diff --git a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_call.c b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_call.c
index 6cb71870f55..344cb941ffb 100644
--- a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_call.c
+++ b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_call.c
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ static void destroy_call(grpc_rb_call *call) {
   if (call->wrapped != NULL) {
     grpc_call_destroy(call->wrapped);
     call->wrapped = NULL;
-    grpc_rb_completion_queue_safe_destroy(call->queue);
+    grpc_rb_completion_queue_destroy(call->queue);
     call->queue = NULL;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_channel.c b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_channel.c
index 449c91a0f98..e02dd0805d3 100644
--- a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_channel.c
+++ b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_channel.c
@@ -52,27 +52,28 @@
 
 /* id_channel is the name of the hidden ivar that preserves a reference to the
  * channel on a call, so that calls are not GCed before their channel.  */
-ID id_channel;
+static ID id_channel;
 
 /* id_target is the name of the hidden ivar that preserves a reference to the
  * target string used to create the call, preserved so that it does not get
  * GCed before the channel */
-ID id_target;
+static ID id_target;
 
 /* id_insecure_channel is used to indicate that a channel is insecure */
-VALUE id_insecure_channel;
+static VALUE id_insecure_channel;
 
 /* grpc_rb_cChannel is the ruby class that proxies grpc_channel. */
-VALUE grpc_rb_cChannel = Qnil;
+static VALUE grpc_rb_cChannel = Qnil;
 
 /* Used during the conversion of a hash to channel args during channel setup */
-VALUE grpc_rb_cChannelArgs;
+static VALUE grpc_rb_cChannelArgs;
 
 typedef struct bg_watched_channel {
   grpc_channel *channel;
+  // these fields must only be accessed under global_connection_polling_mu
   struct bg_watched_channel *next;
   int channel_destroyed;
-  int refcount;  // must only be accessed under global_connection_polling_mu
+  int refcount;
 } bg_watched_channel;
 
 /* grpc_rb_channel wraps a grpc_channel. */
@@ -101,32 +102,34 @@ typedef struct watch_state_op {
   } op;
 } watch_state_op;
 
-bg_watched_channel *bg_watched_channel_list_head = NULL;
+static bg_watched_channel *bg_watched_channel_list_head = NULL;
 
-void grpc_rb_channel_try_register_connection_polling(bg_watched_channel *bg);
-void *wait_until_channel_polling_thread_started_no_gil(void *);
-void *channel_init_try_register_connection_polling_without_gil(void *arg);
+static void grpc_rb_channel_try_register_connection_polling(
+    bg_watched_channel *bg);
+static void *wait_until_channel_polling_thread_started_no_gil(void *);
+static void *channel_init_try_register_connection_polling_without_gil(
+    void *arg);
 
 typedef struct channel_init_try_register_stack {
   grpc_channel *channel;
   grpc_rb_channel *wrapper;
 } channel_init_try_register_stack;
 
-grpc_completion_queue *channel_polling_cq;
-gpr_mu global_connection_polling_mu;
-gpr_cv global_connection_polling_cv;
-int abort_channel_polling = 0;
-int channel_polling_thread_started = 0;
+static grpc_completion_queue *channel_polling_cq;
+static gpr_mu global_connection_polling_mu;
+static gpr_cv global_connection_polling_cv;
+static int abort_channel_polling = 0;
+static int channel_polling_thread_started = 0;
 
-int bg_watched_channel_list_lookup(bg_watched_channel *bg);
-bg_watched_channel *bg_watched_channel_list_create_and_add(
+static int bg_watched_channel_list_lookup(bg_watched_channel *bg);
+static bg_watched_channel *bg_watched_channel_list_create_and_add(
     grpc_channel *channel);
-void bg_watched_channel_list_free_and_remove(bg_watched_channel *bg);
-void run_poll_channels_loop_unblocking_func(void *arg);
+static void bg_watched_channel_list_free_and_remove(bg_watched_channel *bg);
+static void run_poll_channels_loop_unblocking_func(void *arg);
 
 // Needs to be called under global_connection_polling_mu
-void grpc_rb_channel_watch_connection_state_op_complete(watch_state_op *op,
-                                                        int success) {
+static void grpc_rb_channel_watch_connection_state_op_complete(
+    watch_state_op *op, int success) {
   GPR_ASSERT(!op->op.api_callback_args.called_back);
   op->op.api_callback_args.called_back = 1;
   op->op.api_callback_args.success = success;
@@ -135,7 +138,7 @@ void grpc_rb_channel_watch_connection_state_op_complete(watch_state_op *op,
 }
 
