diff --git a/lib/process_shared/synchronizable_semaphore.rb b/lib/process_shared/synchronizable_semaphore.rb
index 38529c8..f381b37 100644
--- a/lib/process_shared/synchronizable_semaphore.rb
+++ b/lib/process_shared/synchronizable_semaphore.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+require 'forwardable'
+
 module ProcessShared
   module SynchronizableSemaphore
     # Yield the block after decrementing the semaphore, ensuring that
@@ -12,5 +14,74 @@ module ProcessShared
         post
       end
     end
+
+    # Expose an unchecked mutex-like interface using only this semaphore.
+    #
+    # @return [FasterUncheckedMutex]  An unchecked mutex facade for this semaphore
+    def to_mtx
+      FasterUncheckedMutex.new(self)
+    end
+
+    private
+
+    # @api private
+    #
+    # Presents a mutex-like facade over a semaphore.
+    # @see SynchronizableSemaphore#to_mtx
+    #
+    # NOTE: Unlocking a locked mutex from a different process or thread than
+    # that which locked it will result in undefined behavior, whereas with the
+    # Mutex class, this error will be detected and an exception raised.
+    #
+    # It is recommended to develop using the Mutex class, which is checked, and
+    # to use this unchecked variant only to optimized performance for code paths
+    # that have been determined to have correct lock/unlock behavior.
+    class FasterUncheckedMutex
+      extend Forwardable
+
+      def initialize(sem)
+        @sem = sem
+      end
+
+      # @return [Boolean]  +true+ if currently locked
+      def locked?
+        @sem.try_wait
+        @sem.post
+        false
+      rescue Errno::EAGAIN
+        true
+      end
+
+      # Releases the lock and sleeps timeout seconds if it is given and
+      # non-nil or forever.
+      #
+      # TODO: de-duplicate this from Mutex#sleep
+      #
+      # @return [Numeric]
+      def sleep(timeout = nil)
+        unlock
+        begin
+          timeout ? Kernel.sleep(timeout) : Kernel.sleep
+        ensure
+          lock
+        end
+      end
+
+      # @return [Boolean]  +true+ if lock was acquired, +false+ if already locked
+      def try_lock
+        @sem.try_wait
+        true
+      rescue Errno::EAGAIN
+        false
+      end
+
+      # delegate to methods with different names
+      def_delegator :@sem, :wait, :lock
+      def_delegator :@sem, :post, :unlock
+
+      # delegate to methods with the same names
+      def_delegators :@sem, :synchronize, :close
+    end
+
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/process_shared/semaphore_spec.rb b/spec/process_shared/semaphore_spec.rb
index a0a844c..8bd9db4 100644
--- a/spec/process_shared/semaphore_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/process_shared/semaphore_spec.rb
@@ -11,11 +11,7 @@ module ProcessShared
       include LockBehavior
 
       before :each do
-        @lock = Semaphore.new
-        class << @lock
-          alias_method :lock, :wait
-          alias_method :unlock, :post
-        end
+        @lock = Semaphore.new.to_mtx
       end
 
       after :each do
@@ -191,5 +187,47 @@ module ProcessShared
         end
       end
     end
+
+    describe '#to_mtx' do
+      before :each do
+        @mtx = Semaphore.new.to_mtx
+      end
+
+      # NOTE:
+      #   - #lock / #unlock covered by LockingBehavior above
+      #   - #synchronize covered elsewhere as well?
+
+      describe '#locked?' do
+        it 'returns true when locked' do
+          @mtx.synchronize { @mtx.locked?.must_equal true }
+        end
+
+        it 'returns false when not locked' do
+          @mtx.locked?.must_equal false
+        end
+
+        it 'does not itself acquire lock' do
+          @mtx.locked?.must_equal false
+          @mtx.locked?.must_equal false # check again to make sure lock not acquired
+        end
+      end
+
+      describe '#sleep' do
+        # TODO: add tests for #sleep
+      end
+
+      describe '#try_lock' do
+        it 'returns true and acquires lock when unlocked' do
+          @mtx.try_lock.must_equal true
+          @mtx.locked?.must_equal true
+          @mtx.unlock
+        end
+
+        it 'returns false when already locked' do
+          @mtx.synchronize { @mtx.try_lock.must_equal false }
+        end
+      end
+
+    end
   end
 end