diff --git a/src/Simplex/FileTransfer/Agent.hs b/src/Simplex/FileTransfer/Agent.hs
index c82316c82..ad3ad72c0 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/FileTransfer/Agent.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/FileTransfer/Agent.hs
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ runXFTPRcvWorker c srv Worker {doWork} = do
   cfg <- asks config
   forever $ do
     lift $ waitForWork doWork
-    atomically $ assertAgentForeground c
+    liftIO $ assertAgentForeground c
     runXFTPOperation cfg
   where
     runXFTPOperation :: AgentConfig -> AM ()
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ runXFTPRcvWorker c srv Worker {doWork} = do
         (fc@RcvFileChunk {userId, rcvFileId, rcvFileEntityId, digest, fileTmpPath, replicas = replica@RcvFileChunkReplica {rcvChunkReplicaId, server, delay} : _}, approvedRelays) -> do
           let ri' = maybe ri (\d -> ri {initialInterval = d, increaseAfter = 0}) delay
           withRetryIntervalLimit xftpConsecutiveRetries ri' $ \delay' loop -> do
-            atomically $ waitWhileSuspended c
+            liftIO $ waitWhileSuspended c
             liftIO $ waitForUserNetwork c
             atomically $ incXFTPServerStat c userId srv downloadAttempts
             downloadFileChunk fc replica approvedRelays
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ runXFTPRcvWorker c srv Worker {doWork} = do
                 when (serverHostError e) $ notify c rcvFileEntityId $ RFWARN e
                 liftIO $ closeXFTPServerClient c userId server digest
                 withStore' c $ \db -> updateRcvChunkReplicaDelay db rcvChunkReplicaId replicaDelay
-              atomically $ assertAgentForeground c
+              liftIO $ assertAgentForeground c
               loop
             retryDone e = do
               atomically . incXFTPServerStat c userId srv $ case e of
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ runXFTPRcvWorker c srv Worker {doWork} = do
           chunkSpec = XFTPRcvChunkSpec chunkPath chSize (unFileDigest digest)
           relChunkPath = fileTmpPath </> takeFileName chunkPath
       agentXFTPDownloadChunk c userId digest replica chunkSpec
-      atomically $ waitUntilForeground c
+      liftIO $ waitUntilForeground c
       (entityId, complete, progress) <- withStore c $ \db -> runExceptT $ do
         liftIO $ updateRcvFileChunkReceived db (rcvChunkReplicaId replica) rcvChunkId relChunkPath
         RcvFile {size = FileSize currentSize, chunks, redirect} <- ExceptT $ getRcvFile db rcvFileId
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ runXFTPRcvLocalWorker c Worker {doWork} = do
   cfg <- asks config
   forever $ do
     lift $ waitForWork doWork
-    atomically $ assertAgentForeground c
+    liftIO $ assertAgentForeground c
     runXFTPOperation cfg
   where
     runXFTPOperation :: AgentConfig -> AM ()
@@ -299,12 +299,12 @@ runXFTPRcvLocalWorker c Worker {doWork} = do
         Nothing -> do
           notify c rcvFileEntityId $ RFDONE fsSavePath
           lift $ forM_ tmpPath (removePath <=< toFSFilePath)
-          atomically $ waitUntilForeground c
+          liftIO $ waitUntilForeground c
           withStore' c (`updateRcvFileComplete` rcvFileId)
         Just RcvFileRedirect {redirectFileInfo, redirectDbId} -> do
           let RedirectFileInfo {size = redirectSize, digest = redirectDigest} = redirectFileInfo
           lift $ forM_ tmpPath (removePath <=< toFSFilePath)
-          atomically $ waitUntilForeground c
+          liftIO $ waitUntilForeground c
           withStore' c (`updateRcvFileComplete` rcvFileId)
           -- proceed with redirect
           yaml <- liftError (FILE . FILE_IO . show) (CF.readFile $ CryptoFile fsSavePath cfArgs) `agentFinally` (lift $ toFSFilePath fsSavePath >>= removePath)
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ runXFTPSndPrepareWorker c Worker {doWork} = do
   cfg <- asks config
   forever $ do
     lift $ waitForWork doWork
-    atomically $ assertAgentForeground c
+    liftIO $ assertAgentForeground c
     runXFTPOperation cfg
   where
     runXFTPOperation :: AgentConfig -> AM ()
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ runXFTPSndPrepareWorker c Worker {doWork} = do
           SndFileChunkReplica {server} : _ -> Right server
         createChunk :: Int -> SndFileChunk -> AM (ProtocolServer 'PXFTP)
         createChunk numRecipients' ch = do
-          atomically $ assertAgentForeground c
+          liftIO $ assertAgentForeground c
           (replica, ProtoServerWithAuth srv _) <- tryCreate
           withStore' c $ \db -> createSndFileReplica db ch replica
           pure srv
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ runXFTPSndPrepareWorker c Worker {doWork} = do
               let AgentClient {xftpServers} = c
               userSrvCount <- length <$> atomically (TM.lookup userId xftpServers)
