diff --git a/src/hx/atomic/AtomicInt.cpp b/src/hx/atomic/AtomicInt.cpp
index dfe4dfb4e..99ad3cb7e 100644
--- a/src/hx/atomic/AtomicInt.cpp
+++ b/src/hx/atomic/AtomicInt.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 #include "hx/atomic/AtomicInt.hpp"
 #include <atomic>
 
+// Atomic operations never block, so they don't enter a GC free zone. Each one is still a GC
+// safe point, so that a loop which spins on atomics without allocating can't stall a collection.
+
 struct hx::atomic::AtomicInt_obj::Impl
 {
 	std::atomic_int atomic;
@@ -14,42 +17,42 @@ hx::atomic::AtomicInt_obj::AtomicInt_obj(int val) : impl(new Impl())
 
 int hx::atomic::AtomicInt_obj::fetchAdd(int val)
 {
-	hx::AutoGCFreeZone _;
+	__hxcpp_gc_safe_point();
 
 	return impl->atomic.fetch_add(val);
 }
 
 int hx::atomic::AtomicInt_obj::fetchSub(int val)
 {
-	hx::AutoGCFreeZone _;
+	__hxcpp_gc_safe_point();
 
 	return impl->atomic.fetch_sub(val);
 }
 
 int hx::atomic::AtomicInt_obj::fetchAnd(int val)
 {
-	hx::AutoGCFreeZone _;
+	__hxcpp_gc_safe_point();
 
 	return impl->atomic.fetch_and(val);
 }
 
 int hx::atomic::AtomicInt_obj::fetchXor(int val)
 {
-	hx::AutoGCFreeZone _;
+	__hxcpp_gc_safe_point();
 
 	return impl->atomic.fetch_xor(val);
 }
 
 int hx::atomic::AtomicInt_obj::fetchOr(int val)
 {
-	hx::AutoGCFreeZone _;
+	__hxcpp_gc_safe_point();
 
 	return impl->atomic.fetch_or(val);
 }
 
 int hx::atomic::AtomicInt_obj::store(int val)
 {
-	hx::AutoGCFreeZone _;
+	__hxcpp_gc_safe_point();
 
 	impl->atomic.store(val);
 
@@ -58,21 +61,21 @@ int hx::atomic::AtomicInt_obj::store(int val)
 
 int hx::atomic::AtomicInt_obj::load()
 {
-	hx::AutoGCFreeZone _;
+	__hxcpp_gc_safe_point();
 
 	return impl->atomic.load();
 }
 
 int hx::atomic::AtomicInt_obj::exchange(int val)
 {
-	hx::AutoGCFreeZone _;
+	__hxcpp_gc_safe_point();
 
 	return impl->atomic.exchange(val);
 }
 
 int hx::atomic::AtomicInt_obj::compareExchange(int expected, int replacement)
 {
-	hx::AutoGCFreeZone _;
+	__hxcpp_gc_safe_point();
 
 	// On failure, compare_exchange_strong stores the current value in `original`.
 	int original{ expected };
diff --git a/src/hx/atomic/AtomicObject.cpp b/src/hx/atomic/AtomicObject.cpp
index b2ea5c5ac..d7babd200 100644
--- a/src/hx/atomic/AtomicObject.cpp
+++ b/src/hx/atomic/AtomicObject.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 #include "hx/atomic/AtomicObject.hpp"
 #include <atomic>
 
+// Atomic operations never block, so they don't enter a GC free zone. Each one is still a GC
+// safe point, so that a loop which spins on atomics without allocating can't stall a collection.
+
 struct hx::atomic::AtomicObject_obj::Impl
 {
 	std::atomic<hx::Object*> atomic;
@@ -34,9 +37,9 @@ void hx::atomic::AtomicObject_obj::__Visit(HX_VISIT_PARAMS)
 
 Dynamic hx::atomic::AtomicObject_obj::store(Dynamic val)
 {
-	hx::EnterGCFreeZone();
+	__hxcpp_gc_safe_point();
+
 	impl->atomic.store(val);
-	hx::ExitGCFreeZone();
 
 	HX_OBJ_WB_GET(this, val.mPtr);
 
@@ -45,16 +48,16 @@ Dynamic hx::atomic::AtomicObject_obj::store(Dynamic val)
 
 Dynamic hx::atomic::AtomicObject_obj::load()
 {
-	hx::AutoGCFreeZone _;
+	__hxcpp_gc_safe_point();
 
 	return impl->atomic.load();
 }
 
 Dynamic hx::atomic::AtomicObject_obj::exchange(Dynamic val)
 {
-	hx::EnterGCFreeZone();
+	__hxcpp_gc_safe_point();
+
 	Dynamic old{ impl->atomic.exchange(val) };
-	hx::ExitGCFreeZone();
 
 	HX_OBJ_WB_GET(this, val.mPtr);
 
@@ -63,25 +66,19 @@ Dynamic hx::atomic::AtomicObject_obj::exchange(Dynamic val)
 
 Dynamic hx::atomic::AtomicObject_obj::compareExchange(Dynamic expected, Dynamic replacement)
 {
+	__hxcpp_gc_safe_point();
+
 	// Note: using Dynamic instead of hx::Object* is important
 	// Dynamic has an overloaded == operator, a raw pointer to hx::Object does not.
 	Dynamic original{ impl->atomic.load() };
 	while (original == expected)
 	{
-		hx::EnterGCFreeZone();
 		if (impl->atomic.compare_exchange_strong(original.mPtr, replacement.mPtr))
 		{
-			hx::ExitGCFreeZone();
-
 			HX_OBJ_WB_GET(this, replacement.mPtr);
 
 			return original;
 		}
-		else
-		{
-			hx::ExitGCFreeZone();
-			continue;
-		}
 	}
 
 	return original;