diff --git a/atomic-primops/Data/Atomics.hs b/atomic-primops/Data/Atomics.hs
index 85d616d..da222a2 100644
--- a/atomic-primops/Data/Atomics.hs
+++ b/atomic-primops/Data/Atomics.hs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 module Data.Atomics
  (
    -- * Types for atomic operations
-   Ticket, peekTicket, -- CASResult(..),
+   Ticket, peekTicket, peekTicketA, -- CASResult(..),
 
    -- * Atomic operations on IORefs
    readForCAS, casIORef, casIORef2,
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ import Data.Primitive.ByteArray (MutableByteArray(MutableByteArray))
 import Data.Atomics.Internal
 
 import Data.IORef
-import GHC.IORef hiding (atomicModifyIORef)
+import GHC.IORef (IORef (..))
 import GHC.STRef
 import GHC.Exts hiding ((==#))
 import qualified GHC.PrimopWrappers as GPW
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@ import GHC.IO (IO(IO))
 
 #ifdef DEBUG_ATOMICS
 #warning "Activating DEBUG_ATOMICS... NOINLINE's and more"
-{-# NOINLINE seal #-}
-
 {-# NOINLINE casIORef #-}
 {-# NOINLINE casArrayElem2 #-}
 {-# NOINLINE readArrayElem #-}
@@ -122,11 +120,8 @@ casArrayElem2 (MutableArray arr#) (I# i#) old new = IO$ \s1# ->
 
 -- | Ordinary processor load instruction (non-atomic, not implying any memory barriers).
 readArrayElem :: forall a . MutableArray RealWorld a -> Int -> IO (Ticket a)
--- readArrayElem = unsafeCoerce# readArray#
-readArrayElem (MutableArray arr#) (I# i#) = IO $ \ st -> unsafeCoerce# (fn st)
-  where
-    fn :: State# RealWorld -> (# State# RealWorld, a #)
-    fn = readArray# arr# i#
+readArrayElem (MutableArray arr#) (I# i#) = IO $ \ st ->
+  readArrayElem# arr# i# st
 
 -- | Compare and swap on word-sized chunks of a byte-array.  For indexing purposes
 -- the bytearray is treated as an array of words (`Int`s).  Note that UNLIKE
@@ -147,7 +142,7 @@ casByteArrayInt (MutableByteArray mba#) (I# ix#) (I# old#) (I# new#) =
   -- case casByteArrayInt# mba# ix# old# new# s1# of
   --   (# s2#, x#, res #) -> (# s2#, (x# ==# 0#, I# res) #)
 
-  let (# s2#, res #) = casIntArray# mba# ix# old# new# s1# in
+  let !(# s2#, res #) = casIntArray# mba# ix# old# new# s1# in
   (# s2#, (I# res) #)
   -- I don't know if a let will mak any difference here... hopefully not.
 
@@ -162,7 +157,7 @@ fetchAddIntArray :: MutableByteArray RealWorld
                      -> Int    -- ^ The value to be added
                      -> IO Int -- ^ The value *before* the addition
 fetchAddIntArray (MutableByteArray mba#) (I# offset#) (I# incr#) = IO $ \ s1# ->
-  let (# s2#, res #) = fetchAddIntArray# mba# offset# incr# s1# in
+  let !(# s2#, res #) = fetchAddIntArray# mba# offset# incr# s1# in
   (# s2#, (I# res) #)
 
 
@@ -215,7 +210,7 @@ doAtomicRMW :: (MutableByteArray# RealWorld -> Int# -> Int# -> State# RealWorld
 doAtomicRMW atomicOp# =
   \(MutableByteArray mba#) (I# offset#) (I# val#) ->
     IO $ \ s1# ->
-      let (# s2#, res #) = atomicOp# mba# offset# val# s1# in
+      let !(# s2#, res #) = atomicOp# mba# offset# val# s1# in
       (# s2#, (I# res) #)
 
 
@@ -227,7 +222,7 @@ doAtomicRMW atomicOp# =
 --   such as in GCC's `__sync_add_and_fetch`.
 fetchAddByteArrayInt ::  MutableByteArray RealWorld -> Int -> Int -> IO Int
 fetchAddByteArrayInt (MutableByteArray mba#) (I# offset#) (I# incr#) = IO $ \ s1# ->
-  let (# s2#, res #) = fetchAddIntArray# mba# offset# incr# s1# in
+  let !(# s2#, res #) = fetchAddIntArray# mba# offset# incr# s1# in
   (# s2#, (I# (res +# incr#)) #)
 