               withRetryIntervalCount (riFast ri) $ \n _ loop -> do
-                atomically $ waitWhileSuspended c
+                liftIO $ waitWhileSuspended c
                 liftIO $ waitForUserNetwork c
                 let triedAllSrvs = n > userSrvCount
                 createWithNextSrv usedSrvs
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ runXFTPSndPrepareWorker c Worker {doWork} = do
                 retryLoop loop triedAllSrvs e = do
                   flip catchAgentError (\_ -> pure ()) $ do
                     when (triedAllSrvs && serverHostError e) $ notify c sndFileEntityId $ SFWARN e
-                  atomically $ assertAgentForeground c
+                  liftIO $ assertAgentForeground c
                   loop
             createWithNextSrv usedSrvs = do
               deleted <- withStore' c $ \db -> getSndFileDeleted db sndFileId
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ runXFTPSndWorker c srv Worker {doWork} = do
   cfg <- asks config
   forever $ do
     lift $ waitForWork doWork
-    atomically $ assertAgentForeground c
+    liftIO $ assertAgentForeground c
     runXFTPOperation cfg
   where
     runXFTPOperation :: AgentConfig -> AM ()
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ runXFTPSndWorker c srv Worker {doWork} = do
         fc@SndFileChunk {userId, sndFileId, sndFileEntityId, filePrefixPath, digest, replicas = replica@SndFileChunkReplica {sndChunkReplicaId, server, delay} : _} -> do
           let ri' = maybe ri (\d -> ri {initialInterval = d, increaseAfter = 0}) delay
           withRetryIntervalLimit xftpConsecutiveRetries ri' $ \delay' loop -> do
-            atomically $ waitWhileSuspended c
+            liftIO $ waitWhileSuspended c
             liftIO $ waitForUserNetwork c
             atomically $ incXFTPServerStat c userId srv uploadAttempts
             uploadFileChunk cfg fc replica
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ runXFTPSndWorker c srv Worker {doWork} = do
                 when (serverHostError e) $ notify c sndFileEntityId $ SFWARN e
                 liftIO $ closeXFTPServerClient c userId server digest
                 withStore' c $ \db -> updateSndChunkReplicaDelay db sndChunkReplicaId replicaDelay
-              atomically $ assertAgentForeground c
+              liftIO $ assertAgentForeground c
               loop
             retryDone e = do
               atomically $ incXFTPServerStat c userId srv uploadErrs
@@ -526,9 +526,9 @@ runXFTPSndWorker c srv Worker {doWork} = do
       fsFilePath <- lift $ toFSFilePath filePath
       unlessM (doesFileExist fsFilePath) $ throwE $ FILE NO_FILE
       let chunkSpec' = chunkSpec {filePath = fsFilePath} :: XFTPChunkSpec
-      atomically $ assertAgentForeground c
+      liftIO $ assertAgentForeground c
       agentXFTPUploadChunk c userId chunkDigest replica' chunkSpec'
-      atomically $ waitUntilForeground c
+      liftIO $ waitUntilForeground c
       sf@SndFile {sndFileEntityId, prefixPath, chunks} <- withStore c $ \db -> do
         updateSndChunkReplicaStatus db sndChunkReplicaId SFRSUploaded
         getSndFile db sndFileId
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ runXFTPDelWorker c srv Worker {doWork} = do
   cfg <- asks config
   forever $ do
     lift $ waitForWork doWork
-    atomically $ assertAgentForeground c
+    liftIO $ assertAgentForeground c
     runXFTPOperation cfg
   where
     runXFTPOperation :: AgentConfig -> AM ()
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ runXFTPDelWorker c srv Worker {doWork} = do
         processDeletedReplica replica@DeletedSndChunkReplica {deletedSndChunkReplicaId, userId, server, chunkDigest, delay} = do
           let ri' = maybe ri (\d -> ri {initialInterval = d, increaseAfter = 0}) delay
           withRetryIntervalLimit xftpConsecutiveRetries ri' $ \delay' loop -> do
-            atomically $ waitWhileSuspended c
+            liftIO $ waitWhileSuspended c
             liftIO $ waitForUserNetwork c
             atomically $ incXFTPServerStat c userId srv deleteAttempts
             deleteChunkReplica
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ runXFTPDelWorker c srv Worker {doWork} = do
                 when (serverHostError e) $ notify c "" $ SFWARN e
                 liftIO $ closeXFTPServerClient c userId server chunkDigest
                 withStore' c $ \db -> updateDeletedSndChunkReplicaDelay db deletedSndChunkReplicaId replicaDelay
-              atomically $ assertAgentForeground c
+              liftIO $ assertAgentForeground c
               loop
             retryDone e = do
               atomically $ incXFTPServerStat c userId srv deleteErrs
@@ -703,7 +703,7 @@ delWorkerInternalError c deletedSndChunkReplicaId e = do
   withStore' c $ \db -> deleteDeletedSndChunkReplica db deletedSndChunkReplicaId
   notify c "" $ SFERR e
 
