diff --git a/src/core/process.c b/src/core/process.c
index c087f16d..0583a398 100644
--- a/src/core/process.c
+++ b/src/core/process.c
@@ -31,25 +31,43 @@
 static LIST_HEAD ( run_queue );
 
 /**
- * Add process to run queue
+ * Add process to process list
  *
  * @v process		Process
  */
-void schedule ( struct process *process ) {
+void process_add ( struct process *process ) {
+	ref_get ( process->refcnt );
 	list_add_tail ( &process->list, &run_queue );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Remove process from process list
+ *
+ * @v process		Process
+ *
+ * It is safe to call process_del() multiple times; further calls will
+ * have no effect.
+ */
+void process_del ( struct process *process ) {
+	if ( ! list_empty ( &process->list ) ) {
+		list_del ( &process->list );
+		INIT_LIST_HEAD ( &process->list );
+		ref_put ( process->refcnt );
+	}
+}
+
 /**
  * Single-step a single process
  *
- * This removes the first process from the run queue and executes a
- * single step of that process.
+ * This executes a single step of the first process in the run queue,
+ * and moves the process to the end of the run queue.
  */
 void step ( void ) {
 	struct process *process;
 
 	list_for_each_entry ( process, &run_queue, list ) {
 		list_del ( &process->list );
+		list_add_tail ( &process->list, &run_queue );
 		process->step ( process );
 		break;
 	}
diff --git a/src/include/gpxe/process.h b/src/include/gpxe/process.h
index 83ff8393..c0837fa4 100644
--- a/src/include/gpxe/process.h
+++ b/src/include/gpxe/process.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <gpxe/list.h>
+#include <gpxe/refcnt.h>
 
 /** A process */
 struct process {
@@ -19,14 +20,46 @@ struct process {
 	 * This method should execute a single step of the process.
 	 * Returning from this method is isomorphic to yielding the
 	 * CPU to another process.
-	 *
-	 * If the process wishes to be executed again, it must re-add
-	 * itself to the run queue using schedule().
 	 */
 	void ( * step ) ( struct process *process );
+	/** Reference counter
+	 *
+	 * If this interface is not part of a reference-counted
+	 * object, this field may be NULL.
+	 */
+	struct refcnt *refcnt;
 };
 
-extern void schedule ( struct process *process );
+extern void process_add ( struct process *process );
+extern void process_del ( struct process *process );
 extern void step ( void );
 
+/**
+ * Initialise process without adding to process list
+ *
+ * @v process		Process
+ * @v step		Process' step() method
+ */
+static inline __attribute__ (( always_inline )) void
+process_init_stopped ( struct process *process,
+		       void ( * step ) ( struct process *process ),
+		       struct refcnt *refcnt ) {
+	process->step = step;
+	process->refcnt = refcnt;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Initialise process and add to process list
+ *
+ * @v process		Process
+ * @v step		Process' step() method
+ */
+static inline __attribute__ (( always_inline )) void
+process_init ( struct process *process,
+	       void ( * step ) ( struct process *process ),
+	       struct refcnt *refcnt ) {
+	process_init_stopped ( process, step, refcnt );
+	process_add ( process );
+}
+
 #endif /* _GPXE_PROCESS_H */
diff --git a/src/include/gpxe/retry.h b/src/include/gpxe/retry.h
index 57be432e..e0c0248b 100644
--- a/src/include/gpxe/retry.h
+++ b/src/include/gpxe/retry.h
@@ -37,4 +37,15 @@ struct retry_timer {
 extern void start_timer ( struct retry_timer *timer );
 extern void stop_timer ( struct retry_timer *timer );
 
+/**
+ * Test to see if timer is currently running
+ *
+ * @v timer		Retry timer
+ * @ret running		Non-zero if timer is running
+ */
+static inline __attribute__ (( always_inline )) unsigned long
+timer_running ( struct retry_timer *timer ) {
+	return ( timer->start );
+}
+
 #endif /* _GPXE_RETRY_H */
diff --git a/src/net/netdevice.c b/src/net/netdevice.c
index c1ad5f68..ddcb296f 100644
--- a/src/net/netdevice.c
+++ b/src/net/netdevice.c
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ int net_rx ( struct io_buffer *iobuf, struct net_device *netdev,
  * This polls all interfaces for received packets, and processes
  * packets from the RX queue.
  */
-static void net_step ( struct process *process ) {
+static void net_step ( struct process *process __unused ) {
 	struct net_device *netdev;
 	struct io_buffer *iobuf;
 
@@ -410,9 +410,6 @@ static void net_step ( struct process *process ) {
 			netdev->ll_protocol->rx ( iobuf, netdev );
 		}
 	}
-
-	/* Re-schedule ourself */
-	schedule ( process );
 }
 
 /** Networking stack process */
@@ -422,7 +419,7 @@ static struct process net_process = {
 
 /** Initialise the networking stack process */
 static void init_net ( void ) {
-	schedule ( &net_process );
+	process_add ( &net_process );
 }
 
 INIT_FN ( INIT_PROCESS, init_net, NULL, NULL );
diff --git a/src/net/retry.c b/src/net/retry.c
index cd683f5b..f8c34b81 100644
--- a/src/net/retry.c
+++ b/src/net/retry.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ static LIST_HEAD ( timers );
  * be stopped and the timer's callback function will be called.
  */
 void start_timer ( struct retry_timer *timer ) {
-	if ( ! timer->start )
+	if ( ! timer_running ( timer ) )
 		list_add ( &timer->list, &timers );
 	timer->start = currticks();
 	if ( timer->timeout < MIN_TIMEOUT )
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ void stop_timer ( struct retry_timer *timer ) {
 	unsigned long runtime;
 
 	/* If timer was already stopped, do nothing */
-	if ( ! timer->start )
+	if ( ! timer_running ( timer ) )
 		return;
 
 	list_del ( &timer->list );
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ static void timer_expired ( struct retry_timer *timer ) {
  *
  * @v process		Retry timer process
  */
-static void retry_step ( struct process *process ) {
+static void retry_step ( struct process *process __unused ) {
 	struct retry_timer *timer;
 	struct retry_timer *tmp;
 	unsigned long now = currticks();
@@ -164,8 +164,6 @@ static void retry_step ( struct process *process ) {
 		if ( used >= timer->timeout )
 			timer_expired ( timer );
 	}
-
-	schedule ( process );
 }
 
 /** Retry timer process */
@@ -175,7 +173,7 @@ static struct process retry_process = {
 
 /** Initialise the retry timer module */
 static void init_retry ( void ) {
-	schedule ( &retry_process );
+	process_add ( &retry_process );
 }
 
 INIT_FN ( INIT_PROCESS, init_retry, NULL, NULL );