 
@@ -301,19 +296,6 @@ casIORef2 (IORef (STRef var)) old new = casMutVar2 var old new
 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
--- | A ticket contains or can get the usable Haskell value.
---   This function does just that.
-{-# NOINLINE peekTicket #-}
--- At least this function MUST remain NOINLINE.  Issue5 is an example of a bug that
--- ensues otherwise.
-peekTicket :: Ticket a -> a
-peekTicket = unsafeCoerce#
-
--- Not exposing this for now.  Presently the idea is that you must read from the
--- mutable data structure itself to get a ticket.
-seal :: a -> Ticket a
-seal = unsafeCoerce#
-
 -- | Like `readForCAS`, but for `MutVar#`.
 readMutVarForCAS :: MutVar# RealWorld a -> IO ( Ticket a )
 readMutVarForCAS mv = IO$ \ st -> readForCAS# mv st
@@ -381,8 +363,8 @@ foreign import ccall unsafe "DUP_write_barrier" writeBarrier
 -- | A drop-in replacement for `atomicModifyIORef` that
 --   optimistically attempts to compute the new value and CAS it into
 --   place without introducing new thunks or locking anything.  Note
---   that this is more STRICT than its standard counterpart and will only
---   place evaluated (WHNF) values in the IORef.
+--   that this is more STRICT than its standard counterpart; the value in the
+--   'IORef` will always be forced to WHNF before the function returns.
 --
 --   The upside is that sometimes we see a performance benefit.
 --   The downside is that this version is speculative -- when it
@@ -396,9 +378,10 @@ atomicModifyIORefCAS ref fn = do
    loop tick effort
   where
    effort = 30 :: Int -- TODO: Tune this.
-   loop _   0     = atomicModifyIORef ref fn -- Fall back to the regular version.
+   loop _   0     = atomicModifyIORef ref (\x -> let r = fn x in fst r `seq` r) -- Fall back to the regular version.
    loop old tries = do
-     (new,result) <- evaluate $ fn $ peekTicket old
+     oldVal <- peekTicketA old
+     (new,result) <- evaluate $ fn $ oldVal
      (b,tick) <- casIORef ref old new
      if b
       then return result
@@ -415,9 +398,10 @@ atomicModifyIORefCAS_ ref fn = do
    loop tick effort
   where
    effort = 30 :: Int -- TODO: Tune this.
-   loop _   0     = atomicModifyIORef ref (\ x -> (fn x, ()))
+   loop _   0     = atomicModifyIORef ref (\ x -> let r = fn x in r `seq` (fn x, ()))
    loop old tries = do
-     new <- evaluate $ fn $ peekTicket old
+     oldVal <- peekTicketA old
+     new <- evaluate $ fn $ oldVal
      (b,val) <- casIORef ref old new
      if b
       then return ()
diff --git a/atomic-primops/Data/Atomics/Counter.hs b/atomic-primops/Data/Atomics/Counter.hs
index f9747fa..eb481a8 100644
--- a/atomic-primops/Data/Atomics/Counter.hs
+++ b/atomic-primops/Data/Atomics/Counter.hs
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ peekCTicket !x = x
 casCounter :: AtomicCounter -> CTicket -> Int -> IO (Bool, CTicket)
 -- casCounter (AtomicCounter barr) !old !new =
 casCounter (AtomicCounter mba#) (I# old#) newBox@(I# new#) = IO$ \s1# ->
-  let (# s2#, res# #) = casIntArray# mba# 0# old# new# s1# in
+  let !(# s2#, res# #) = casIntArray# mba# 0# old# new# s1# in
   case res# ==# old# of 
     False -> (# s2#, (False, I# res# ) #) -- Failure
     True  -> (# s2#, (True , newBox ) #) -- Success
@@ -130,12 +130,12 @@ casCounter (AtomicCounter mba#) (I# old#) newBox@(I# new#) = IO$ \s1# ->
 --   loop like CAS.
 incrCounter :: Int -> AtomicCounter -> IO Int
 incrCounter (I# incr#) (AtomicCounter mba#) = IO $ \ s1# -> 
-  let (# s2#, res #) = fetchAddIntArray# mba# 0# incr# s1# in
+  let !(# s2#, res #) = fetchAddIntArray# mba# 0# incr# s1# in
   (# s2#, (I# (res +# incr#)) #)
 
