diff --git a/src/libextra/sync.rs b/src/libextra/sync.rs
index afb4cf3943aba..1952c35eb9df2 100644
--- a/src/libextra/sync.rs
+++ b/src/libextra/sync.rs
@@ -135,9 +135,7 @@ impl<Q:Send> Sem<Q> {
         do task::unkillable {
             do (|| {
                 self.acquire();
-                unsafe {
-                    do task::rekillable { blk() }
-                }
+                do task::rekillable { blk() }
             }).finally {
                 self.release();
             }
@@ -234,10 +232,8 @@ impl<'self> Condvar<'self> {
                 // signaller already sent -- I mean 'unconditionally' in contrast
                 // with acquire().)
                 do (|| {
-                    unsafe {
-                        do task::rekillable {
-                            let _ = WaitEnd.take_unwrap().recv();
-                        }
+                    do task::rekillable {
+                        let _ = WaitEnd.take_unwrap().recv();
                     }
                 }).finally {
                     // Reacquire the condvar. Note this is back in the unkillable
@@ -516,14 +512,12 @@ impl RWLock {
      * 'write' from other tasks will run concurrently with this one.
      */
     pub fn write<U>(&self, blk: &fn() -> U) -> U {
-        unsafe {
-            do task::unkillable {
-                (&self.order_lock).acquire();
-                do (&self.access_lock).access {
-                    (&self.order_lock).release();
-                    do task::rekillable {
-                        blk()
-                    }
+        do task::unkillable {
+            (&self.order_lock).acquire();
+            do (&self.access_lock).access {
+                (&self.order_lock).release();
+                do task::rekillable {
+                    blk()
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -562,16 +556,14 @@ impl RWLock {
         // which can't happen until T2 finishes the downgrade-read entirely.
         // The astute reader will also note that making waking writers use the
         // order_lock is better for not starving readers.
-        unsafe {
-            do task::unkillable {
-                (&self.order_lock).acquire();
-                do (&self.access_lock).access_cond |cond| {
-                    (&self.order_lock).release();
-                    do task::rekillable {
-                        let opt_lock = Just(&self.order_lock);
-                        blk(&Condvar { sem: cond.sem, order: opt_lock,
-                                       token: NonCopyable::new() })
-                    }
+        do task::unkillable {
+            (&self.order_lock).acquire();
+            do (&self.access_lock).access_cond |cond| {
+                (&self.order_lock).release();
+                do task::rekillable {
+                    let opt_lock = Just(&self.order_lock);
+                    blk(&Condvar { sem: cond.sem, order: opt_lock,
+                                   token: NonCopyable::new() })
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -606,10 +598,8 @@ impl RWLock {
             (&self.access_lock).acquire();
             (&self.order_lock).release();
             do (|| {
-                unsafe {
-                    do task::rekillable {
-                        blk(RWLockWriteMode { lock: self, token: NonCopyable::new() })
-                    }
+                do task::rekillable {
+                    blk(RWLockWriteMode { lock: self, token: NonCopyable::new() })
                 }
             }).finally {
                 let writer_or_last_reader;
diff --git a/src/libstd/rt/kill.rs b/src/libstd/rt/kill.rs
index b0b425e3aee4a..94df621ce7666 100644
--- a/src/libstd/rt/kill.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/rt/kill.rs
@@ -647,7 +647,11 @@ impl Death {
     /// All calls must be paired with a preceding call to inhibit_kill.
     #[inline]
     pub fn allow_kill(&mut self, already_failing: bool) {
-        rtassert!(self.unkillable != 0);
+        if self.unkillable == 0 {
+            // we need to decrement the counter before failing.
+            self.unkillable -= 1;
+            fail!("Cannot enter a rekillable() block without a surrounding unkillable()");
+        }
         self.unkillable -= 1;
         if self.unkillable == 0 {
             rtassert!(self.kill_handle.is_some());
diff --git a/src/libstd/task/mod.rs b/src/libstd/task/mod.rs
index e76b81a904df2..f872c2614b9f6 100644
--- a/src/libstd/task/mod.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/task/mod.rs
@@ -597,21 +597,36 @@ pub fn unkillable<U>(f: &fn() -> U) -> U {
     }
 }
 
-/// The inverse of unkillable. Only ever to be used nested in unkillable().
-pub unsafe fn rekillable<U>(f: &fn() -> U) -> U {
+/**
+ * Makes killable a task marked as unkillable. This
+ * is meant to be used only nested in unkillable.
+ *
+ * # Example
+ *
+ * ~~~
+ * do task::unkillable {
+ *     do task::rekillable {
+ *          // Task is killable
+ *     }
+ *    // Task is unkillable again
+ * }
+ */
+pub fn rekillable<U>(f: &fn() -> U) -> U {
     use rt::task::Task;
 
-    if in_green_task_context() {
-        let t = Local::unsafe_borrow::<Task>();
-        do (|| {
-            (*t).death.allow_kill((*t).unwinder.unwinding);
+    unsafe {
+        if in_green_task_context() {
+            let t = Local::unsafe_borrow::<Task>();
+            do (|| {
+                (*t).death.allow_kill((*t).unwinder.unwinding);
+                f()
+            }).finally {
+                (*t).death.inhibit_kill((*t).unwinder.unwinding);
+            }
+        } else {
+            // FIXME(#3095): As in unkillable().
             f()
-        }).finally {
-            (*t).death.inhibit_kill((*t).unwinder.unwinding);
         }
-    } else {
-        // FIXME(#3095): As in unkillable().
-        f()
     }
 }
 
@@ -636,8 +651,8 @@ fn test_kill_unkillable_task() {
     }
 }
 
-#[ignore(reason = "linked failure")]
 #[test]
+#[ignore(cfg(windows))]
 fn test_kill_rekillable_task() {
     use rt::test::*;
 
@@ -646,11 +661,9 @@ fn test_kill_rekillable_task() {
     do run_in_newsched_task {
         do task::try {
             do task::unkillable {
-                unsafe {
-                    do task::rekillable {
-                        do task::spawn {
-                            fail!();
-                        }
+                do task::rekillable {
+                    do task::spawn {
+                        fail!();
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -658,7 +671,39 @@ fn test_kill_rekillable_task() {
     }
 }
 
-#[test] #[should_fail]
+#[test]
+#[should_fail]
+#[ignore(cfg(windows))]
+fn test_rekillable_not_nested() {
+    do rekillable {
+        // This should fail before
+        // receiving anything since
+        // this block should be nested
+        // into a unkillable block.
+        deschedule();
+    }
+}
+
+
+#[test]
+#[ignore(cfg(windows))]
+fn test_rekillable_nested_failure() {
+
+    let result = do task::try {
+        do unkillable {
+            do rekillable {
+                let (port,chan) = comm::stream();
+                do task::spawn { chan.send(()); fail!(); }
+                port.recv(); // wait for child to exist
+                port.recv(); // block forever, expect to get killed.
+            }
+        }
+    };
+    assert!(result.is_err());
+}
+
+
+#[test] #[should_fail] #[ignore(cfg(windows))]
 fn test_cant_dup_task_builder() {
     let mut builder = task();
     builder.unlinked();