diff --git a/src/rt/rust_kernel.cpp b/src/rt/rust_kernel.cpp
index 7b1adf3ef4c..331aaf85a94 100644
--- a/src/rt/rust_kernel.cpp
+++ b/src/rt/rust_kernel.cpp
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ rust_kernel::wait_for_schedulers()
             rust_scheduler *sched = iter->second;
             sched_table.erase(iter);
             sched->join_task_threads();
-            delete sched;
+            sched->deref();
             if (sched_table.size() == 1) {
                 KLOG_("Allowing osmain scheduler to exit");
                 // It's only the osmain scheduler left. Tell it to exit
@@ -197,23 +197,21 @@ rust_kernel::fail() {
 #if defined(__WIN32__)
     exit(rval);
 #endif
-    // Copy the list of schedulers so that we don't hold the lock while
-    // running kill_all_tasks.
     // I think this only needs to be done by one task ever; as it is,
     // multiple tasks invoking kill_all might get here. Currently libcore
     // ensures only one task will ever invoke it, but this would really be
     // fine either way, so I'm leaving it as it is. -- bblum
-    // FIXME (#2671): There's a lot that happens under kill_all_tasks,
-    // and I don't know that holding sched_lock here is ok, but we need
-    // to hold the sched lock to prevent the scheduler from being
-    // destroyed while we are using it. Probably we need to make
-    // rust_scheduler atomicly reference counted.
+
+    // Copy the list of schedulers so that we don't hold the lock while
+    // running kill_all_tasks. Refcount to ensure they stay alive.
     std::vector<rust_scheduler*> scheds;
     {
         scoped_lock with(sched_lock);
+        // All schedulers created after this flag is set will be doomed.
         killed = true;
         for (sched_map::iterator iter = sched_table.begin();
              iter != sched_table.end(); iter++) {
+            iter->second->ref();
             scheds.push_back(iter->second);
         }
     }
@@ -221,6 +219,7 @@ rust_kernel::fail() {
     for (std::vector<rust_scheduler*>::iterator iter = scheds.begin();
          iter != scheds.end(); iter++) {
         (*iter)->kill_all_tasks();
+        (*iter)->deref();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/rt/rust_scheduler.cpp b/src/rt/rust_scheduler.cpp
index dc662b009ac..5dd1a261c0e 100644
--- a/src/rt/rust_scheduler.cpp
+++ b/src/rt/rust_scheduler.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ rust_scheduler::rust_scheduler(rust_kernel *kernel,
                                bool allow_exit,
                                bool killed,
                                rust_sched_launcher_factory *launchfac) :
+    ref_count(1),
     kernel(kernel),
     live_threads(num_threads),
     live_tasks(0),
@@ -22,8 +23,9 @@ rust_scheduler::rust_scheduler(rust_kernel *kernel,
     create_task_threads(launchfac, killed);
 }
 
-rust_scheduler::~rust_scheduler() {
+void rust_scheduler::delete_this() {
     destroy_task_threads();
+    delete this;
 }
 
 rust_sched_launcher *
diff --git a/src/rt/rust_scheduler.h b/src/rt/rust_scheduler.h
index 699354f6d78..767ecaf7d1e 100644
--- a/src/rt/rust_scheduler.h
+++ b/src/rt/rust_scheduler.h
@@ -11,11 +11,13 @@
 #include "rust_globals.h"
 #include "util/array_list.h"
 #include "rust_kernel.h"
+#include "rust_refcount.h"
 
 class rust_sched_launcher;
 class rust_sched_launcher_factory;
 
 class rust_scheduler : public kernel_owned<rust_scheduler> {
+    RUST_ATOMIC_REFCOUNT();
     // FIXME (#2693): Make these private
 public:
     rust_kernel *kernel;
@@ -45,11 +47,13 @@ private:
 
     void exit();
 
+    // Called when refcount reaches zero
+    void delete_this();
+
 public:
     rust_scheduler(rust_kernel *kernel, size_t num_threads,
                    rust_sched_id id, bool allow_exit, bool killed,
                    rust_sched_launcher_factory *launchfac);
-    ~rust_scheduler();
 
     void start_task_threads();
     void join_task_threads();
diff --git a/src/rt/rust_task.h b/src/rt/rust_task.h
index e9538a5abd5..2db882d11e3 100644
--- a/src/rt/rust_task.h
+++ b/src/rt/rust_task.h
@@ -122,8 +122,6 @@ rust_task_fail(rust_task *task,
 struct
 rust_task : public kernel_owned<rust_task>
 {
-    // FIXME(#1789) Refcounting no longer seems needed now that tasks don't
-    // ref their parents. I'll leave it in just in case... -- bblum
     RUST_ATOMIC_REFCOUNT();
 
     rust_task_id id;