 /* Avoids destroying a channel twice. */
-void grpc_rb_channel_safe_destroy(bg_watched_channel *bg) {
+static void grpc_rb_channel_safe_destroy(bg_watched_channel *bg) {
   gpr_mu_lock(&global_connection_polling_mu);
   GPR_ASSERT(bg_watched_channel_list_lookup(bg));
   if (!bg->channel_destroyed) {
@@ -149,13 +152,13 @@ void grpc_rb_channel_safe_destroy(bg_watched_channel *bg) {
   gpr_mu_unlock(&global_connection_polling_mu);
 }
 
-void *channel_safe_destroy_without_gil(void *arg) {
+static void *channel_safe_destroy_without_gil(void *arg) {
   grpc_rb_channel_safe_destroy((bg_watched_channel *)arg);
   return NULL;
 }
 
 /* Destroys Channel instances. */
-void grpc_rb_channel_free(void *p) {
+static void grpc_rb_channel_free(void *p) {
   grpc_rb_channel *ch = NULL;
   if (p == NULL) {
     return;
@@ -165,7 +168,8 @@ void grpc_rb_channel_free(void *p) {
   if (ch->bg_wrapped != NULL) {
     /* assumption made here: it's ok to directly gpr_mu_lock the global
      * connection polling mutex becuse we're in a finalizer,
-     * and we can count on this thread to not be interrupted. */
+     * and we can count on this thread to not be interrupted or
+     * yield the gil. */
     grpc_rb_channel_safe_destroy(ch->bg_wrapped);
     ch->bg_wrapped = NULL;
   }
@@ -174,7 +178,7 @@ void grpc_rb_channel_free(void *p) {
 }
 
 /* Protects the mark object from GC */
-void grpc_rb_channel_mark(void *p) {
+static void grpc_rb_channel_mark(void *p) {
   grpc_rb_channel *channel = NULL;
   if (p == NULL) {
     return;
@@ -185,20 +189,20 @@ void grpc_rb_channel_mark(void *p) {
   }
 }
 
-rb_data_type_t grpc_channel_data_type = {"grpc_channel",
-                                         {grpc_rb_channel_mark,
-                                          grpc_rb_channel_free,
-                                          GRPC_RB_MEMSIZE_UNAVAILABLE,
-                                          {NULL, NULL}},
-                                         NULL,
-                                         NULL,
+static rb_data_type_t grpc_channel_data_type = {"grpc_channel",
+                                                {grpc_rb_channel_mark,
+                                                 grpc_rb_channel_free,
+                                                 GRPC_RB_MEMSIZE_UNAVAILABLE,
+                                                 {NULL, NULL}},
+                                                NULL,
+                                                NULL,
 #ifdef RUBY_TYPED_FREE_IMMEDIATELY
-                                         RUBY_TYPED_FREE_IMMEDIATELY
+                                                RUBY_TYPED_FREE_IMMEDIATELY
 #endif
 };
 
 /* Allocates grpc_rb_channel instances. */
-VALUE grpc_rb_channel_alloc(VALUE cls) {
+static VALUE grpc_rb_channel_alloc(VALUE cls) {
   grpc_rb_channel *wrapper = ALLOC(grpc_rb_channel);
   wrapper->bg_wrapped = NULL;
   wrapper->credentials = Qnil;
@@ -213,7 +217,7 @@ VALUE grpc_rb_channel_alloc(VALUE cls) {
     secure_channel = Channel:new("myhost:443", {'arg1': 'value1'}, creds)
 
   Creates channel instances. */
-VALUE grpc_rb_channel_init(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE self) {
+static VALUE grpc_rb_channel_init(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE self) {
   VALUE channel_args = Qnil;
   VALUE credentials = Qnil;
   VALUE target = Qnil;
@@ -274,13 +278,15 @@ typedef struct get_state_stack {
   int out;
 } get_state_stack;
 
-void *get_state_without_gil(void *arg) {
+static void *get_state_without_gil(void *arg) {
   get_state_stack *stack = (get_state_stack *)arg;
 
   gpr_mu_lock(&global_connection_polling_mu);
   GPR_ASSERT(abort_channel_polling || channel_polling_thread_started);
   if (abort_channel_polling) {
-    // the case in which the channel polling thread
+    // Assume that this channel has been destroyed by the
+    // background thread.
+    // The case in which the channel polling thread
     // failed to start just always shows shutdown state.
     stack->out = GRPC_CHANNEL_SHUTDOWN;
   } else {
@@ -301,16 +307,14 @@ void *get_state_without_gil(void *arg) {
   constants defined in GRPC::Core::ConnectivityStates.
 
