diff --git a/src/mzscheme/gc2/gc2.h b/src/mzscheme/gc2/gc2.h
index a31e55b578..eadb9b8a62 100644
--- a/src/mzscheme/gc2/gc2.h
+++ b/src/mzscheme/gc2/gc2.h
@@ -403,6 +403,17 @@ GC2_EXTERN void GC_construct_child_gc();
    Creates a new place specific GC and links to the master GC.
 */
 
+GC2_EXTERN void *GC_switch_to_master_gc();
+/*
+   Switches to the master GC
+*/
+
+GC2_EXTERN void GC_switch_back_from_master(void *gc);
+/*
+   Switches to back to gc from the master GC
+*/
+
+
 # ifdef __cplusplus
 };
 # endif
diff --git a/src/mzscheme/gc2/newgc.c b/src/mzscheme/gc2/newgc.c
index 78eb787577..35044ed0f2 100644
--- a/src/mzscheme/gc2/newgc.c
+++ b/src/mzscheme/gc2/newgc.c
@@ -1745,10 +1745,45 @@ void GC_switch_out_master_gc() {
   }
 }
 
+/* used to initialize a MasterGC Thread, bad idea
+ * scheme_master_fast_path is more performant */
 void GC_switch_in_master_gc() {
   GC_set_GC(MASTERGC);
   restore_globals_from_gc(MASTERGC);
 }
+
+/*used in scheme_master_fast_path*/
+void *GC_switch_to_master_gc() {
+  NewGC *gc = GC_get_GC();
+  /* return if MASTERGC hasn't been constructed yet, allow recursive locking */
+  if (!MASTERGC || gc == MASTERGC) {
+    return MASTERGC;
+  }
+  save_globals_to_gc(gc);
+
+  /*obtain exclusive access to MASTERGC*/
+  mzrt_rwlock_wrlock(MASTERGCINFO->cangc);
+
+  GC_set_GC(MASTERGC);
+  restore_globals_from_gc(MASTERGC);
+  return gc;
+}
+
+void GC_switch_back_from_master(void *gc) {
+  /* return if MASTERGC hasn't been constructed yet, allow recursive locking */
+  if (!MASTERGC || gc == MASTERGC) {
+    return;
+  }
+  save_globals_to_gc(MASTERGC);
+
+  /*release exclusive access to MASTERGC*/
+  mzrt_rwlock_unlock(MASTERGCINFO->cangc);
+
+  GC_set_GC(gc);
+  restore_globals_from_gc(gc);
+}
+
+  
 #endif
 
 void GC_gcollect(void)
diff --git a/src/mzscheme/src/module.c b/src/mzscheme/src/module.c
index 4d8deb4503..09ce4cae31 100644
--- a/src/mzscheme/src/module.c
+++ b/src/mzscheme/src/module.c
@@ -2751,14 +2751,9 @@ Scheme_Object *scheme_intern_resolved_module_path_worker(Scheme_Object *o)
 Scheme_Object *scheme_intern_resolved_module_path(Scheme_Object *o)
 {
 #if defined(MZ_USE_PLACES) && defined(MZ_PRECISE_GC)
-  mz_proc_thread *self;
-  self = proc_thread_self;
-  if ( scheme_master_proc_thread && scheme_master_proc_thread != proc_thread_self ) {
-    int return_msg_type;
-    void *return_payload;
-    pt_mbox_send_recv(scheme_master_proc_thread->mbox, 1, o, self->mbox, &return_msg_type, &return_payload);
-    return (Scheme_Object*) return_payload;
-  }
+  void *return_payload;
+  return_payload = scheme_master_fast_path(1, o);
+  return (Scheme_Object*) return_payload;
 #endif
   return scheme_intern_resolved_module_path_worker(o);
 }
diff --git a/src/mzscheme/src/places.c b/src/mzscheme/src/places.c
index ddd46842a3..00070c6515 100644
--- a/src/mzscheme/src/places.c
+++ b/src/mzscheme/src/places.c
@@ -261,19 +261,15 @@ static void *place_start_proc(void *data_arg) {
 
 Scheme_Object *scheme_places_deep_copy_in_master(Scheme_Object *so) {
 #if defined(MZ_USE_PLACES) && defined(MZ_PRECISE_GC)
-    mz_proc_thread *self;
-    self = proc_thread_self;
-    if ( scheme_master_proc_thread && scheme_master_proc_thread != proc_thread_self ) {
-      int return_msg_type;
-      void *return_payload;
-      pt_mbox_send_recv(scheme_master_proc_thread->mbox, 5, so, self->mbox, &return_msg_type, &return_payload);
-      return (Scheme_Object*) return_payload;
-    }
+  void *return_payload;
+  return_payload = scheme_master_fast_path(5, so);
+  return (Scheme_Object*) return_payload;
 #endif
   return so;
 }
 
