diff --git a/include/elem_circ.h b/include/elem_circ.h
index 14bb414..73bcd32 100644
--- a/include/elem_circ.h
+++ b/include/elem_circ.h
@@ -286,8 +286,9 @@ public:
     }
 
     template <typename F>
-    bool pop(detail::u2_t& cur, F&& f) noexcept {
-        return base_t::pop(this, cur, std::forward<F>(f), block_);
+    bool pop(detail::u2_t* cur, F&& f) noexcept {
+        if (cur == nullptr) return false;
+        return base_t::pop(this, *cur, std::forward<F>(f), block_);
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/include/queue.h b/include/queue.h
index 5c8d2d5..3baa542 100644
--- a/include/queue.h
+++ b/include/queue.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public:
         return elems_;
     }
 
-    std::size_t connect() noexcept {
+    std::size_t connect() {
         if (elems_ == nullptr) return invalid_value;
         if (connected_.exchange(true, std::memory_order_acq_rel)) {
             // if it's already connected, just return an error count
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public:
         return ret;
     }
 
-    std::size_t disconnect() noexcept {
+    std::size_t disconnect() {
         if (elems_ == nullptr) return invalid_value;
         if (!connected_.exchange(false, std::memory_order_acq_rel)) {
             // if it's already disconnected, just return an error count
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ public:
     }
 
     template <typename... P>
-    auto push(P&&... params) noexcept {
+    auto push(P&&... params) {
         if (elems_ == nullptr) return false;
         if (elems_->push([&](void* p) {
             ::new (p) T(std::forward<P>(params)...);
@@ -126,13 +126,13 @@ public:
         return false;
     }
 
-    T pop() noexcept {
+    T pop() {
         if (elems_ == nullptr) {
             return {};
         }
         T item;
         for (unsigned k = 0;;) {
-            if (elems_->pop(cursor_, [&item](void* p) {
+            if (elems_->pop(&cursor_, [&item](void* p) {
                 ::new (&item) T(std::move(*static_cast<T*>(p)));
             })) {
                 return item;
diff --git a/test/test_circ.cpp b/test/test_circ.cpp
index a2d7a62..c9c0bf1 100644
--- a/test/test_circ.cpp
+++ b/test/test_circ.cpp
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ struct test_cq<ipc::circ::elem_array<D, P>> {
     void recv(cn_t cur, F&& proc) {
         while (1) {
             msg_t msg;
-            while (ca_->pop(cur, [&msg](void* p) {
+            while (ca_->pop(&cur, [&msg](void* p) {
                 msg = *static_cast<msg_t*>(p);
             })) {
                 if (msg.pid_ < 0) {