   It also tries to connect if the chennel is idle in the second form. */
-VALUE grpc_rb_channel_get_connectivity_state(int argc, VALUE *argv,
-                                             VALUE self) {
+static VALUE grpc_rb_channel_get_connectivity_state(int argc, VALUE *argv,
+                                                    VALUE self) {
   VALUE try_to_connect_param = Qfalse;
-  int grpc_try_to_connect = 0;
   grpc_rb_channel *wrapper = NULL;
   get_state_stack stack;
 
   /* "01" == 0 mandatory args, 1 (try_to_connect) is optional */
   rb_scan_args(argc, argv, "01", &try_to_connect_param);
-  grpc_try_to_connect = RTEST(try_to_connect_param) ? 1 : 0;
 
   TypedData_Get_Struct(self, grpc_rb_channel, &grpc_channel_data_type, wrapper);
   if (wrapper->bg_wrapped == NULL) {
@@ -319,7 +323,7 @@ VALUE grpc_rb_channel_get_connectivity_state(int argc, VALUE *argv,
   }
 
   stack.channel = wrapper->bg_wrapped->channel;
-  stack.try_to_connect = grpc_try_to_connect;
+  stack.try_to_connect = RTEST(try_to_connect_param) ? 1 : 0;
   rb_thread_call_without_gvl(get_state_without_gil, &stack, NULL, NULL);
 
   return LONG2NUM(stack.out);
@@ -331,7 +335,7 @@ typedef struct watch_state_stack {
   int last_state;
 } watch_state_stack;
 
-void *wait_for_watch_state_op_complete_without_gvl(void *arg) {
+static void *wait_for_watch_state_op_complete_without_gvl(void *arg) {
   watch_state_stack *stack = (watch_state_stack *)arg;
   watch_state_op *op = NULL;
   void *success = (void *)0;
@@ -345,7 +349,6 @@ void *wait_for_watch_state_op_complete_without_gvl(void *arg) {
   }
   op = gpr_zalloc(sizeof(watch_state_op));
   op->op_type = WATCH_STATE_API;
-  // one ref for this thread and another for the callback-running thread
   grpc_channel_watch_connectivity_state(stack->channel, stack->last_state,
                                         stack->deadline, channel_polling_cq,
                                         op);
@@ -370,8 +373,9 @@ void *wait_for_watch_state_op_complete_without_gvl(void *arg) {
  * Returns false if "deadline" expires before the channel's connectivity
  * state changes from "last_state".
  * */
-VALUE grpc_rb_channel_watch_connectivity_state(VALUE self, VALUE last_state,
-                                               VALUE deadline) {
+static VALUE grpc_rb_channel_watch_connectivity_state(VALUE self,
+                                                      VALUE last_state,
+                                                      VALUE deadline) {
   grpc_rb_channel *wrapper = NULL;
   watch_state_stack stack;
   void *op_success = 0;
@@ -403,8 +407,9 @@ VALUE grpc_rb_channel_watch_connectivity_state(VALUE self, VALUE last_state,
 
 /* Create a call given a grpc_channel, in order to call method. The request
    is not sent until grpc_call_invoke is called. */
-VALUE grpc_rb_channel_create_call(VALUE self, VALUE parent, VALUE mask,
-                                  VALUE method, VALUE host, VALUE deadline) {
+static VALUE grpc_rb_channel_create_call(VALUE self, VALUE parent, VALUE mask,
+                                         VALUE method, VALUE host,
+                                         VALUE deadline) {
   VALUE res = Qnil;
   grpc_rb_channel *wrapper = NULL;
   grpc_call *call = NULL;
@@ -466,7 +471,7 @@ VALUE grpc_rb_channel_create_call(VALUE self, VALUE parent, VALUE mask,
 /* Closes the channel, calling it's destroy method */
 /* Note this is an API-level call; a wrapped channel's finalizer doesn't call
  * this */
-VALUE grpc_rb_channel_destroy(VALUE self) {
+static VALUE grpc_rb_channel_destroy(VALUE self) {
   grpc_rb_channel *wrapper = NULL;
 
