack.c
index 2288a8f91a4..2713e539322 100644
--- a/kernel/stack.c
+++ b/kernel/stack.c
@@ -128,9 +128,8 @@ int _impl_k_stack_pop(struct k_stack *stack, u32_t *data, s32_t timeout)
 		return -EBUSY;
 	}
 
-	_pend_current_thread(&stack->wait_q, timeout);
+	result = _pend_current_thread(key, &stack->wait_q, timeout);
 
-	result = _Swap(key);
 	if (result == 0) {
 		*data = (u32_t)_current->base.swap_data;
 	}
diff --git a/kernel/timer.c b/kernel/timer.c
index cab55a3d96e..662321422ff 100644
--- a/kernel/timer.c
+++ b/kernel/timer.c
@@ -206,8 +206,7 @@ u32_t _impl_k_timer_status_sync(struct k_timer *timer)
 	if (result == 0) {
 		if (timer->timeout.delta_ticks_from_prev != _INACTIVE) {
 			/* wait for timer to expire or stop */
-			_pend_current_thread(&timer->wait_q, K_FOREVER);
-			_Swap(key);
+			_pend_current_thread(key, &timer->wait_q, K_FOREVER);
 
 			/* get updated timer status */
 			key = irq_lock();
diff --git a/lib/posix/pthread_barrier.c b/lib/posix/pthread_barrier.c
index 5e213cd0723..38554d0319e 100644
--- a/lib/posix/pthread_barrier.c
+++ b/lib/posix/pthread_barrier.c
@@ -24,9 +24,8 @@ int pthread_barrier_wait(pthread_barrier_t *b)
 		while (!sys_dlist_is_empty(&b->wait_q)) {
 			ready_one_thread(&b->wait_q);
 		}
+		return _reschedule_noyield(key);
 	} else {
-		_pend_current_thread(&b->wait_q, K_FOREVER);
+		return _pend_current_thread(key, &b->wait_q, K_FOREVER);
 	}
-
-	return _reschedule_noyield(key);
 }
diff --git a/lib/posix/pthread_cond.c b/lib/posix/pthread_cond.c
index e41744c0bcb..24e6987bb34 100644
--- a/lib/posix/pthread_cond.c
+++ b/lib/posix/pthread_cond.c
@@ -20,9 +20,7 @@ static int cond_wait(pthread_cond_t *cv, pthread_mutex_t *mut, int timeout)
 
 	mut->sem->count = 1;
 	ready_one_thread(&mut->sem->wait_q);
-	_pend_current_thread(&cv->wait_q, timeout);
-
-	ret = _reschedule_yield(key);
+	ret = _pend_current_thread(&cv->wait_q, timeout);
 
 	/* FIXME: this extra lock (and the potential context switch it
 	 * can cause) could be optimized out.  At the point of the