diff --git a/ostd/concurrency.hh b/ostd/concurrency.hh
index 7b36237..9b8eef4 100644
--- a/ostd/concurrency.hh
+++ b/ostd/concurrency.hh
@@ -128,20 +128,23 @@ public:
     basic_simple_coroutine_scheduler(
         size_t ss = TR::default_size(),
         size_t cs = basic_stack_pool<TR, Protected>::DEFAULT_CHUNK_SIZE
-    ): p_coros(), p_stacks(ss, cs) {}
+    ):
+        p_stacks(ss, cs),
+        p_dispatcher([this](auto yield_main) {
+            this->dispatch(yield_main);
+        }, p_stacks.get_allocator()),
+        p_coros()
+    {}
 
     template<typename F, typename ...A>
     auto start(F &&func, A &&...args) -> std::result_of_t<F(A...)> {
         using R = std::result_of_t<F(A...)>;
         if constexpr(std::is_same_v<R, void>) {
-            spawn(std::forward<F>(func), std::forward<F>(args)...);
-            dispatch();
+            func(std::forward<A>(args)...);
+            finish();
         } else {
-            R ret;
-            spawn([lfunc = std::forward<F>(func), &ret](A &&...args) {
-                ret = std::move(lfunc(std::forward<A>(args)...));
-            }, std::forward<A>(args)...);
-            dispatch();
+            auto ret = func(std::forward<A>(args)...);
+            finish();
             return ret;
         }
     }
@@ -163,12 +166,18 @@ public:
 
     void yield() {
         auto ctx = coroutine_context::current();
+        if (!ctx) {
+            /* yield from main means go to dispatcher and call first task */
+            p_idx = p_coros.begin();
+            p_dispatcher();
+            return;
+        }
         coro *c = dynamic_cast<coro *>(ctx);
         if (c) {
             typename coro::yield_type{*c}();
             return;
         }
-        throw std::runtime_error{"no task to yield"};
+        throw std::runtime_error{"attempt to yield outside coroutine"};
     }
 
     template<typename T>
@@ -182,10 +191,15 @@ private:
         using coroutine<void()>::coroutine;
     };
 
-    void dispatch() {
+    void dispatch(typename coro::yield_type &yield_main) {
         while (!p_coros.empty()) {
             if (p_idx == p_coros.end()) {
-                p_idx = p_coros.begin();
+                /* we're at the end; it's time to return to main and
+                 * continue there (potential yield from main results
+                 * in continuing from this point with the first task)
+                 */
+                yield_main();
+                continue;
             }
             (*p_idx)();
             if (!*p_idx) {
@@ -196,8 +210,19 @@ private:
         }
     }
 
-    std::list<coro> p_coros;
+    void finish() {
+        /* main has finished, but there might be either suspended or never
+         * started tasks in the queue; dispatch until there are none left
+         */
+        while (!p_coros.empty()) {
+            p_idx = p_coros.begin();
+            p_dispatcher();
+        }
+    }
+
     basic_stack_pool<TR, Protected> p_stacks;
+    coro p_dispatcher;
+    std::list<coro> p_coros;
     typename std::list<coro>::iterator p_idx = p_coros.end();
 };