diff --git a/src/system/kernel/port.cpp b/src/system/kernel/port.cpp
index 1b970a87b0..d9243f7eed 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/port.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/port.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ struct port_entry {
 	team_id				owner;
 	int32		 		capacity;
 	mutex				lock;
-	int32				read_count;
+	uint32				read_count;
 	int32				write_count;
 	ConditionVariable	read_condition;
 	ConditionVariable	write_condition;
@@ -529,11 +529,7 @@ fill_port_info(struct port_entry* port, port_info* info, size_t size)
 	info->team = port->owner;
 	info->capacity = port->capacity;
 
-	int32 count = port->read_count;
-	if (count < 0)
-		count = 0;
-
-	info->queue_count = count;
+	info->queue_count = port->read_count;
 	info->total_count = port->total_count;
 
 	strlcpy(info->name, port->lock.name, B_OS_NAME_LENGTH);
@@ -1057,12 +1053,12 @@ _get_port_message_info_etc(port_id id, port_message_info* info,
 	if (sPorts[slot].id != id
 		|| (is_port_closed(slot) && sPorts[slot].messages.IsEmpty())) {
 		T(Info(sPorts[slot], 0, B_BAD_PORT_ID));
-		TRACE(("port_buffer_size_etc(): %s port %ld\n",
+		TRACE(("_get_port_message_info_etc(): %s port %ld\n",
 			sPorts[slot].id == id ? "closed" : "invalid", id));
 		return B_BAD_PORT_ID;
 	}
 
-	if (sPorts[slot].read_count <= 0) {
+	while (sPorts[slot].read_count == 0) {
 		// We need to wait for a message to appear
 		if ((flags & B_RELATIVE_TIMEOUT) != 0 && timeout <= 0)
 			return B_WOULD_BLOCK;
@@ -1126,13 +1122,8 @@ port_count(port_id id)
 		return B_BAD_PORT_ID;
 	}
 
-	int32 count = sPorts[slot].read_count;
-	// do not return negative numbers
-	if (count < 0)
-		count = 0;
-
 	// return count of messages
-	return count;
+	return sPorts[slot].read_count;
 }
 
 
@@ -1171,12 +1162,10 @@ read_port_etc(port_id id, int32* _code, void* buffer, size_t bufferSize,
 		return B_BAD_PORT_ID;
 	}
 
-	if (sPorts[slot].read_count <= 0) {
+	while (sPorts[slot].read_count == 0) {
 		if ((flags & B_RELATIVE_TIMEOUT) != 0 && timeout <= 0)
 			return B_WOULD_BLOCK;
 
-		sPorts[slot].read_count--;
-
 		// We need to wait for a message to appear
 		ConditionVariableEntry entry;
 		sPorts[slot].read_condition.Add(&entry);
@@ -1200,8 +1189,7 @@ read_port_etc(port_id id, int32* _code, void* buffer, size_t bufferSize,
 			sPorts[slot].read_count++;
 			return status != B_OK ? status : entry.WaitStatus();
 		}
-	} else
-		sPorts[slot].read_count--;
+	}
 
 	// determine tail & get the length of the message
 	port_message* message = sPorts[slot].messages.Head();
@@ -1216,7 +1204,6 @@ read_port_etc(port_id id, int32* _code, void* buffer, size_t bufferSize,
 
 		T(Read(sPorts[slot], message->code, size));
 
-		sPorts[slot].read_count++;
 		sPorts[slot].read_condition.NotifyOne();
 			// we only peeked, but didn't grab the message
 		return size;
@@ -1225,6 +1212,7 @@ read_port_etc(port_id id, int32* _code, void* buffer, size_t bufferSize,
 	sPorts[slot].messages.RemoveHead();
 	sPorts[slot].total_count++;
 	sPorts[slot].write_count++;
+	sPorts[slot].read_count--;
 
 	notify_port_select_events(slot, B_EVENT_WRITE);
 	sPorts[slot].write_condition.NotifyOne();
diff --git a/src/tests/system/kernel/port_multi_read_test.cpp b/src/tests/system/kernel/port_multi_read_test.cpp
index 2e37bd836d..2cdc8771bb 100644
--- a/src/tests/system/kernel/port_multi_read_test.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/system/kernel/port_multi_read_test.cpp
@@ -21,16 +21,15 @@ read_thread(void* _data)
 	printf("[%ld] read port...\n", find_thread(NULL));
 	
 	while (true) {
-		ssize_t bytesWaiting = port_buffer_size(port);
-		printf("[%ld] buffer size %ld waiting\n", find_thread(NULL),
-			bytesWaiting);
+		ssize_t bytes = port_buffer_size(port);
+		printf("[%ld] buffer size %ld waiting\n", find_thread(NULL), bytes);
 
 		char buffer[256];
 		int32 code;
-		status_t status = read_port(port, &code, buffer, sizeof(buffer));
+		bytes = read_port(port, &code, buffer, sizeof(buffer));
 		printf("[%ld] read port result (code %lx): %s\n", find_thread(NULL),
-			code, strerror(status));
-		if (status == B_OK)
+			code, strerror(bytes));
+		if (bytes >= 0)
 			break;
 	}
 
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ main()
 		resume_thread(threads[i]);
 	}
 
-	printf("snooze for a bit, all threads should be waiting now.");
+	printf("snooze for a bit, all threads should be waiting now.\n");
 	snooze(100000);
 
 	for (int32 i = 0; i < THREAD_COUNT; i++) {