diff --git a/include/mimalloc/atomic.h b/include/mimalloc/atomic.h
index 733dbf42..c6083102 100644
--- a/include/mimalloc/atomic.h
+++ b/include/mimalloc/atomic.h
@@ -421,9 +421,8 @@ static inline void mi_atomic_yield(void) {
 static inline bool mi_lock_try_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   return TryAcquireSRWLockExclusive(lock);
 }
-static inline bool mi_lock_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
+static inline void mi_lock_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   AcquireSRWLockExclusive(lock);
-  return true;
 }
 static inline void mi_lock_release(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   ReleaseSRWLockExclusive(lock);
@@ -432,7 +431,7 @@ static inline void mi_lock_init(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   InitializeSRWLock(lock);
 }
 static inline void mi_lock_done(mi_lock_t* lock) {
-  // nothing
+  (void)(lock);
 }
 
 #else
@@ -440,24 +439,20 @@ static inline void mi_lock_done(mi_lock_t* lock) {
 
 static inline bool mi_lock_try_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   return TryEnterCriticalSection(lock);
-  
 }
 static inline void mi_lock_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   EnterCriticalSection(lock);
-  
 }
 static inline void mi_lock_release(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   LeaveCriticalSection(lock);
-  
 }
 static inline void mi_lock_init(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   InitializeCriticalSection(lock);
-  
 }
 static inline void mi_lock_done(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   DeleteCriticalSection(lock);
-  
 }
+
 #endif
 
 #elif defined(MI_USE_PTHREADS)
@@ -467,8 +462,11 @@ static inline void mi_lock_done(mi_lock_t* lock) {
 static inline bool mi_lock_try_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   return (pthread_mutex_trylock(lock) == 0);
 }
-static inline bool mi_lock_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
-  return (pthread_mutex_lock(lock) == 0);
+static inline void mi_lock_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
+  const int err = pthread_mutex_lock(lock);
+  if (err != 0) {
+    mi_error_message(EFAULT, "internal error: lock cannot be acquired\n");
+  }
 }
 static inline void mi_lock_release(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   pthread_mutex_unlock(lock);
@@ -488,9 +486,8 @@ static inline void mi_lock_done(mi_lock_t* lock) {
 static inline bool mi_lock_try_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   return lock->try_lock();
 }
-static inline bool mi_lock_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
+static inline void mi_lock_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   lock->lock();
-  return true;
 }
 static inline void mi_lock_release(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   lock->unlock();
@@ -513,12 +510,11 @@ static inline bool mi_lock_try_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   uintptr_t expected = 0;
   return mi_atomic_cas_strong_acq_rel(lock, &expected, (uintptr_t)1);
 }
-static inline bool mi_lock_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
+static inline void mi_lock_acquire(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   for (int i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {  // for at most 1000 tries?
-    if (mi_lock_try_acquire(lock)) return true;
+    if (mi_lock_try_acquire(lock)) return;
     mi_atomic_yield();
   }