-assertAgentForeground :: AgentClient -> STM ()
+assertAgentForeground :: AgentClient -> IO ()
 assertAgentForeground c = do
   throwWhenInactive c
   waitUntilForeground c
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Messaging/Agent.hs b/src/Simplex/Messaging/Agent.hs
index f7e70b721..6753cb36f 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Messaging/Agent.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Messaging/Agent.hs
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ logServersStats c = do
   liftIO $ threadDelay' delay
   int <- asks (logStatsInterval . config)
   forever $ do
-    atomically $ waitUntilActive c
+    liftIO $ waitUntilActive c
     saveServersStats c
     liftIO $ threadDelay' int
 
@@ -1136,7 +1136,7 @@ runCommandProcessing c@AgentClient {subQ} server_ Worker {doWork} = do
   forever $ do
     atomically $ endAgentOperation c AOSndNetwork
     lift $ waitForWork doWork
-    atomically $ throwWhenInactive c
+    liftIO $ throwWhenInactive c
     atomically $ beginAgentOperation c AOSndNetwork
     withWork c doWork (`getPendingServerCommand` server_) $ runProcessCmd (riFast ri)
   where
@@ -1254,7 +1254,7 @@ runCommandProcessing c@AgentClient {subQ} server_ Worker {doWork} = do
             SomeConn _ conn@DuplexConnection {} -> a conn
             _ -> internalErr "command requires duplex connection"
         tryCommand action = withRetryInterval ri $ \_ loop -> do
-          atomically $ waitWhileSuspended c
+          liftIO $ waitWhileSuspended c
           liftIO $ waitForUserNetwork c
           tryError action >>= \case
             Left e
@@ -1363,7 +1363,7 @@ runSmpQueueMsgDelivery c@AgentClient {subQ} ConnData {connId} sq@SndQueue {userI
   forever $ do
     atomically $ endAgentOperation c AOSndNetwork
     lift $ waitForWork doWork
-    atomically $ throwWhenInactive c
+    liftIO $ throwWhenInactive c
     atomically $ throwWhenNoDelivery c sq
     atomically $ beginAgentOperation c AOSndNetwork
     withWork c doWork (\db -> getPendingQueueMsg db connId sq) $
@@ -1372,7 +1372,7 @@ runSmpQueueMsgDelivery c@AgentClient {subQ} ConnData {connId} sq@SndQueue {userI
         let mId = unId msgId
             ri' = maybe id updateRetryInterval2 msgRetryState ri
         withRetryLock2 ri' qLock $ \riState loop -> do
-          atomically $ waitWhileSuspended c
+          liftIO $ waitWhileSuspended c
           liftIO $ waitForUserNetwork c
           resp <- tryError $ case msgType of
             AM_CONN_INFO -> sendConfirmation c sq msgBody
@@ -1525,7 +1525,7 @@ retrySndOp :: AgentClient -> AM () -> AM ()
 retrySndOp c loop = do
   -- end... is in a separate atomically because if begin... blocks, SUSPENDED won't be sent
   atomically $ endAgentOperation c AOSndNetwork
-  atomically $ throwWhenInactive c
+  liftIO $ throwWhenInactive c
   atomically $ beginAgentOperation c AOSndNetwork
   loop
 
