diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/experimental/job_spawn.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/experimental/job_spawn.rs
index b0061a40fa..15b1a7faef 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/experimental/job_spawn.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/experimental/job_spawn.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use std::{
 
 use nu_engine::{command_prelude::*, ClosureEvalOnce};
 use nu_protocol::{
-    engine::{Closure, Job, Redirection, ThreadJob, WaitSignal},
+    engine::{completion_signal, Closure, Job, Redirection, ThreadJob},
     report_shell_error, OutDest, Signals,
 };
 
@@ -77,10 +77,10 @@ impl Command for JobSpawn {
         let jobs = job_state.jobs.clone();
         let mut jobs = jobs.lock().expect("jobs lock is poisoned!");
 
-        let on_termination = Arc::new(WaitSignal::new());
+        let (complete, wait) = completion_signal();
 
         let id = {
-            let thread_job = ThreadJob::new(job_signals, tag, on_termination.clone());
+            let thread_job = ThreadJob::new(job_signals, tag, wait);
             job_state.current_thread_job = Some(thread_job.clone());
             jobs.add_job(Job::Thread(thread_job))
         };
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ impl Command for JobSpawn {
                         Value::error(err, head)
                     });
 
-                on_termination.signal(result_value);
+                complete.complete(result_value);
 
                 {
                     let mut jobs = job_state.jobs.lock().expect("jobs lock is poisoned!");
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/experimental/job_wait.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/experimental/job_wait.rs
index 50a2252ea9..d95065555e 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/experimental/job_wait.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/experimental/job_wait.rs
@@ -60,12 +60,12 @@ impl Command for JobWait {
             }
 
             Some(Job::Thread(job)) => {
-                let on_termination = job.on_termination().clone();
+                let waiter = job.on_termination().clone();
 
-                // .join() blocks so we drop our mutex guard
+                // .wait() blocks so we drop our mutex guard
                 drop(jobs);
 
-                let result = on_termination.join().clone().with_span(head);
+                let result = waiter.wait().clone().with_span(head);
 
                 Ok(result.into_pipeline_data())
             }
diff --git a/crates/nu-protocol/src/engine/jobs.rs b/crates/nu-protocol/src/engine/jobs.rs
index c9bbbe48f1..7f974b17c7 100644
--- a/crates/nu-protocol/src/engine/jobs.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-protocol/src/engine/jobs.rs
@@ -139,15 +139,11 @@ pub struct ThreadJob {
     signals: Signals,
     pids: Arc<Mutex<HashSet<u32>>>,
     tag: Option<String>,
-    on_termination: Arc<WaitSignal<Value>>,
+    on_termination: Waiter<Value>,
 }
 
 impl ThreadJob {
-    pub fn new(
-        signals: Signals,
-        tag: Option<String>,
-        on_termination: Arc<WaitSignal<Value>>,
-    ) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(signals: Signals, tag: Option<String>, on_termination: Waiter<Value>) -> Self {
         ThreadJob {
             signals,
             pids: Arc::new(Mutex::new(HashSet::default())),
@@ -201,7 +197,7 @@ impl ThreadJob {
         pids.remove(&pid);
     }
 
-    pub fn on_termination(&self) -> &Arc<WaitSignal<Value>> {
+    pub fn on_termination(&self) -> &Waiter<Value> {
         return &self.on_termination;
     }
 }
@@ -251,95 +247,129 @@ impl FrozenJob {
 
 use std::sync::OnceLock;
 
-/// A synchronization primitive that allows multiple threads to wait for a single event to occur.
+/// A synchronization primitive that allows multiple threads to wait for a single event to be completed.
 ///
-/// Threads that call the [`join`] method will block until the [`signal`] method is called.
-/// Once [`signal`] is called, all currently waiting threads will be woken up and will return from their `join` calls.
-/// Subsequent calls to [`join`] will not block and will return immediately.
+/// A Waiter/Completer pair is similar to a Receiver/Sender pair from std::sync::mpsc, with a few important differences:
+/// - Only one value can only be sent/completed, subsequent completions are ignored
+/// - Multiple threads can wait for the completion of an event (`Waiter` is `Clone` unlike `Receiver`)
 ///
-/// The [`was_signaled`] method can be used to check if the signal has been emitted without blocking.
-pub struct WaitSignal<T> {
-    mutex: std::sync::Mutex<bool>,
-    value: std::sync::OnceLock<T>,
-    var: std::sync::Condvar,
+/// This type differs from `OnceLock` only in a few regards:
+/// - It is split into `Waiter` and `Completer` halfs
+/// - It allows users to `wait` on the completion event with a timeout
+///
+/// Threads that call the [`wait`] method of the `Waiter` block until the [`complete`] method of a matching `Completer` is called.
+/// Once [`complete`] is called, all currently waiting threads will be woken up and will return from their `wait` calls.
+/// Subsequent calls to [`wait`] will not block and will return immediately.
+///
+pub fn completion_signal<T>() -> (Completer<T>, Waiter<T>) {
+    let inner = Arc::new(InnerWaitCompleteSignal::new());
+
+    return (
+        Completer {
+            inner: inner.clone(),
+        },
+        Waiter { inner },
+    );
 }
 
