diff --git a/src/common/Object.h b/src/common/Object.h
index 78a84484c..5cc04c349 100644
--- a/src/common/Object.h
+++ b/src/common/Object.h
@@ -59,14 +59,14 @@ public:
 	 * Retains the Object, i.e. increases the
 	 * reference count by one.
 	 **/
-	virtual void retain();
+	void retain();
 
 	/**
 	 * Releases one reference to the Object, i.e. decrements the
 	 * reference count by one, and potentially deletes the Object
 	 * if there are no more references.
 	 **/
-	virtual void release();
+	void release();
 
 private:
 
diff --git a/src/modules/thread/Channel.cpp b/src/modules/thread/Channel.cpp
index e36e69db7..f85526eda 100644
--- a/src/modules/thread/Channel.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/thread/Channel.cpp
@@ -58,12 +58,17 @@ Channel *Channel::getChannel(const std::string &name)
 	if (!namedChannelMutex)
 		namedChannelMutex = newMutex();
 
-	Lock l(namedChannelMutex);
-	if (!namedChannels.count(name))
-		namedChannels[name] = new Channel(name);
-	else
-		namedChannels[name]->retain();
+	Lock lock(namedChannelMutex);
 
+	auto it = namedChannels.find(name);
+
+	if (it != namedChannels.end())
+	{
+		it->second->retain();
+		return it->second;
+	}
+
+	namedChannels[name] = new Channel(name);
 	return namedChannels[name];
 }
 
@@ -92,7 +97,10 @@ Channel::~Channel()
 	delete cond;
 
 	if (named)
+	{
+		Lock l(namedChannelMutex);
 		namedChannels.erase(name);
+	}
 }
 
 unsigned long Channel::push(const Variant &var)
@@ -196,22 +204,5 @@ void Channel::unlockMutex()
 	mutex->unlock();
 }
 
-void Channel::retain()
-{
-	EmptyLock l;
-	if (named)
-		l.setLock(namedChannelMutex);
-
-	Object::retain();
-}
-
-void Channel::release()
-{
-	EmptyLock l;
-	if (named)
-		l.setLock(namedChannelMutex);
-
-	Object::release();
-}
 } // thread
 } // love
diff --git a/src/modules/thread/Channel.h b/src/modules/thread/Channel.h
index b7ddedc74..da98f9da9 100644
--- a/src/modules/thread/Channel.h
+++ b/src/modules/thread/Channel.h
@@ -54,9 +54,6 @@ public:
 	int getCount();
 	void clear();
 
-	void retain();
-	void release();
-
 private:
 
 	Channel(const std::string &name);
diff --git a/src/modules/thread/ThreadModule.cpp b/src/modules/thread/ThreadModule.cpp
index c3b30277d..32a6c30ea 100644
--- a/src/modules/thread/ThreadModule.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/thread/ThreadModule.cpp
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@ namespace thread
 
 LuaThread *ThreadModule::newThread(const std::string &name, love::Data *data)
 {
-	LuaThread *lt = new LuaThread(name, data);
-	return lt;
+	return new LuaThread(name, data);
 }
 
 Channel *ThreadModule::newChannel()