diff --git a/core/shared/src/test/scala/cats/effect/Runners.scala b/core/shared/src/test/scala/cats/effect/Runners.scala
index ea223db83e..58055380b7 100644
--- a/core/shared/src/test/scala/cats/effect/Runners.scala
+++ b/core/shared/src/test/scala/cats/effect/Runners.scala
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import scala.concurrent.{
   TimeoutException
 }
 import scala.concurrent.duration._
+import scala.reflect.ClassTag
 import scala.util.Try
 
 import java.io.{ByteArrayOutputStream, PrintStream}
@@ -272,6 +273,22 @@ trait Runners extends SpecificationLike with RunnersPlatform { outer =>
     (oc eqv expected, s"${oc.show} !== ${expected.show}")
   }
 
+  // useful for tests in the `real` context
+  implicit class Assertions[A](fa: IO[A]) {
+    def mustFailWith[E <: Throwable: ClassTag] =
+      fa.attempt.flatMap { res =>
+        IO {
+          res must beLike {
+            case Left(e) => e must haveClass[E]
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+    def mustEqual(a: A) = fa.flatMap { res => IO(res must beEqualTo(a)) }
+  }
+
+
+
   def unsafeRun[A](ioa: IO[A])(implicit ticker: Ticker): Outcome[Option, Throwable, A] =
     try {
       var results: Outcome[Option, Throwable, A] = Outcome.Succeeded(None)
diff --git a/core/shared/src/test/scala/cats/effect/std/CyclicBarrierSpec.scala b/core/shared/src/test/scala/cats/effect/std/CyclicBarrierSpec.scala
index 8b516d476b..244d7f19ec 100644
--- a/core/shared/src/test/scala/cats/effect/std/CyclicBarrierSpec.scala
+++ b/core/shared/src/test/scala/cats/effect/std/CyclicBarrierSpec.scala
@@ -14,20 +14,14 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-/*
- * These tests have been inspired by and adapted from `monix-catnap`'s `ConcurrentQueueSuite`, available at
- * https://github.com/monix/monix/blob/series/3.x/monix-catnap/shared/src/test/scala/monix/catnap/ConcurrentQueueSuite.scala.
- */
-
 package cats.effect
 package std
 
 import cats.implicits._
 import cats.arrow.FunctionK
-import org.specs2.specification.core.Fragments
-
 import scala.concurrent.duration._
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException
+
+import org.specs2.specification.core.Fragments
 
 class CyclicBarrierSpec extends BaseSpec {
 
@@ -40,104 +34,47 @@ class CyclicBarrierSpec extends BaseSpec {
 
   private def cyclicBarrierTests(
       name: String,
-      constructor: Int => IO[CyclicBarrier[IO]]): Fragments = {
+      newBarrier: Int => IO[CyclicBarrier[IO]]): Fragments = {
     s"$name - raise an exception when constructed with a negative capacity" in real {
-      val test = IO.defer(constructor(-1)).attempt
-      test.flatMap { res =>
-        IO {
-          res must beLike {
-            case Left(e) => e must haveClass[IllegalArgumentException]
-          }
-        }
-      }
+      IO.defer(newBarrier(-1)).mustFailWith[IllegalArgumentException]
     }
 
     s"$name - raise an exception when constructed with zero capacity" in real {
-      val test = IO.defer(constructor(0)).attempt
-      test.flatMap { res =>
-        IO {
-          res must beLike {
-            case Left(e) => e must haveClass[IllegalArgumentException]
-          }
-        }
-      }
+      IO.defer(newBarrier(0)).mustFailWith[IllegalArgumentException]
     }
 
-    s"$name - remaining when contructed" in real {
-      for {
-        cb <- constructor(5)
-        awaiting <- cb.awaiting
-        _ <- IO(awaiting must beEqualTo(0))
-        r <- cb.remaining
-        res <- IO(r must beEqualTo(5))
-      } yield res
+    s"$name - await is blocking" in ticked { implicit ticker =>
+      newBarrier(2).flatMap(_.await) must nonTerminate
     }
 
-    s"$name - await releases all fibers" in real {
-      for {
-        cb <- constructor(2)
-        f1 <- cb.await.start
-        f2 <- cb.await.start
-        r <- (f1.joinAndEmbedNever, f2.joinAndEmbedNever).tupled
-        awaiting <- cb.awaiting
-        _ <- IO(awaiting must beEqualTo(0))
-        res <- IO(r must beEqualTo(((), ())))
-      } yield res
+    s"$name - await is cancelable" in ticked { implicit ticker =>
+      newBarrier(2).flatMap(_.await).timeoutTo(1.second, IO.unit) must completeAs(())
     }
 