-  return true;
 }
 static inline void mi_lock_release(mi_lock_t* lock) {
   mi_atomic_store_release(lock, (uintptr_t)0);
diff --git a/src/arena.c b/src/arena.c
index 86ac5955..0ddb2936 100644
--- a/src/arena.c
+++ b/src/arena.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ The arena allocation needs to be thread safe and we use an atomic bitmap to allo
 typedef struct mi_arena_s {
   mi_arena_id_t       id;                   // arena id; 0 for non-specific
   mi_memid_t          memid;                // memid of the memory area
-  _Atomic(uint8_t*)start;                // the start of the memory area
+  _Atomic(uint8_t*)   start;                // the start of the memory area
   size_t              block_count;          // size of the area in arena blocks (of `MI_ARENA_BLOCK_SIZE`)
   size_t              field_count;          // number of bitmap fields (where `field_count * MI_BITMAP_FIELD_BITS >= block_count`)
   size_t              meta_size;            // size of the arena structure itself (including its bitmaps)
@@ -42,12 +42,13 @@ typedef struct mi_arena_s {
   bool                exclusive;            // only allow allocations if specifically for this arena
   bool                is_large;             // memory area consists of large- or huge OS pages (always committed)
   mi_lock_t           abandoned_visit_lock; // lock is only used when abandoned segments are being visited
-  _Atomic(size_t)search_idx;           // optimization to start the search for free blocks
-  _Atomic(mi_msecs_t)purge_expire;         // expiration time when blocks should be decommitted from `blocks_decommit`.
-  mi_bitmap_field_t* blocks_dirty;         // are the blocks potentially non-zero?
-  mi_bitmap_field_t* blocks_committed;     // are the blocks committed? (can be NULL for memory that cannot be decommitted)
-  mi_bitmap_field_t* blocks_purge;         // blocks that can be (reset) decommitted. (can be NULL for memory that cannot be (reset) decommitted)
-  mi_bitmap_field_t* blocks_abandoned;     // blocks that start with an abandoned segment. (This crosses API's but it is convenient to have here)
+  _Atomic(size_t)     search_idx;           // optimization to start the search for free blocks
+  _Atomic(mi_msecs_t) purge_expire;         // expiration time when blocks should be purged from `blocks_purge`.
+  
+  mi_bitmap_field_t*  blocks_dirty;         // are the blocks potentially non-zero?
+  mi_bitmap_field_t*  blocks_committed;     // are the blocks committed? (can be NULL for memory that cannot be decommitted)
+  mi_bitmap_field_t*  blocks_purge;         // blocks that can be (reset) decommitted. (can be NULL for memory that cannot be (reset) decommitted)
+  mi_bitmap_field_t*  blocks_abandoned;     // blocks that start with an abandoned segment. (This crosses API's but it is convenient to have here)
   mi_bitmap_field_t   blocks_inuse[1];      // in-place bitmap of in-use blocks (of size `field_count`)
   // do not add further fields here as the dirty, committed, purged, and abandoned bitmaps follow the inuse bitmap fields.
 } mi_arena_t;
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ typedef struct mi_arena_s {
 // The available arenas
 static mi_decl_cache_align _Atomic(mi_arena_t*) mi_arenas[MI_MAX_ARENAS];
 static mi_decl_cache_align _Atomic(size_t)      mi_arena_count; // = 0
+static mi_decl_cache_align _Atomic(int64_t)     mi_arenas_purge_expire; // set if there exist purgeable arenas
 
