diff --git a/src/babashka/impl/async.clj b/src/babashka/impl/async.clj
index 9cfa421a..6d2cf7a0 100644
--- a/src/babashka/impl/async.clj
+++ b/src/babashka/impl/async.clj
@@ -1,18 +1,50 @@
 (ns babashka.impl.async
   {:no-doc true}
   (:require [clojure.core.async :as async]
-            [clojure.core.async.impl.protocols :as protocols]))
+            [clojure.core.async.impl.protocols :as protocols]
+            [sci.impl.vars :as vars]))
+
+(def ^java.util.concurrent.Executor executor @#'async/thread-macro-executor)
+
+(defn thread-call
+  "Executes f in another thread, returning immediately to the calling
+  thread. Returns a channel which will receive the result of calling
+  f when completed, then close."
+  [f]
+  (let [c (async/chan 1)]
+    (let [binds (vars/get-thread-binding-frame)]
+      (.execute executor
+                (fn []
+                  (vars/reset-thread-binding-frame binds)
+                  (try
+                    (let [ret (f)]
+                      (when-not (nil? ret)
+                        (async/>!! c ret)))
+                    (finally
+                      (async/close! c))))))
+    c))
 
 (defn thread
   [_ _ & body]
   `(~'clojure.core.async/thread-call (fn [] ~@body)))
 
+(defn alt!!
+  "Like alt!, except as if by alts!!, will block until completed, and
+  not intended for use in (go ...) blocks."
+  [_ _ & clauses]
+  (async/do-alt 'clojure.core.async/alts!! clauses))
+
+(defn go-loop
+  [_ _ bindings & body]
+  (list 'clojure.core.async/thread (list* 'loop bindings body)))
+
 (def async-namespace
   {'<!! async/<!!
    '>!! async/>!!
    'admix async/admix
    'alts! async/alts!
    'alts!! async/alts!!
+   'alt!! (with-meta alt!! {:sci/macro true})
    'buffer async/buffer
    'chan async/chan
    'close! async/close!
@@ -53,7 +85,7 @@
    'take! async/take!
    'tap async/tap
    'thread (with-meta thread {:sci/macro true})
-   'thread-call async/thread-call
+   'thread-call thread-call
    'timeout async/timeout
    'to-chan async/to-chan
    'toggle async/toggle
@@ -65,7 +97,13 @@
    'unsub async/unsub
    'unsub-all async/unsub-all
    'untap async/untap
-   'untap-all async/untap-all})
+   'untap-all async/untap-all
+   ;; polyfill
+   'go (with-meta thread {:sci/macro true})
+   '<! async/<!!
+   '>! async/>!!
+   'alt! (with-meta alt!! {:sci/macro true})
+   'go-loop (with-meta go-loop {:sci/macro true})})
 
 (def async-protocols-namespace
   {'ReadPort protocols/ReadPort})
diff --git a/test/babashka/async_test.clj b/test/babashka/async_test.clj
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..783e7788
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/babashka/async_test.clj
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+(ns babashka.async-test
+  (:require
+   [babashka.test-utils :as test-utils]
+   [clojure.edn :as edn]
+   [clojure.test :as t :refer [deftest is]]))
+
+(deftest alts!!-test
+  (is (= "process 2\n" (test-utils/bb nil "
+   (defn async-command [& args]
+     (async/thread (apply shell/sh \"bash\" \"-c\" args)))
+
+   (-> (async/alts!! [(async-command \"sleep 2 && echo process 1\")
+                      (async-command \"sleep 1 && echo process 2\")])
+     first :out str/trim println)"))))
+
+(deftest go-test
+  (is (number? (edn/read-string (test-utils/bb nil "
+(defn calculation-go []
+  (async/go
+    ;; wait for some stuff
+    (rand-int 1000)))
+
+(defn get-result-go []
+  (async/go
+    (->>
+     (repeatedly 10 calculation-go)
+     (map async/<!)
+     (reduce +))))
+
+(async/<!! (get-result-go))")))))
+
+(deftest binding-conveyance-test
+  (is (number? (edn/read-string (test-utils/bb nil "
+(def ^:dynamic x 0)
+(binding [x 10] (async/<!! (async/thread x)))")))))
diff --git a/test/babashka/main_test.clj b/test/babashka/main_test.clj
index 7d0e2e17..e11b0958 100644
--- a/test/babashka/main_test.clj
+++ b/test/babashka/main_test.clj
@@ -220,15 +220,6 @@
                                {:default :timed-out :timeout 100}))"
                            temp-dir-path))))))
 
-(deftest async-test
-  (is (= "process 2\n" (test-utils/bb nil "
-   (defn async-command [& args]
-     (async/thread (apply shell/sh \"bash\" \"-c\" args)))
-
-   (-> (async/alts!! [(async-command \"sleep 2 && echo process 1\")
-                      (async-command \"sleep 1 && echo process 2\")])
-     first :out str/trim println)"))))
-
 (deftest tools-cli-test
   (is (= {:result 8080} (bb nil "test/babashka/scripts/tools.cli.bb"))))