-    s"$name - await is blocking" in real {
-      for {
-        cb <- constructor(2)
-        r <- cb.await.timeout(5.millis).attempt
-        res <- IO(r must beLike {
-          case Left(e) => e must haveClass[TimeoutException]
-        })
-      } yield res
+    s"$name - await releases all fibers" in real {
+      newBarrier(2).flatMap { barrier =>
+        (barrier.await, barrier.await).parTupled.void.mustEqual(())
+      }
     }
 
-    s"$name - await is cancelable" in real {
-      for {
-        cb <- constructor(2)
-        f <- cb.await.start
-        _ <- IO.sleep(1.milli)
-        _ <- f.cancel
-        r <- f.join
-        awaiting <- cb.awaiting
-        _ <- IO(awaiting must beEqualTo(0))
-        res <- IO(r must beEqualTo(Outcome.Canceled()))
-      } yield res
+    s"$name - reset once full" in ticked { implicit ticker =>
+      newBarrier(2).flatMap { barrier =>
+        (barrier.await, barrier.await).parTupled >>
+          barrier.await
+      } must nonTerminate
     }
 
-    s"$name - reset once full" in real {
-      for {
-        cb <- constructor(2)
-        f1 <- cb.await.start
-        f2 <- cb.await.start
-        r <- (f1.joinAndEmbedNever, f2.joinAndEmbedNever).tupled
-        _ <- IO(r must beEqualTo(((), ())))
-        //Should have reset at this point
-        awaiting <- cb.awaiting
-        _ <- IO(awaiting must beEqualTo(0))
-        r <- cb.await.timeout(5.millis).attempt
-        res <- IO(r must beLike {
-          case Left(e) => e must haveClass[TimeoutException]
-        })
-      } yield res
+    s"$name - clean up upon cancellation of await" in ticked { implicit ticker =>
+      newBarrier(2).flatMap { barrier =>
+        // This will time out, so count goes back to 2
+        barrier.await.timeoutTo(1.second, IO.unit) >>
+          // Therefore count goes only down to 1 when this awaits, and will block again
+          barrier.await
+      } must nonTerminate
     }
 
-    s"$name - clean up upon cancellation of await" in real {
-      for {
-        cb <- constructor(2)
-        //This should time out and reduce the current capacity to 0 again
-        _ <- cb.await.timeout(5.millis).attempt
-        //Therefore the capacity should only be 1 when this awaits so will block again
-        r <- cb.await.timeout(5.millis).attempt
-        _ <- IO(r must beLike {
-          case Left(e) => e must haveClass[TimeoutException]
-        })
-        awaiting <- cb.awaiting
-        res <- IO(awaiting must beEqualTo(0)) //
-      } yield res
+    s"$name - barrier of capacity 1 is a no op" in real {
+      newBarrier(1).flatMap(_.await).mustEqual(())
     }
 
     /*
@@ -148,13 +85,21 @@ class CyclicBarrierSpec extends BaseSpec {
     s"$name - race fiber cancel and barrier full" in real {
       val iterations = 100
 
-      val run = for {
-        cb <- constructor(2)
-        f <- cb.await.start
-        _ <- IO.race(cb.await, f.cancel)
-        awaiting <- cb.awaiting
-        res <- IO(awaiting must beGreaterThanOrEqualTo(0))
-      } yield res
+      val run = newBarrier(2)
+        .flatMap { barrier =>
+          barrier.await.start.flatMap { fiber =>
+            barrier.await.race(fiber.cancel).flatMap {
+              case Left(_) =>
+                // without the epoch check in CyclicBarrier,
+                // a late cancelation would increment the count
+                // after the barrier has already reset,
+                // causing this code to never terminate (test times out)
+                (barrier.await, barrier.await).parTupled.void
+              case Right(_) => IO.unit
+            }
+          }
+        }
+        .mustEqual(())
 
       List.fill(iterations)(run).reduce(_ >> _)
     }
diff --git a/std/shared/src/main/scala/cats/effect/std/CyclicBarrier.scala b/std/shared/src/main/scala/cats/effect/std/CyclicBarrier.scala
index 4aed746723..bb20826240 100644
--- a/std/shared/src/main/scala/cats/effect/std/CyclicBarrier.scala
+++ b/std/shared/src/main/scala/cats/effect/std/CyclicBarrier.scala
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 package cats.effect.std
 
 import cats.~>
-import cats.effect.kernel.{Deferred, GenConcurrent, Ref}
+import cats.effect.kernel.{Deferred, GenConcurrent}
 import cats.effect.kernel.syntax.all._
 import cats.syntax.all._
 