 #define MI_IN_ARENA_C
 #include "arena-abandon.c"
@@ -349,11 +351,10 @@ static mi_decl_noinline void* mi_arena_try_alloc(int numa_node, size_t size, siz
 }
 
 // try to reserve a fresh arena space
-static bool mi_arena_reserve(size_t req_size, bool allow_large, mi_arena_id_t req_arena_id, mi_arena_id_t *arena_id)
+static bool mi_arena_reserve(size_t req_size, bool allow_large, mi_arena_id_t *arena_id)
 {
   if (_mi_preloading()) return false;  // use OS only while pre loading
-  if (req_arena_id != _mi_arena_id_none()) return false;
-
+  
   const size_t arena_count = mi_atomic_load_acquire(&mi_arena_count);
   if (arena_count > (MI_MAX_ARENAS - 4)) return false;
 
@@ -403,7 +404,7 @@ void* _mi_arena_alloc_aligned(size_t size, size_t alignment, size_t align_offset
       // otherwise, try to first eagerly reserve a new arena
       if (req_arena_id == _mi_arena_id_none()) {
         mi_arena_id_t arena_id = 0;
-        if (mi_arena_reserve(size, allow_large, req_arena_id, &arena_id)) {
+        if (mi_arena_reserve(size, allow_large, &arena_id)) {
           // and try allocate in there
           mi_assert_internal(req_arena_id == _mi_arena_id_none());
           p = mi_arena_try_alloc_at_id(arena_id, true, numa_node, size, alignment, commit, allow_large, req_arena_id, memid);
@@ -497,13 +498,16 @@ static void mi_arena_schedule_purge(mi_arena_t* arena, size_t bitmap_idx, size_t
     mi_arena_purge(arena, bitmap_idx, blocks);
   }
   else {
-    // schedule decommit
-    mi_msecs_t expire = mi_atomic_loadi64_relaxed(&arena->purge_expire);
-    if (expire != 0) {
-      mi_atomic_addi64_acq_rel(&arena->purge_expire, (mi_msecs_t)(delay/10));  // add smallish extra delay
+    // schedule purge
+    const mi_msecs_t expire = _mi_clock_now() + delay;
+    mi_msecs_t expire0 = 0;
+    if (mi_atomic_casi64_strong_acq_rel(&arena->purge_expire, &expire0, expire)) {
+      // expiration was not yet set
+      // maybe set the global arenas expire as well (if it wasn't set already)
+      mi_atomic_casi64_strong_acq_rel(&mi_arenas_purge_expire, &expire0, expire);
     }
     else {
-      mi_atomic_storei64_release(&arena->purge_expire, _mi_clock_now() + delay);
+      // already an expiration was set
     }
     _mi_bitmap_claim_across(arena->blocks_purge, arena->field_count, blocks, bitmap_idx, NULL);
   }
@@ -538,14 +542,16 @@ static bool mi_arena_purge_range(mi_arena_t* arena, size_t idx, size_t startidx,
 // returns true if anything was purged
 static bool mi_arena_try_purge(mi_arena_t* arena, mi_msecs_t now, bool force)
 {
-  if (arena->memid.is_pinned || arena->blocks_purge == NULL) return false;
+  // check pre-conditions
+  if (arena->memid.is_pinned) return false;
+   
+  // expired yet?
   mi_msecs_t expire = mi_atomic_loadi64_relaxed(&arena->purge_expire);
-  if (expire == 0) return false;
-  if (!force && expire > now) return false;
+  if (!force && (expire == 0 || expire > now)) return false;
 
   // reset expire (if not already set concurrently)
   mi_atomic_casi64_strong_acq_rel(&arena->purge_expire, &expire, (mi_msecs_t)0);
-
+  
   // potential purges scheduled, walk through the bitmap
   bool any_purged = false;
   bool full_purge = true;
@@ -592,9 +598,15 @@ static bool mi_arena_try_purge(mi_arena_t* arena, mi_msecs_t now, bool force)
   return any_purged;
 }
 
-static void mi_arenas_try_purge( bool force, bool visit_all ) {
+static void mi_arenas_try_purge( bool force, bool visit_all ) 
+{
   if (_mi_preloading() || mi_arena_purge_delay() <= 0) return;  // nothing will be scheduled
 
+  // check if any arena needs purging?
+  const mi_msecs_t now = _mi_clock_now();
+  mi_msecs_t arenas_expire = mi_atomic_load_acquire(&mi_arenas_purge_expire);
+  if (!force && (arenas_expire == 0 || arenas_expire < now)) return;
+
   const size_t max_arena = mi_atomic_load_acquire(&mi_arena_count);
   if (max_arena == 0) return;
 
@@ -602,17 +614,26 @@ static void mi_arenas_try_purge( bool force, bool visit_all ) {
   static mi_atomic_guard_t purge_guard;
   mi_atomic_guard(&purge_guard)
   {
-    mi_msecs_t now = _mi_clock_now();
-    size_t max_purge_count = (visit_all ? max_arena : 1);
+    // increase global expire: at most one purge per delay cycle
+    mi_atomic_store_release(&mi_arenas_purge_expire, now + mi_arena_purge_delay());  
+    size_t max_purge_count = (visit_all ? max_arena : 2);
+    bool all_visited = true;
     for (size_t i = 0; i < max_arena; i++) {
       mi_arena_t* arena = mi_atomic_load_ptr_acquire(mi_arena_t, &mi_arenas[i]);
       if (arena != NULL) {
         if (mi_arena_try_purge(arena, now, force)) {
-          if (max_purge_count <= 1) break;
+          if (max_purge_count <= 1) {
+            all_visited = false;
+            break;
+          }
           max_purge_count--;
         }
       }
     }
+    if (all_visited) {
+      // all arena's were visited and purged: reset global expire
+      mi_atomic_store_release(&mi_arenas_purge_expire, 0);
+    }
   }
 }