-impl<T> WaitSignal<T> {
-    /// Creates a new `WaitSignal` in an unsignaled state.
-    ///
-    /// No threads will be woken up initially.
+/// Waiter and Completer are effectively just `Arc` wrappers around this type.
+struct InnerWaitCompleteSignal<T> {
+    // One may ask: "Why the mutex and the convar"?
+    // It turns out OnceLock doesn't have a `wait_timeout` method, so
+    // we use the one from the condvar.
+    //
+    // We once again, assume acquire-release semamntics for Rust mutexes
+    mutex: std::sync::Mutex<()>,
+    var: std::sync::Condvar,
+    value: std::sync::OnceLock<T>,
+}
+
+impl<T> InnerWaitCompleteSignal<T> {
     pub fn new() -> Self {
-        WaitSignal {
-            mutex: std::sync::Mutex::new(false),
+        InnerWaitCompleteSignal {
+            mutex: std::sync::Mutex::new(()),
             value: OnceLock::new(),
             var: std::sync::Condvar::new(),
         }
     }
+}
 
-    /// Blocks the current thread until this `WaitSignal` is signaled.
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct Waiter<T> {
+    inner: Arc<InnerWaitCompleteSignal<T>>,
+}
+
+pub struct Completer<T> {
+    inner: Arc<InnerWaitCompleteSignal<T>>,
+}
+
+impl<T> Waiter<T> {
+    /// Blocks the current thread until a completion signal is sent.
     ///
     /// If the signal has already been emitted, this method returns immediately.
     ///
-    /// # Panics
-    ///
-    /// This method will panic if the underlying mutex is poisoned. This can happen if another
-    /// thread holding the mutex panics.
-    pub fn join(&self) -> &T {
-        let mut guard = self.mutex.lock().expect("mutex is poisoned!");
+    pub fn wait(&self) -> &T {
+        let inner: &InnerWaitCompleteSignal<T> = self.inner.as_ref();
 
-        while !*guard {
-            match self.var.wait(guard) {
-                Ok(it) => guard = it,
-                Err(_) => panic!("mutex is poisoned!"),
+        let mut guard = inner.mutex.lock().expect("mutex is poisoned!");
+
+        loop {
+            match inner.value.get() {
+                None => match inner.var.wait(guard) {
+                    Ok(it) => guard = it,
+                    Err(_) => panic!("mutex is poisoned!"),
+                },
+                Some(value) => return value,
             }
         }
-
-        return self.value.get().unwrap();
     }
 
-    /// Signals all threads currently waiting on this `WaitSignal`.
-    ///
-    /// This method sets the internal state to "signaled" and wakes up all threads that are blocked
-    /// in the [`join`] method. Subsequent calls to [`join`] from any thread will return immediately.
-    /// This operation has no effect if the signal has already been emitted.
-    pub fn signal(&self, value: T) {
-        let mut guard = self.mutex.lock().expect("mutex is poisoned!");
+    // TODO: add wait_timeout
 
-        *guard = true;
-        let _ = self.value.set(value);
-
-        self.var.notify_all();
-    }
-
-    /// Checks if this `WaitSignal` has been signaled.
+    /// Checks if this completion signal has been signaled.
     ///
     /// This method returns `true` if the [`signal`] method has been called at least once,
     /// and `false` otherwise. This method does not block the current thread.
     ///
-    /// # Panics
-    ///
-    /// This method will panic if the underlying mutex is poisoned. This can happen if another
-    /// thread holding the mutex panics.
-    pub fn was_signaled(&self) -> bool {
-        let guard = self.mutex.lock().expect("mutex is poisoned!");
+    pub fn is_completed(&self) -> bool {
+        self.try_get().is_some()
+    }
 