@@ -2113,7 +2113,7 @@ cleanupManager c@AgentClient {subQ} = do
   int <- asks (cleanupInterval . config)
   ttl <- asks $ storedMsgDataTTL . config
   forever $ do
-    atomically $ waitUntilActive c
+    liftIO $ waitUntilActive c
     run ERR deleteConns
     run ERR $ withStore' c (`deleteRcvMsgHashesExpired` ttl)
     run ERR $ withStore' c (`deleteSndMsgsExpired` ttl)
@@ -2133,7 +2133,7 @@ cleanupManager c@AgentClient {subQ} = do
       step <- asks $ cleanupStepInterval . config
       liftIO $ threadDelay step
     -- we are catching it to avoid CRITICAL errors in tests when this is the only remaining handle to active
-    waitActive a = liftIO (E.tryAny . atomically $ waitUntilActive c) >>= either (\_ -> pure ()) (\_ -> void a)
+    waitActive a = liftIO (E.tryAny $ waitUntilActive c) >>= either (\_ -> pure ()) (\_ -> void a)
     deleteConns =
       withLock (deleteLock c) "cleanupManager" $ do
         void $ withStore' c getDeletedConnIds >>= deleteDeletedConns c
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Messaging/Agent/Client.hs b/src/Simplex/Messaging/Agent/Client.hs
index d3e1f2eca..3d92ea38e 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Messaging/Agent/Client.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Messaging/Agent/Client.hs
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ resubscribeSMPSession c@AgentClient {smpSubWorkers, workerSeq} tSess = do
       withRetryForeground ri isForeground (isNetworkOnline c) $ \_ loop -> do
         pending <- atomically getPending
         forM_ (L.nonEmpty pending) $ \qs -> do
-          atomically $ waitUntilForeground c
+          liftIO $ waitUntilForeground c
           liftIO $ waitForUserNetwork c
           reconnectSMPClient c tSess qs
           loop
@@ -911,12 +911,13 @@ cancelWorker Worker {doWork, action} = do
   noWorkToDo doWork
   atomically (tryTakeTMVar action) >>= mapM_ (mapM_ uninterruptibleCancel)
 
-waitUntilActive :: AgentClient -> STM ()
-waitUntilActive c = unlessM (readTVar $ active c) retry
-{-# INLINE waitUntilActive #-}
+waitUntilActive :: AgentClient -> IO ()
+waitUntilActive AgentClient {active} =
+  unlessM (readTVarIO active) . atomically $
+    unlessM (readTVar active) retry
 
