diff --git a/src/kern/root.zig b/src/kern/root.zig
index 41eb899..a9fd337 100644
--- a/src/kern/root.zig
+++ b/src/kern/root.zig
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ pub const shootdown = struct {
 
 pub const smr = struct {
     pub const advance = p.smr.advance;
+    pub const deferred_advance = p.smr.deferred_advance;
+    pub const deferred_advance_commit = p.smr.deferred_advance_commit;
     pub const exit = p.smr.exit;
     pub const enter = p.smr.enter;
     pub const poll = p.smr.poll;
diff --git a/src/kern/smr.zig b/src/kern/smr.zig
index dee8198..598b6d9 100644
--- a/src/kern/smr.zig
+++ b/src/kern/smr.zig
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const config = @import("config");
 
 const ke = r.ke;
 
-const Sequence = u64;
+pub const Sequence = u64;
 
 pub const seq_invalid: Sequence = 0;
 const seq_init: Sequence = 1;
@@ -139,6 +139,15 @@ pub fn poll(dom: *Domain, goal: Sequence, wait: bool) bool {
 
     clk.write_seq.raw = dom.clock.write_seq.load(.monotonic);
 
+    if (goal > clk.write_seq.raw) {
+        // The goal is a deferred advance that was never committed,
+        // there is nothing to wait for unless we commit it ourselves.
+        if (!wait) return false;
+
+        deferred_advance_commit(dom, goal);
+        clk.write_seq.raw = goal;
+    }
+
     const oldest = scan(dom, goal, clk, wait);
 
     if (goal <= oldest) {
@@ -155,6 +164,22 @@ pub fn advance(dom: *Domain) Sequence {
     return dom.clock.write_seq.fetchAdd(seq_incr, .release) + seq_incr;
 }
 
+/// Pretend-advance the write sequence and return the value for use as a wait goal.
+/// It is guaranteed that all previous memory writes made by
+/// the calling thread are visible. The global clock isn't advanced unlike `advance`,
+/// it is only when commit() is called.
+pub fn deferred_advance(dom: *Domain) Sequence {
+    rtl.barrier.mb();
+
+    return dom.clock.write_seq.load(.monotonic) + seq_incr;
+}
+
+/// Actually advance the global clock to a value previously returned by
+/// deferred_advance().
+pub fn deferred_advance_commit(dom: *Domain, seq: Sequence) void {
+    _ = dom.clock.write_seq.cmpxchgStrong(seq - seq_incr, seq, .monotonic, .monotonic);
+}
+
 /// Enter a read section.
 pub fn enter(dom: *Domain) ke.Ipl {
     const ipl = ke.ipl.raise(.Dispatch);