 {-# INLINE incrCounter_ #-}
 -- | An alternate version for when you don't care about the old value.
 incrCounter_ :: Int -> AtomicCounter -> IO ()
 incrCounter_ (I# incr#) (AtomicCounter mba#) = IO $ \ s1# -> 
-  let (# s2#, _ #) = fetchAddIntArray# mba# 0# incr# s1# in
+  let !(# s2#, _ #) = fetchAddIntArray# mba# 0# incr# s1# in
   (# s2#, () #)
diff --git a/atomic-primops/Data/Atomics/Internal.hs b/atomic-primops/Data/Atomics/Internal.hs
index 6bd36a2..a1a3e36 100644
--- a/atomic-primops/Data/Atomics/Internal.hs
+++ b/atomic-primops/Data/Atomics/Internal.hs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 {-# LANGUAGE CPP, TypeSynonymInstances, BangPatterns #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE ForeignFunctionInterface, GHCForeignImportPrim, MagicHash, UnboxedTuples, UnliftedFFITypes #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-}
 
 #define CASTFUN
 
@@ -9,24 +10,36 @@ module Data.Atomics.Internal
    (
     casIntArray#, fetchAddIntArray#,
     readForCAS#, casMutVarTicketed#, casArrayTicketed#,
+    readArrayElem#,
     Ticket,
-    -- * Very unsafe, not to be used
-    ptrEq
+    peekTicket,
+    peekTicketA,
+    seal,
+    -- * Very unsafe; for testing only
+    reallyUnsafeTicketEquality
    )
   where
 
-import GHC.Exts (Int(I#), Any, RealWorld, Int#, State#, MutableArray#, MutVar#,
-                 unsafeCoerce#, reallyUnsafePtrEquality#,
-                 casArray#, casIntArray#, fetchAddIntArray#, readMutVar#, casMutVar#)
+import GHC.Exts (Int(I#), RealWorld, Int#, State#, MutableArray#, MutVar#,
+                 reallyUnsafePtrEquality#, readArray#,
+                 casArray#, casIntArray#, fetchAddIntArray#, readMutVar#, casMutVar#, lazy)
 
 #ifdef DEBUG_ATOMICS
 {-# NOINLINE readForCAS# #-}
+{-# NOINLINE readArrayElem# #-}
 {-# NOINLINE casMutVarTicketed# #-}
 {-# NOINLINE casArrayTicketed# #-}
+{-# NOINLINE peekTicket #-}
+{-# NOINLINE peekTicketA #-}
+{-# NOINLINE seal #-}
 #else
--- {-# INLINE casMutVarTicketed# #-}
+{-# INLINE readForCAS# #-}
+{-# INLINE readArrayElem# #-}
+{-# INLINE casMutVarTicketed# #-}
 {-# INLINE casArrayTicketed# #-}
--- I *think* inlining may be ok here as long as casting happens on the arrow types:
+{-# INLINE peekTicket #-}
+{-# INLINE peekTicketA #-}
+{-# INLINE seal #-}
 #endif
 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -34,50 +47,74 @@ import GHC.Exts (Int(I#), Any, RealWorld, Int#, State#, MutableArray#, MutVar#,
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 -- | Unsafe, machine-level atomic compare and swap on an element within an Array.
-casArrayTicketed# :: MutableArray# RealWorld a -> Int# -> Ticket a -> Ticket a
+casArrayTicketed# :: forall a. MutableArray# RealWorld a -> Int# -> Ticket a -> Ticket a
           -> State# RealWorld -> (# State# RealWorld, Int#, Ticket a #)
 -- WARNING: cast of a function -- need to verify these are safe or eta expand.
-casArrayTicketed# = unsafeCoerce# casArray#
+casArrayTicketed# arr i (Ticket old) (Ticket new) s =
+  case casArray# arr i old new s of
+    (# s', flag, a #) -> (# s', flag, Ticket a #)
 
