diff --git a/__tests__/index.test.ts b/__tests__/index.test.ts
index 3875857..969705a 100644
--- a/__tests__/index.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/index.test.ts
@@ -1308,6 +1308,36 @@ describe("stub disposal over RPC", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("callback calls", () => {
+  class CallbackTarget extends RpcTarget {
+    async callMany(callback: RpcStub<(text: string) => unknown>, count: number) {
+      let cb = callback.dup();
+      try {
+        for (let i = 0; i < count; ++i) {
+          cb(`value-${i}`);
+          await pumpMicrotasks();
+        }
+      } finally {
+        cb[Symbol.dispose]();
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  it("does not retain ignored synchronous callback results", async () => {
+    await using harness = new TestHarness(new CallbackTarget());
+    await harness.stub.callMany((_text: string) => {}, 5);
+    await pumpMicrotasks();
+    harness.checkAllDisposed();
+  });
+
+  it("does not retain ignored synchronous object callback results", async () => {
+    await using harness = new TestHarness(new CallbackTarget());
+    await harness.stub.callMany((text: string) => ({text}), 5);
+    await pumpMicrotasks();
+    harness.checkAllDisposed();
+  });
+});
+
 describe("e-order", () => {
   it("maintains e-order for concurrent calls on single stub", async () => {
     let callOrder: number[] = [];
diff --git a/src/rpc.ts b/src/rpc.ts
index 4801a27..8c2b577 100644
--- a/src/rpc.ts
+++ b/src/rpc.ts
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ class RpcSessionImpl implements Importer, Exporter {
   private reverseExports: Map<StubHook, ExportId> = new Map();
   private imports: Array<ImportTableEntry> = [];
   private abortReason?: any;
-  private cancelReadLoop: (error: any) => void;
+  private cancelReadLoop?: (error: any) => void;
 
   // We assign positive numbers to imports we initiate, and negative numbers to exports we
   // initiate. So the next import ID is just `imports.length`, but the next export ID needs
@@ -348,11 +348,7 @@ class RpcSessionImpl implements Importer, Exporter {
     // Import zero is the other side's bootstrap object.
     this.imports.push(new ImportTableEntry(this, 0, false));
 
-    let rejectFunc: (error: any) => void;;
-    let abortPromise = new Promise<never>((resolve, reject) => { rejectFunc = reject; });
-    this.cancelReadLoop = rejectFunc!;
-
-    this.readLoop(abortPromise).catch(err => this.abort(err));
+    this.readLoop().catch(err => this.abort(err));
   }
 
   // Should only be called once immediately after construction.
@@ -585,6 +581,17 @@ class RpcSessionImpl implements Importer, Exporter {
     return msgText.length;
   }
 
+  private isDirectFunctionCall(expression: unknown): boolean {
+    if (!(expression instanceof Array)) return false;
+
+    let [kind, _id, path, args] = expression;
+    return kind === "pipeline" &&
+        expression.length === 4 &&
+        path instanceof Array &&
+        path.length === 0 &&
+        args instanceof Array;
+  }
+
   sendCall(id: ImportId, path: PropertyPath, args?: RpcPayload): RpcImportHook {
     if (this.abortReason) throw this.abortReason;
 
@@ -684,7 +691,8 @@ class RpcSessionImpl implements Importer, Exporter {
     // Don't double-abort.
     if (this.abortReason !== undefined) return;
 
-    this.cancelReadLoop(error);
+    this.cancelReadLoop?.(error);
+    this.cancelReadLoop = undefined;
 
     if (trySendAbortMessage) {
       try {
@@ -734,9 +742,22 @@ class RpcSessionImpl implements Importer, Exporter {
     }
   }
 
-  private async readLoop(abortPromise: Promise<never>) {
+  private async readLoop() {
     while (!this.abortReason) {
-      let msg = JSON.parse(await Promise.race([this.transport.receive(), abortPromise]));
+      // Each receive needs its own abort promise so Promise.race() doesn't keep old reads.
+      let readCanceled = Promise.withResolvers<never>();
+      this.cancelReadLoop = readCanceled.reject;
+
+      let msgText: string;
+      try {
+        msgText = await Promise.race([this.transport.receive(), readCanceled.promise]);
+      } finally {
+        if (this.cancelReadLoop === readCanceled.reject) {
+          this.cancelReadLoop = undefined;
+        }
+      }
+
+      let msg = JSON.parse(msgText);
       if (this.abortReason) break;  // check again before processing
 
       if (msg instanceof Array) {
@@ -751,7 +772,13 @@ class RpcSessionImpl implements Importer, Exporter {
               // treated as an unhandled rejection on our end.
               hook.ignoreUnhandledRejections();
 
+              let exportId = this.exports.length;
               this.exports.push({ hook, refcount: 1 });
+              if (this.isDirectFunctionCall(msg[1])) {
+                // Direct function calls can be resolved immediately. This lets unused results
+                // be released right away instead of staying alive for the rest of the session.
+                this.ensureResolvingExport(exportId);
+              }
               continue;
             }
             break;