 #ifdef MZ_PRECISE_GC
+static void* scheme_master_place_handlemsg(int msg_type, void *msg_payload);
 static void *master_scheme_place(void *data) {
   mz_proc_thread *myself;
   myself = proc_thread_self;
@@ -284,36 +280,65 @@ static void *master_scheme_place(void *data) {
     void *recv_payload;
     pt_mbox *origin;
     Scheme_Object *o;
-    Scheme_Object *copied_o;
 
     pt_mbox_recv(myself->mbox, &recv_type, &recv_payload, &origin);
-    switch(recv_type) {
-      case 1:
-        copied_o = scheme_places_deep_copy((Scheme_Object *)recv_payload);
-        o = scheme_intern_resolved_module_path_worker(copied_o);
-        pt_mbox_send(origin, 2, (void *) o, NULL);
-        break;
-      case 3:
-        {
-          Scheme_Symbol_Parts *parts;
-          parts = (Scheme_Symbol_Parts *) recv_payload;
-          o = (Scheme_Object *)scheme_intern_exact_symbol_in_table_worker(parts->table, parts->kind, parts->name, parts->len);
-          pt_mbox_send(origin, 4, (void *) o, NULL);
-        }
-        break;
-      case 5:
-        copied_o = scheme_places_deep_copy((Scheme_Object *)recv_payload);
-        pt_mbox_send(origin, 6, (void *) copied_o, NULL);
-        break;
-    }
+    o = scheme_master_place_handlemsg(recv_type, recv_payload);
+    pt_mbox_send(origin, 2, (void *) o, NULL);
   }
   return NULL;
 }
 
+static void* scheme_master_place_handlemsg(int msg_type, void *msg_payload)
+{
+  switch(msg_type) {
+    case 1:
+      {
+        Scheme_Object *o;
+        Scheme_Object *copied_o;
+        copied_o = scheme_places_deep_copy((Scheme_Object *)msg_payload);
+        o = scheme_intern_resolved_module_path_worker(copied_o);
+        return o;
+      }
+      break;
+    case 3:
+      {
+        Scheme_Object *o;
+        Scheme_Symbol_Parts *parts;
+        parts = (Scheme_Symbol_Parts *) msg_payload;
+        o = (Scheme_Object *)scheme_intern_exact_symbol_in_table_worker(parts->table, parts->kind, parts->name, parts->len);
+        return o;
+      }
+      break;
+    case 5:
+      { 
+        Scheme_Object *copied_o;
+        copied_o = scheme_places_deep_copy((Scheme_Object *)msg_payload);
+        return copied_o;
+      }
+      break;
+  }
+  return NULL;
+}
+
+void* scheme_master_fast_path(int msg_type, void *msg_payload) {
+  Scheme_Object *o;
+  void *original_gc;
+
+  original_gc = GC_switch_to_master_gc();
+  o = scheme_master_place_handlemsg(msg_type, msg_payload);
+  GC_switch_back_from_master(original_gc);
+
+  return o;
+}
+
+
 void spawn_master_scheme_place() {
   mzrt_proc_first_thread_init();
+  
+
+  //scheme_master_proc_thread = mz_proc_thread_create(master_scheme_place, NULL);
+  scheme_master_proc_thread = ~0;
 
-  scheme_master_proc_thread = mz_proc_thread_create(master_scheme_place, NULL);
 }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/mzscheme/src/schpriv.h b/src/mzscheme/src/schpriv.h
index c5e0ec996d..041c98381d 100644
--- a/src/mzscheme/src/schpriv.h
+++ b/src/mzscheme/src/schpriv.h
@@ -3180,13 +3180,19 @@ Scheme_Object *scheme_current_library_collection_paths(int argc, Scheme_Object *
 /*                           places                                       */
 /*========================================================================*/
 
-#if defined(MZ_USE_PLACES) && defined(MZ_PRECISE_GC)
+#if defined(MZ_USE_PLACES)
+# if defined(MZ_PRECISE_GC)
 typedef struct Scheme_Symbol_Parts {
   Scheme_Hash_Table *table;
   int kind;
   unsigned int len;
   const char *name;
 } Scheme_Symbol_Parts;
+
+void spawn_master_scheme_place();
+void *scheme_master_fast_path(int msg_type, void *msg_payload);
+# endif
+Scheme_Object *scheme_places_deep_copy(Scheme_Object *so);
 #endif
 
 typedef struct Scheme_Place {
@@ -3195,8 +3201,6 @@ typedef struct Scheme_Place {
 } Scheme_Place;
 
 Scheme_Env *scheme_place_instance_init();
-void spawn_master_scheme_place();
-Scheme_Object *scheme_places_deep_copy(Scheme_Object *so);
 
 /*========================================================================*/
 /*                           engine                                       */
diff --git a/src/mzscheme/src/symbol.c b/src/mzscheme/src/symbol.c
index a7b5db037c..c6c5885562 100644
--- a/src/mzscheme/src/symbol.c
+++ b/src/mzscheme/src/symbol.c
@@ -396,19 +396,14 @@ Scheme_Object *
 scheme_intern_exact_symbol_in_table(Scheme_Hash_Table *symbol_table, int kind, const char *name, unsigned int len)
 {
 #if defined(MZ_USE_PLACES) && defined(MZ_PRECISE_GC)
-  mz_proc_thread *self;
-  self = proc_thread_self;
-  if ( scheme_master_proc_thread && scheme_master_proc_thread != proc_thread_self ) {
-    int return_msg_type;
-    void *return_payload;
-    Scheme_Symbol_Parts parts;
-    parts.table = symbol_table;
-    parts.kind = kind;
-    parts.len  = len;
-    parts.name = name;
-    pt_mbox_send_recv(scheme_master_proc_thread->mbox, 3, &parts, self->mbox, &return_msg_type, &return_payload);
-    return (Scheme_Object*) return_payload;
-  }
+  void *return_payload;
+  Scheme_Symbol_Parts parts;
+  parts.table = symbol_table;
+  parts.kind = kind;
+  parts.len  = len;
+  parts.name = name;
+  return_payload = scheme_master_fast_path(3, &parts);
+  return (Scheme_Object*) return_payload;
 #endif
   return scheme_intern_exact_symbol_in_table_worker(symbol_table, kind, name, len);
 }