   TypedData_Get_Struct(self, grpc_rb_channel, &grpc_channel_data_type, wrapper);
@@ -480,7 +485,7 @@ VALUE grpc_rb_channel_destroy(VALUE self) {
 }
 
 /* Called to obtain the target that this channel accesses. */
-VALUE grpc_rb_channel_get_target(VALUE self) {
+static VALUE grpc_rb_channel_get_target(VALUE self) {
   grpc_rb_channel *wrapper = NULL;
   VALUE res = Qnil;
   char *target = NULL;
@@ -494,7 +499,7 @@ VALUE grpc_rb_channel_get_target(VALUE self) {
 }
 
 /* Needs to be called under global_connection_polling_mu */
-int bg_watched_channel_list_lookup(bg_watched_channel *target) {
+static int bg_watched_channel_list_lookup(bg_watched_channel *target) {
   bg_watched_channel *cur = bg_watched_channel_list_head;
 
   while (cur != NULL) {
@@ -508,7 +513,7 @@ int bg_watched_channel_list_lookup(bg_watched_channel *target) {
 }
 
 /* Needs to be called under global_connection_polling_mu */
-bg_watched_channel *bg_watched_channel_list_create_and_add(
+static bg_watched_channel *bg_watched_channel_list_create_and_add(
     grpc_channel *channel) {
   bg_watched_channel *watched = gpr_zalloc(sizeof(bg_watched_channel));
 
@@ -520,7 +525,8 @@ bg_watched_channel *bg_watched_channel_list_create_and_add(
 }
 
 /* Needs to be called under global_connection_polling_mu */
-void bg_watched_channel_list_free_and_remove(bg_watched_channel *target) {
+static void bg_watched_channel_list_free_and_remove(
+    bg_watched_channel *target) {
   bg_watched_channel *bg = NULL;
 
   GPR_ASSERT(bg_watched_channel_list_lookup(target));
@@ -544,7 +550,8 @@ void bg_watched_channel_list_free_and_remove(bg_watched_channel *target) {
 
 /* Initialize a grpc_rb_channel's "protected grpc_channel" and try to push
  * it onto the background thread for constant watches. */
-void *channel_init_try_register_connection_polling_without_gil(void *arg) {
+static void *channel_init_try_register_connection_polling_without_gil(
+    void *arg) {
   channel_init_try_register_stack *stack =
       (channel_init_try_register_stack *)arg;
 
@@ -557,7 +564,8 @@ void *channel_init_try_register_connection_polling_without_gil(void *arg) {
 }
 
 // Needs to be called under global_connection_poolling_mu
-void grpc_rb_channel_try_register_connection_polling(bg_watched_channel *bg) {
+static void grpc_rb_channel_try_register_connection_polling(
+    bg_watched_channel *bg) {
   grpc_connectivity_state conn_state;
   watch_state_op *op = NULL;
 
@@ -599,7 +607,7 @@ void grpc_rb_channel_try_register_connection_polling(bg_watched_channel *bg) {
 // indicates process shutdown.
 // In the worst case, this stops polling channel connectivity
 // early and falls back to current behavior.
-void *run_poll_channels_loop_no_gil(void *arg) {
+static void *run_poll_channels_loop_no_gil(void *arg) {
   grpc_event event;
   watch_state_op *op = NULL;
   bg_watched_channel *bg = NULL;
@@ -643,7 +651,7 @@ void *run_poll_channels_loop_no_gil(void *arg) {
 }
 
 // Notify the channel polling loop to cleanup and shutdown.
-void run_poll_channels_loop_unblocking_func(void *arg) {
+static void run_poll_channels_loop_unblocking_func(void *arg) {
   bg_watched_channel *bg = NULL;
   (void)arg;
 
@@ -677,7 +685,7 @@ void run_poll_channels_loop_unblocking_func(void *arg) {
 }
 
 // Poll channel connectivity states in background thread without the GIL.
-VALUE run_poll_channels_loop(VALUE arg) {
+static VALUE run_poll_channels_loop(VALUE arg) {
   (void)arg;
   gpr_log(
       GPR_DEBUG,
@@ -688,7 +696,7 @@ VALUE run_poll_channels_loop(VALUE arg) {
   return Qnil;
 }
 
