diff --git a/src/common/libflux/connector_loop.c b/src/common/libflux/connector_loop.c
index 60cc86f77ff7..69bacb07ed73 100644
--- a/src/common/libflux/connector_loop.c
+++ b/src/common/libflux/connector_loop.c
@@ -19,11 +19,12 @@
 #include <flux/core.h>
 
 #include "ccan/str/str.h"
+#include "mpipe.h"
 
 struct loop_ctx {
     flux_t *h;
     struct flux_msg_cred cred;
-    struct flux_msglist *queue;
+    struct mpipe *queue;
 };
 
 static const struct flux_handle_ops handle_ops;
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ static int op_pollevents (void *impl)
     struct loop_ctx *ctx = impl;
     int e, revents = 0;
 
-    if ((e = flux_msglist_pollevents (ctx->queue)) < 0)
+    if ((e = mpipe_pollevents (ctx->queue)) < 0)
         return e;
     if (e & POLLIN)
         revents |= FLUX_POLLIN;
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ static int op_pollevents (void *impl)
 static int op_pollfd (void *impl)
 {
     struct loop_ctx *ctx = impl;
-    return flux_msglist_pollfd (ctx->queue);
+    return mpipe_pollfd (ctx->queue);
 }
 
 static int op_send (void *impl, const flux_msg_t *msg, int flags)
@@ -55,30 +56,29 @@ static int op_send (void *impl, const flux_msg_t *msg, int flags)
     struct loop_ctx *ctx = impl;
     flux_msg_t *cpy;
     struct flux_msg_cred cred;
-    int rc = -1;
 
     if (!(cpy = flux_msg_copy (msg, true)))
-        goto done;
+        goto error;
     if (flux_msg_get_cred (cpy, &cred) < 0)
-        goto done;
+        goto error;
     if (cred.userid == FLUX_USERID_UNKNOWN)
         cred.userid = ctx->cred.userid;
     if (cred.rolemask == FLUX_ROLE_NONE)
         cred.rolemask = ctx->cred.rolemask;
     if (flux_msg_set_cred (cpy, cred) < 0)
-        goto done;
-    if (flux_msglist_append (ctx->queue, cpy) < 0)
-        goto done;
-    rc = 0;
-done:
+        goto error;
+    if (mpipe_enqueue (ctx->queue, &cpy) < 0)
+        goto error;
+    return 0;
+error:
     flux_msg_destroy (cpy);
-    return rc;
+    return -1;
 }
 
 static flux_msg_t *op_recv (void *impl, int flags)
 {
     struct loop_ctx *ctx = impl;
-    flux_msg_t *msg = (flux_msg_t *)flux_msglist_pop (ctx->queue);
+    flux_msg_t *msg = mpipe_dequeue (ctx->queue);
     if (!msg)
         errno = EWOULDBLOCK;
     return msg;
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ static void op_fini (void *impl)
 
     if (ctx) {
         int saved_errno = errno;
-        flux_msglist_destroy (ctx->queue);
+        mpipe_destroy (ctx->queue);
         free (ctx);
         errno = saved_errno;
     }
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ flux_t *connector_loop_init (const char *path, int flags, flux_error_t *errp)
 
     if (!(ctx = calloc (1, sizeof (*ctx))))
         return NULL;
-    if (!(ctx->queue = flux_msglist_create ()))
+    if (!(ctx->queue = mpipe_create (MPIPE_SINGLE_THREAD)))
         goto error;
     ctx->cred.userid = getuid ();
     ctx->cred.rolemask = FLUX_ROLE_OWNER;