diff --git a/kernel/lib_queue.h b/kernel/lib_queue.h
index a5e0b723..750f4ca8 100644
--- a/kernel/lib_queue.h
+++ b/kernel/lib_queue.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 #define QUEUE_ANCHOR(PREFIX,KEYTYPE,HEAPTYPE)				\
 	/* parameters */						\
 	/* readonly from outside */					\
-	atomic_t q_queued;						\
+	int q_queued;							\
 	atomic_t q_flying;						\
 	/* tunables */							\
 	int q_batchlen;							\
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ void q_##PREFIX##_init(struct PREFIX##_queue *q)			\
 	q->heap_low = NULL;						\
 	q->heap_high = NULL;						\
 	spin_lock_init(&q->q_lock);					\
-	atomic_set(&q->q_queued, 0);					\
+	q->q_queued = 0;						\
 	atomic_set(&q->q_flying, 0);					\
 }									\
 									\
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ void q_##PREFIX##_insert(struct PREFIX##_queue *q, ELEM_TYPE *elem)	\
 	} else {							\
 		list_add_tail(&elem->HEAD, &q->q_anchor);		\
 	}								\
-	atomic_inc(&q->q_queued);					\
+	q->q_queued++;							\
 	q->q_last_insert = jiffies;					\
 									\
 	traced_unlock(&q->q_lock, flags);				\
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ void q_##PREFIX##_pushback(struct PREFIX##_queue *q, ELEM_TYPE *elem)	\
 	traced_lock(&q->q_lock, flags);					\
 									\
 	list_add(&elem->HEAD, &q->q_anchor);				\
-	atomic_inc(&q->q_queued);					\
+	q->q_queued++;							\
 									\
 	traced_unlock(&q->q_lock, flags);				\
 }									\
@@ -134,12 +134,12 @@ ELEM_TYPE *q_##PREFIX##_fetch(struct PREFIX##_queue *q)			\
 				memcpy(&q->heap_margin, KEYFN(elem), sizeof(q->heap_margin)); \
 			}						\
 			ph_delete_min_##HEAPTYPE(&q->heap_high);	\
-			atomic_dec(&q->q_queued);			\
+			q->q_queued--;					\
 		}							\
 	} else if (!list_empty(&q->q_anchor)) {				\
 		struct list_head *next = q->q_anchor.next;		\
 		list_del_init(next);					\
-		atomic_dec(&q->q_queued);				\
+		q->q_queued--;						\
 		elem = container_of(next, ELEM_TYPE, HEAD);		\
 	}								\
 									\
diff --git a/kernel/mars_trans_logger.c b/kernel/mars_trans_logger.c
index 6706c556..3939e65b 100644
--- a/kernel/mars_trans_logger.c
+++ b/kernel/mars_trans_logger.c
@@ -610,14 +610,15 @@ void _inf_callback(struct trans_logger_input *input, bool force)
 static inline 
 int _congested(struct trans_logger_brick *brick)
 {
-	return atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[0].q_queued)
-		|| atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[0].q_flying)
-		|| atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[1].q_queued)
-		|| atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[1].q_flying)
-		|| atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[2].q_queued)
-		|| atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[2].q_flying)
-		|| atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[3].q_queued)
-		|| atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[3].q_flying);
+	return
+		brick->q_phase[0].q_queued ||
+		atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[0].q_flying) ||
+		brick->q_phase[1].q_queued ||
+		atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[1].q_flying) ||
+		brick->q_phase[2].q_queued ||
+		atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[2].q_flying) ||
+		brick->q_phase[3].q_queued ||
+		atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[3].q_flying);
 }
 
 ////////////////// own brick / input / output operations //////////////////
@@ -2316,7 +2317,7 @@ int _do_ranking(struct trans_logger_brick *brick)
 
 	// obey the basic rules...
 	for (i = 0; i < LOGGER_QUEUES; i++) {
-		int queued = atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[i].q_queued);
+		int queued = brick->q_phase[i].q_queued;
 		int flying;
 
 		MARS_IO("i = %d queued = %d\n", i, queued);
@@ -2350,8 +2351,10 @@ int _do_ranking(struct trans_logger_brick *brick)
 			struct trans_logger_brick *leader;
 			int lim;
 
-			if (!mref_flying && atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[0].q_queued) > 0) {
-				MARS_IO("BAILOUT phase_[0]queued = %d phase_[0]flying = %d\n", atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[0].q_queued), atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[0].q_flying));
+			if (!mref_flying && brick->q_phase[0].q_queued > 0) {
+				MARS_IO("BAILOUT phase_[0]queued = %d phase_[0]flying = %d\n",
+					brick->q_phase[0].q_queued,
+					atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[0].q_flying));
 				break;
 			}
 
@@ -2568,7 +2571,7 @@ void flush_inputs(struct trans_logger_brick *brick, int flush_mode)
 {
 	if (flush_mode < 1 ||
 	    // there is nothing to append any more
-	    (atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[0].q_queued) <= 0 &&
+	    (brick->q_phase[0].q_queued <= 0 &&
 	     // and the user is waiting for an answer
 	     (flush_mode < 2 ||
 	      atomic_read(&brick->log_fly_count) > 0 ||
@@ -3247,19 +3250,19 @@ char *trans_logger_statistics(struct trans_logger_brick *brick, int verbose)
 		 atomic_read(&brick->log_fly_count),
 		 atomic_read(&brick->inputs[TL_INPUT_LOG1]->logst.mref_flying),
 		 atomic_read(&brick->inputs[TL_INPUT_LOG2]->logst.mref_flying),
-		 atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[0].q_queued),
+		 brick->q_phase[0].q_queued,
 		 atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[0].q_flying),
 		 brick->q_phase[0].pushback_count,
 		 brick->q_phase[0].no_progress_count,
-		 atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[1].q_queued),
+		 brick->q_phase[1].q_queued,
 		 atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[1].q_flying),
 		 brick->q_phase[1].pushback_count,
 		 brick->q_phase[1].no_progress_count,
-		 atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[2].q_queued),
+		 brick->q_phase[2].q_queued,
 		 atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[2].q_flying),
 		 brick->q_phase[2].pushback_count,
 		 brick->q_phase[2].no_progress_count,
-		 atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[3].q_queued),
+		 brick->q_phase[3].q_queued,
 		 atomic_read(&brick->q_phase[3].q_flying),
 		 brick->q_phase[3].pushback_count,
 		 brick->q_phase[3].no_progress_count);