-throwWhenInactive :: AgentClient -> STM ()
-throwWhenInactive c = unlessM (readTVar $ active c) $ throwSTM ThreadKilled
+throwWhenInactive :: AgentClient -> IO ()
+throwWhenInactive c = unlessM (readTVarIO $ active c) $ E.throwIO ThreadKilled
 {-# INLINE throwWhenInactive #-}
 
 -- this function is used to remove workers once delivery is complete, not when it is removed from the map
@@ -1865,22 +1866,24 @@ beginAgentOperation c op = do
   -- unsafeIOToSTM $ putStrLn $ "beginOperation! " <> show op <> " " <> show (opsInProgress s + 1)
   writeTVar opVar $! s {opsInProgress = opsInProgress s + 1}
 
-agentOperationBracket :: MonadUnliftIO m => AgentClient -> AgentOperation -> (AgentClient -> STM ()) -> m a -> m a
+agentOperationBracket :: MonadUnliftIO m => AgentClient -> AgentOperation -> (AgentClient -> IO ()) -> m a -> m a
 agentOperationBracket c op check action =
   E.bracket
-    (atomically (check c) >> atomically (beginAgentOperation c op))
+    (liftIO (check c) >> atomically (beginAgentOperation c op))
     (\_ -> atomically $ endAgentOperation c op)
     (const action)
 
-waitUntilForeground :: AgentClient -> STM ()
-waitUntilForeground c = unlessM ((ASForeground ==) <$> readTVar (agentState c)) retry
-{-# INLINE waitUntilForeground #-}
+waitUntilForeground :: AgentClient -> IO ()
+waitUntilForeground AgentClient {agentState} =
+  unlessM ((ASForeground ==) <$> readTVarIO agentState) . atomically $
+    unlessM ((ASForeground ==) <$> readTVar agentState) retry
 
 -- This function waits while agent is suspended, but will proceed while it is suspending,
 -- to allow completing in-flight operations.
-waitWhileSuspended :: AgentClient -> STM ()
-waitWhileSuspended c = unlessM ((ASSuspended /=) <$> readTVar (agentState c)) retry
-{-# INLINE waitWhileSuspended #-}
+waitWhileSuspended :: AgentClient -> IO ()
+waitWhileSuspended AgentClient {agentState} =
+  unlessM ((ASSuspended /=) <$> readTVarIO agentState) . atomically $
+    unlessM ((ASSuspended /=) <$> readTVar agentState) retry
 
 withStore' :: AgentClient -> (DB.Connection -> IO a) -> AM a
 withStore' c action = withStore c $ fmap Right . action
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Messaging/Agent/NtfSubSupervisor.hs b/src/Simplex/Messaging/Agent/NtfSubSupervisor.hs
index 249aad942..23a88ea70 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Messaging/Agent/NtfSubSupervisor.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Messaging/Agent/NtfSubSupervisor.hs
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ runNtfWorker c srv Worker {doWork} =
           logInfo $ "runNtfWorker, nextSub " <> tshow nextSub
           ri <- asks $ reconnectInterval . config
           withRetryInterval ri $ \_ loop -> do
-            atomically $ waitWhileSuspended c
+            liftIO $ waitWhileSuspended c
             liftIO $ waitForUserNetwork c
             processSub nextSub
               `catchAgentError` retryOnError c "NtfWorker" loop (workerInternalError c connId . show)
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ runNtfSMPWorker c srv Worker {doWork} = do
           logInfo $ "runNtfSMPWorker, nextSub " <> tshow nextSub
           ri <- asks $ reconnectInterval . config
           withRetryInterval ri $ \_ loop -> do
-            atomically $ waitWhileSuspended c
+            liftIO $ waitWhileSuspended c
             liftIO $ waitForUserNetwork c
             processSub nextSub
               `catchAgentError` retryOnError c "NtfSMPWorker" loop (workerInternalError c connId . show)
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ retryOnError c name loop done e = do
   where
     retryLoop = do
       atomically $ endAgentOperation c AONtfNetwork
-      atomically $ throwWhenInactive c
+      liftIO $ throwWhenInactive c
       atomically $ beginAgentOperation c AONtfNetwork
       loop