@@ -39,16 +39,6 @@ abstract class CyclicBarrier[F[_]] { self =>
    */
   def await: F[Unit]
 
-  /*
-   * The number of fibers required to trip the barrier
-   */
-  def remaining: F[Int]
-
-  /*
-   * The number of fibers currently awaiting
-   */
-  def awaiting: F[Int]
-
   /**
    * Modifies the context in which this cyclic barrier is executed using the natural
    * transformation `f`.
@@ -59,57 +49,45 @@ abstract class CyclicBarrier[F[_]] { self =>
   def mapK[G[_]](f: F ~> G): CyclicBarrier[G] =
     new CyclicBarrier[G] {
       def await: G[Unit] = f(self.await)
-      def remaining: G[Int] = f(self.remaining)
-      def awaiting: G[Int] = f(self.awaiting)
     }
 
 }
 
 object CyclicBarrier {
-  def apply[F[_]](n: Int)(implicit F: GenConcurrent[F, _]): F[CyclicBarrier[F]] =
-    if (n < 1)
+  def apply[F[_]](capacity: Int)(implicit F: GenConcurrent[F, _]): F[CyclicBarrier[F]] = {
+    if (capacity < 1)
       throw new IllegalArgumentException(
-        s"Cyclic barrier constructed with capacity $n. Must be > 0")
-    else
-      for {
-        state <- State.initial[F]
-        ref <- F.ref(state)
-      } yield new ConcurrentCyclicBarrier(n, ref)
-
-  private[std] class ConcurrentCyclicBarrier[F[_]](capacity: Int, state: Ref[F, State[F]])(
-      implicit F: GenConcurrent[F, _])
-      extends CyclicBarrier[F] {
-
-    val await: F[Unit] =
-      F.deferred[Unit].flatMap { newSignal =>
-        F.uncancelable { poll =>
-          state.modify {
-            case State(awaiting, epoch, signal) =>
-              if (awaiting < capacity - 1) {
-                val cleanup = state.update { s =>
-                  if (epoch == s.epoch)
-                    //The cyclic barrier hasn't been reset since the cancelled fiber start to await
-                    s.copy(awaiting = s.awaiting - 1)
-                  else s
-                }
-
-                val nextState = State(awaiting + 1, epoch, signal)
-                (nextState, poll(signal.get).onCancel(cleanup))
-              } else (State(0, epoch + 1, newSignal), signal.complete(()).void)
-          }.flatten
-        }
+        s"Cyclic barrier constructed with capacity $capacity. Must be > 0")
+
+    case class State(awaiting: Int, epoch: Long, unblock: Deferred[F, Unit])
+
+    F.deferred[Unit].map(State(capacity, 0, _)).flatMap(F.ref).map { state =>
+      new CyclicBarrier[F] {
+        val await: F[Unit] =
+          F.deferred[Unit].flatMap { gate =>
+            F.uncancelable { poll =>
+              state.modify {
+                case State(awaiting, epoch, unblock) =>
+                  val awaitingNow = awaiting - 1
+
+                  if (awaitingNow == 0)
+                    State(capacity, epoch + 1, gate) -> unblock.complete(()).void
+                  else {
+                    val newState = State(awaitingNow, epoch, unblock)
+                    // reincrement count if this await gets canceled,
+                    // but only if the barrier hasn't reset in the meantime
+                    val cleanup = state.update { s =>
+                      if (s.epoch == epoch) s.copy(awaiting = s.awaiting + 1)
+                      else s
+                    }
+
+                    newState -> poll(unblock.get).onCancel(cleanup)
+                  }
+
+              }.flatten
+            }
+          }
       }
-
-    val remaining: F[Int] = state.get.map(s => capacity - s.awaiting)
-
-    val awaiting: F[Int] = state.get.map(_.awaiting)
-
-  }
-
-  private[std] case class State[F[_]](awaiting: Int, epoch: Long, signal: Deferred[F, Unit])
-
-  private[std] object State {
-    def initial[F[_]](implicit F: GenConcurrent[F, _]): F[State[F]] =
-      F.deferred[Unit].map { signal => State(0, 0, signal) }
+    }
   }
 }