-void *wait_until_channel_polling_thread_started_no_gil(void *arg) {
+static void *wait_until_channel_polling_thread_started_no_gil(void *arg) {
   (void)arg;
   gpr_log(GPR_DEBUG, "GRPC_RUBY: wait for channel polling thread to start");
   gpr_mu_lock(&global_connection_polling_mu);
@@ -740,7 +748,7 @@ void grpc_rb_channel_polling_thread_start() {
   }
 }
 
-void Init_grpc_propagate_masks() {
+static void Init_grpc_propagate_masks() {
   /* Constants representing call propagation masks in grpc.h */
   VALUE grpc_rb_mPropagateMasks =
       rb_define_module_under(grpc_rb_mGrpcCore, "PropagateMasks");
@@ -756,7 +764,7 @@ void Init_grpc_propagate_masks() {
                   UINT2NUM(GRPC_PROPAGATE_DEFAULTS));
 }
 
-void Init_grpc_connectivity_states() {
+static void Init_grpc_connectivity_states() {
   /* Constants representing call propagation masks in grpc.h */
   VALUE grpc_rb_mConnectivityStates =
       rb_define_module_under(grpc_rb_mGrpcCore, "ConnectivityStates");
diff --git a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_completion_queue.c b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_completion_queue.c
index 9f3a81b1a8b..fd75d2f691f 100644
--- a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_completion_queue.c
+++ b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_completion_queue.c
@@ -71,16 +71,12 @@ static void *grpc_rb_completion_queue_pluck_no_gil(void *param) {
 }
 
 /* Helper function to free a completion queue. */
-void grpc_rb_completion_queue_safe_destroy(grpc_completion_queue *cq) {
-  grpc_event ev;
-
+void grpc_rb_completion_queue_destroy(grpc_completion_queue *cq) {
+  /* Every function that adds an event to a queue also synchronously plucks
+     that event from the queue, and holds a reference to the Ruby object that
+     holds the queue, so we only get to this point if all of those functions
+     have completed, and the queue is empty */
   grpc_completion_queue_shutdown(cq);
-  for(;;) {
-    ev = grpc_completion_queue_pluck(cq, NULL, gpr_inf_future(GPR_CLOCK_REALTIME), NULL);
-    if (ev.type == GRPC_QUEUE_SHUTDOWN) {
-      break;
-    }
-  }
   grpc_completion_queue_destroy(cq);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_completion_queue.h b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_completion_queue.h
index eb041b28dfc..aa9dc6416af 100644
--- a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_completion_queue.h
+++ b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_completion_queue.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 
 #include <grpc/grpc.h>
 
-void grpc_rb_completion_queue_safe_destroy(grpc_completion_queue *cq);
+void grpc_rb_completion_queue_destroy(grpc_completion_queue *cq);
 
 /**
  * Makes the implementation of CompletionQueue#pluck available in other files
diff --git a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_grpc.c b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_grpc.c
index 2a3b3391027..e0be5d7f087 100644
--- a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_grpc.c
+++ b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_grpc.c
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@
 
 #include <grpc/grpc.h>
 #include <grpc/support/time.h>
-#include <grpc/support/log.h>
 #include "rb_call.h"
 #include "rb_call_credentials.h"
 #include "rb_channel.h"
diff --git a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_server.c b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_server.c
index 2b0858c247e..2286a99f249 100644
--- a/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_server.c
+++ b/src/ruby/ext/grpc/rb_server.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ static void destroy_server(grpc_rb_server *server, gpr_timespec deadline) {
                                   gpr_inf_future(GPR_CLOCK_REALTIME), NULL);
       }
       grpc_server_destroy(server->wrapped);
-      grpc_rb_completion_queue_safe_destroy(server->queue);
+      grpc_rb_completion_queue_destroy(server->queue);
       server->wrapped = NULL;
       server->queue = NULL;
     }
diff --git a/src/ruby/spec/channel_connection_spec.rb b/src/ruby/spec/channel_connection_spec.rb
index b3edec8f938..c8a7856a099 100644
--- a/src/ruby/spec/channel_connection_spec.rb
+++ b/src/ruby/spec/channel_connection_spec.rb
@@ -143,8 +143,7 @@ describe 'channel connection behavior' do
     stop_server
   end
 
-  it 'observably connects and reconnects to transient server' \
-    ' when using the channel state API' do
+  it 'concurrent watches on the same channel' do
     timeout(180) do
       port = start_server
       ch = GRPC::Core::Channel.new("localhost:#{port}", {},