diff --git a/src/consumer_queue.cpp b/src/consumer_queue.cpp
index 44579922b..676839904 100644
--- a/src/consumer_queue.cpp
+++ b/src/consumer_queue.cpp
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 #include "sample.h"
 #include "send_buffer.h"
 #include <chrono>
-#include <thread>
 
 using namespace lsl;
 
@@ -23,30 +22,34 @@ consumer_queue::~consumer_queue() {
 }
 
 void consumer_queue::push_sample(const sample_p &sample) {
+	// acquire lock for more predictable behavior and avoid race condition with pop_sample()
+	std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(mut_);
+	// if the buffer is full, drop oldest samples
 	while (!buffer_.push(sample)) {
 		sample_p dummy;
 		buffer_.pop(dummy);
 	}
+	cv_.notify_one();
 }
 
 sample_p consumer_queue::pop_sample(double timeout) {
 	sample_p result;
 	if (timeout <= 0.0) {
+		std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(mut_);
 		buffer_.pop(result);
 	} else {
+		std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(mut_);
 		if (!buffer_.pop(result)) {
-			// turn timeout into the point in time at which we give up
-			timeout += lsl::lsl_clock();
-			do {
-				if (lsl::lsl_clock() >= timeout) break;
-				std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(1));
-			} while (!buffer_.pop(result));
+			// release lock, wait for a new sample until the thread calling push_sample delivers one, or until timeout
+			std::chrono::duration<double> sec(timeout);
+			cv_.wait_for(lk, sec, [&]{ return this->buffer_.pop(result); });
 		}
 	}
 	return result;
 }
 
 uint32_t consumer_queue::flush() noexcept {
+	std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(mut_);
 	uint32_t n = 0;
 	while (buffer_.pop()) n++;
 	return n;
diff --git a/src/consumer_queue.h b/src/consumer_queue.h
index 8a47f21bd..6c5c2ea21 100644
--- a/src/consumer_queue.h
+++ b/src/consumer_queue.h
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include "common.h"
 #include "forward.h"
 #include <boost/lockfree/spsc_queue.hpp>
+#include <mutex>
+#include <condition_variable>
 
 namespace lsl {
 /**
@@ -52,6 +54,9 @@ class consumer_queue {
 private:
 	send_buffer_p registry_; // optional consumer registry
 	buffer_type buffer_;	 // the sample buffer
+	// used to wait for new samples
+	std::mutex mut_;
+	std::condition_variable cv_;
 };
 
 } // namespace lsl
diff --git a/src/sample.h b/src/sample.h
index 32f105621..23b417eef 100644
--- a/src/sample.h
+++ b/src/sample.h
@@ -146,12 +146,10 @@ class sample {
 	void operator delete(void *x) {
 		// delete the underlying memory only if it wasn't allocated in the factory's storage area
 		sample *s = (sample *)x;
-		if (s && !(s->factory_ &&
-					 (((char *)s) >= s->factory_->storage_ &&
-						 ((char *)s) <= s->factory_->storage_ + s->factory_->storage_size_)))
+		if (s && !s->is_from_factory())
 			delete[](char *) x;
 	}
-
+	
 	/// Test for equality with another sample.
 	bool operator==(const sample &rhs) const noexcept;
 
@@ -368,16 +366,27 @@ class sample {
 				;
 	}
 
+	/// Test if the sample wasn't allocated in the factory's storage area
+	bool is_from_factory(void) {
+		return (factory_ && (((char *)this) >= factory_->storage_ &&
+			((char *)this) <= factory_->storage_ + factory_->storage_size_));
+	}
+
 	/// Increment ref count.
 	friend void intrusive_ptr_add_ref(sample *s) {
 		s->refcount_.fetch_add(1, std::memory_order_relaxed);
 	}
 
-	/// Decrement ref count and reclaim if unreferenced.
+	/// Decrement ref count, reclaim if unreferenced and belong to factory's storage, delete otherwise to avoid memory leaks
 	friend void intrusive_ptr_release(sample *s) {
 		if (s->refcount_.fetch_sub(1, std::memory_order_release) == 1) {
 			std::atomic_thread_fence(std::memory_order_acquire);
-			s->factory_->reclaim_sample(s);
+			if (s->is_from_factory()) {
+				s->factory_->reclaim_sample(s);
+			}
+			else {
+				delete s;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 };