diff --git a/src/shell/plugins/interthread.c b/src/shell/plugins/interthread.c
index d1dcae7..bd109b1 100644
--- a/src/shell/plugins/interthread.c
+++ b/src/shell/plugins/interthread.c
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 #if HAVE_CONFIG_H
 #include "config.h"
 #endif
-#include <pthread.h>
 #include <jansson.h>
 #include <flux/core.h>
 
@@ -31,8 +30,8 @@ struct handler {
 };
 
 struct interthread {
-    struct flux_msglist *queue;
-    pthread_mutex_t lock;
+    flux_t *send;
+    flux_t *recv;
     flux_watcher_t *w;
     struct handler handlers[MAX_HANDLERS];
     int handler_count;
@@ -75,64 +74,46 @@ int interthread_send_pack (struct interthread *it,
     if (rc < 0)
         goto error;
 
-    pthread_mutex_lock (&it->lock);
-    rc = flux_msglist_append (it->queue, msg);
-    pthread_mutex_unlock (&it->lock);
-    if (rc < 0)
+    if (flux_send_new (it->send, &msg, 0) < 0)
         goto error;
 
-    flux_msg_decref (msg);
     return 0;
 error:
     flux_msg_decref (msg);
     return -1;
 }
 
-const flux_msg_t *pop_queue_locked (struct interthread *it)
-{
-    const flux_msg_t *msg;
-
-    pthread_mutex_lock (&it->lock);
-    msg = flux_msglist_pop (it->queue);
-    pthread_mutex_unlock (&it->lock);
-
-    return msg;
-}
-
 static void interthread_recv (flux_reactor_t *r,
                               flux_watcher_t *w,
                               int revents,
                               void *arg)
 {
     struct interthread *it = arg;
-    const flux_msg_t *msg;
+    flux_msg_t *msg;
     const char *topic;
     int i;
 
-    /* flux_msglist_pollfd() is edge triggered so when the reactor watcher
-     * is triggered, all available messages should be consumed.
-     */
-    while ((msg = pop_queue_locked (it))) {
-        if (flux_msg_get_topic (msg, &topic) < 0) {
-            shell_warn ("interthread receive decode error - message dropped");
-            flux_msg_decref (msg);
-            continue;
-        }
-        if (it->trace_flag) {
-            const char *payload;
-            if (flux_msg_get_payload (msg, (const void **)&payload, NULL) == 0)
-                shell_trace ("pmix server %s %s", topic, payload);
-        }
-        for (i = 0; i < it->handler_count; i++) {
-            if (!strcmp (topic, it->handlers[i].topic))
-                break;
-        }
-        if (i < it->handler_count)
-            it->handlers[i].cb (msg, it->handlers[i].arg);
-        else
-            shell_warn ("unhandled interthread topic %s", topic);
+    if (!(msg = flux_recv (it->recv, FLUX_MATCH_ANY, 0)))
+        return;
+    if (flux_msg_get_topic (msg, &topic) < 0) {
+        shell_warn ("interthread receive decode error - message dropped");
         flux_msg_decref (msg);
+        return;
+    }
+    if (it->trace_flag) {
+        const char *payload;
+        if (flux_msg_get_payload (msg, (const void **)&payload, NULL) == 0)
+            shell_trace ("pmix server %s %s", topic, payload);
+    }
+    for (i = 0; i < it->handler_count; i++) {
+        if (!strcmp (topic, it->handlers[i].topic))
+            break;
     }
+    if (i < it->handler_count)
+        it->handlers[i].cb (msg, it->handlers[i].arg);
+    else
+        shell_warn ("unhandled interthread topic %s", topic);
+    flux_msg_decref (msg);
 }
 
 void interthread_destroy (struct interthread *it)
@@ -140,8 +121,8 @@ void interthread_destroy (struct interthread *it)
     if (it) {
         int saved_errno = errno;
         flux_watcher_destroy (it->w);
-        flux_msglist_destroy (it->queue);
-        pthread_mutex_destroy (&it->lock);
+        flux_close (it->send);
+        flux_close (it->recv);
         free (it);
         errno = saved_errno;
     }
@@ -151,20 +132,16 @@ struct interthread *interthread_create (flux_shell_t *shell)
 {
     flux_t *h = flux_shell_get_flux (shell);
     struct interthread *it;
-    int fd;
 
     if (!(it = calloc (1, sizeof (*it))))
         return NULL;
-    pthread_mutex_init (&it->lock, NULL);
-    if (!(it->queue = flux_msglist_create ()))
-        goto error;
-    if ((fd = flux_msglist_pollfd (it->queue)) < 0)
-        goto error;
-    if (!(it->w = flux_fd_watcher_create (flux_get_reactor (h),
-                                          fd,
-                                          FLUX_POLLIN,
-                                          interthread_recv,
-                                          it)))
+    if (!(it->send = flux_open ("interthread://pmix", 0))
+        || !(it->recv = flux_open ("interthread://pmix", 0))
+        || !(it->w = flux_handle_watcher_create (flux_get_reactor (h),
+                                                 it->recv,
+                                                 FLUX_POLLIN,
+                                                 interthread_recv,
+                                                 it)))
         goto error;
     flux_watcher_start (it->w);
     it->trace_flag = 1; // temporarily force this on