-        *guard
+    /// Returns the completed value, or None if none was sent.
+    pub fn try_get(&self) -> Option<&T> {
+        let _guard = self.inner.mutex.lock().expect("mutex is poisoned!");
+
+        self.inner.value.get()
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> Completer<T> {
+    /// Signals all threads currently waiting on this completion signal.
+    ///
+    /// This method sets wakes up all threads that are blocked in the [`wait`] method
+    /// of an attached `Waiter`. Subsequent calls to [`wait`] from any thread will return immediately.
+    /// This operation has no effect if this completion signal has already been completed.
+    pub fn complete(&self, value: T) {
+        let inner: &InnerWaitCompleteSignal<T> = self.inner.as_ref();
+
+        let mut _guard = inner.mutex.lock().expect("mutex is poisoned!");
+
+        let _ = inner.value.set(value);
+
+        inner.var.notify_all();
     }
 }
 
-// TODO: move to testing directory
 #[cfg(test)]
-mod test {
+mod completion_signal_tests {
 
     use std::{
-        sync::{mpsc, Arc},
+        sync::mpsc,
         thread::{self, sleep},
         time::Duration,
     };
 
-    use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
-
-    use crate::engine::jobs::WaitSignal;
+    use crate::engine::completion_signal;
 
     fn run_with_timeout<F>(duration: Duration, lambda: F)
     where
@@ -363,52 +393,51 @@ mod test {
             send.send(false).expect("send failed");
         });
 
-        let result = recv.recv().expect("recv failed!");
+        let ok = recv.recv().expect("recv failed!");
 
-        assert!(result == true, "timeout!");
+        assert!(ok, "got timeout!");
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn join_returns_when_signaled_from_another_thread() {
+    fn wait_returns_when_signaled_from_another_thread() {
         run_with_timeout(Duration::from_secs(1), || {
-            let signal = Arc::new(WaitSignal::new());
+            let (complete, wait) = completion_signal();
 
-            let thread_signal = signal.clone();
+            let wait_ = wait.clone();
 
             thread::spawn(move || {
                 sleep(Duration::from_millis(200));
-                assert!(!thread_signal.was_signaled());
-                thread_signal.signal(123);
+                assert!(!wait_.is_completed());
+                complete.complete(123);
             });
 
-            let result = signal.join();
+            let result = wait.wait();
 
-            assert!(signal.was_signaled());
+            assert!(wait.is_completed());
 
             assert_eq!(*result, 123);
         });
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn join_works_from_multiple_threads() {
+    fn wait_works_from_multiple_threads() {
         run_with_timeout(Duration::from_secs(1), || {
-            let signal = Arc::new(WaitSignal::new());
-
+            let (complete, wait) = completion_signal();
             let (send, recv) = mpsc::channel();
 
             let thread_count = 4;
 
             for _ in 0..thread_count {
-                let signal_ = signal.clone();
+                let wait_ = wait.clone();
                 let send_ = send.clone();
 
                 thread::spawn(move || {
-                    let value = signal_.join();
+                    let value = wait_.wait();
                     send_.send(*value).expect("send failed");
                 });
             }
 
-            signal.signal(321);
+            complete.complete(321);
 
             for _ in 0..thread_count {
                 let result = recv.recv().expect("recv failed");
@@ -420,30 +449,30 @@ mod test {
 
     #[test]
     fn was_signaled_returns_false_when_struct_is_initalized() {
-        let signal = Arc::new(WaitSignal::<()>::new());
+        let (_, wait) = completion_signal::<()>();
 
-        assert!(!signal.was_signaled())
+        assert!(!wait.is_completed())
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn was_signaled_returns_true_when_signal_is_called() {
-        let signal = Arc::new(WaitSignal::new());
+        let (complete, wait) = completion_signal();
 
-        signal.signal(());
+        complete.complete(());
 
-        assert!(signal.was_signaled())
+        assert!(wait.is_completed())
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn join_returns_when_own_thread_signals() {
+    fn wait_returns_when_own_thread_signals() {
         run_with_timeout(Duration::from_secs(1), || {
-            let signal = Arc::new(WaitSignal::new());
+            let (complete, wait) = completion_signal();
 
-            signal.signal(());
+            complete.complete(());
 
-            signal.join();
+            wait.wait();
 
-            assert!(signal.was_signaled())
+            assert!(wait.is_completed())
         })
     }
 }