--- | When performing compare-and-swaps, the /ticket/ encapsulates proof
--- that a thread observed a specific previous value of a mutable
--- variable.  It is provided in lieu of the "old" value to
--- compare-and-swap.
+-- | Ordinary processor load instruction (non-atomic, not implying any memory barriers).
+readArrayElem# :: forall a . MutableArray# RealWorld a -> Int#
+  -> State# RealWorld -> (# State# RealWorld, Ticket a #)
+readArrayElem# arr i s =
+  case readArray# arr i s of
+    (# s', a #) -> (# s', Ticket a #)
+
+-- | When performing compare-and-swaps, the /ticket/ encapsulates proof that a
+-- thread observed a specific previous value of a mutable variable.  It is
+-- provided in lieu of the "old" value to compare-and-swap.
 --
 -- Design note: `Ticket`s exist to hide objects from the GHC compiler, which
--- can normally perform many optimizations that change pointer equality.  A Ticket,
--- on the other hand, is a first-class object that can be handled by the user,
--- but will not have its pointer identity changed by compiler optimizations
--- (but will of course, change addresses during garbage collection).
-newtype Ticket a = Ticket Any
--- If we allow tickets to be a pointer type, then the garbage collector will update
--- the pointer when the object moves.
+-- can normally perform many optimizations that change pointer equality.  A
+-- Ticket, on the other hand, is a first-class object that can be handled by
+-- the user, but will not have its pointer identity changed by compiler
+-- optimizations (but will of course, change addresses during garbage
+-- collection).
+data Ticket a = Ticket a
+-- If we allow tickets to be a pointer type, then the garbage collector will
+-- update the pointer when the object moves.
+
+-- | Wrap up a Haskell value in a ticket. This is not exposed "publicly" for
+-- now.  Presently the idea is that you must read from the mutable data
+-- structure itself to get a ticket.
+seal :: a -> Ticket a
+seal = Ticket
+
+-- | Extract a usable Haskell value from a ticket. In many cases, it is better
+-- to use 'peekTicketA', to ensure the ticket is unboxed. @peekTicket@
+-- works fine in strict contexts, however.
+peekTicket :: Ticket a -> a
+-- We use 'lazy' to guarantee that GHC's strictness analysis won't
+-- force the ticket contents too early if it sees that the result of
+-- `peekTicket` is eventually forced.
+peekTicket (Ticket a) = lazy a
+
+-- | Extract a usable Haskell value from a ticket.
+peekTicketA :: Applicative f => Ticket a -> f a
+-- We use 'lazy' to guarantee that GHC's strictness analysis won't
+-- force the ticket contents too early if it sees that the result of
+-- `peekTicket#` is eventually forced.
+peekTicketA (Ticket a) = pure (lazy a)
 
 instance Show (Ticket a) where
   show _ = "<CAS_ticket>"
 
-{-# NOINLINE ptrEq #-}
-ptrEq :: a -> a -> Bool
-ptrEq !x !y = I# (reallyUnsafePtrEquality# x y) == 1
-
-instance Eq (Ticket a) where
-  (==) = ptrEq
+-- | Check whether the contents of two tickets are the
+-- same pointer. This is used only for testing.
+reallyUnsafeTicketEquality :: Ticket a -> Ticket a -> Bool
+reallyUnsafeTicketEquality (Ticket x) (Ticket y) = I# (reallyUnsafePtrEquality# x y) == 1
 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-readForCAS# :: MutVar# RealWorld a ->
+readForCAS# :: forall a. MutVar# RealWorld a ->
                State# RealWorld -> (# State# RealWorld, Ticket a #)
--- WARNING: cast of a function -- need to verify these are safe or eta expand:
-#ifdef CASTFUN
-readForCAS# = unsafeCoerce# readMutVar#
-#else
-readForCAS# mv rw =
-  case readMutVar# mv rw of
-    (# rw', a #) -> (# rw', unsafeCoerce# a #)
-#endif
+readForCAS# ref s = case readMutVar# ref s of
+  (# s', a #) -> (# s', Ticket a #)
 
 
-casMutVarTicketed# :: MutVar# RealWorld a -> Ticket a -> Ticket a ->
+casMutVarTicketed# :: forall a. MutVar# RealWorld a -> Ticket a -> Ticket a ->
                State# RealWorld -> (# State# RealWorld, Int#, Ticket a #)
--- WARNING: cast of a function -- need to verify these are safe or eta expand:
-casMutVarTicketed# = unsafeCoerce# casMutVar#
+casMutVarTicketed# ref (Ticket old) (Ticket new) s =
+  case casMutVar# ref old new s of
+    (# s', flag, a #) -> (# s', flag, Ticket a #)
diff --git a/atomic-primops/testing/Test.hs b/atomic-primops/testing/Test.hs
index cc95cae..b6472e8 100644
--- a/atomic-primops/testing/Test.hs
+++ b/atomic-primops/testing/Test.hs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import System.Mem (performGC)
 
 ----------------------------------------
 import Data.Atomics as A
+import Data.Atomics.Internal (reallyUnsafeTicketEquality)
 
 import qualified Issue28
 
@@ -158,7 +159,7 @@ test_random_array_comm threads size iters = do
   tick0 <- A.readArrayElem arr 0
   for_ 1 size $ \ i -> do
     t2 <- A.readArrayElem arr i
-    assertEqual "All initial Nothings in the array should be ticket-equal:" tick0 t2
+    assertBool "All initial Nothings in the array should be ticket-equal:" (reallyUnsafeTicketEquality tick0 t2)
 
   ls <- forkJoin threads $ \_tid -> do
     localAcc <- newIORef 0