diff --git a/src/msg/integration/integration_test.go b/src/msg/integration/integration_test.go
index 68cbaac8cf..0c9cdf2092 100644
--- a/src/msg/integration/integration_test.go
+++ b/src/msg/integration/integration_test.go
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func TestSharedConsumer(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestReplicatedConsumerx(t *testing.T) {
+func TestReplicatedConsumer(t *testing.T) {
 	if testing.Short() {
 		t.SkipNow() // Just skip if we're doing a short run
 	}
@@ -129,9 +129,9 @@ func TestSharedConsumerWithDeadInstance(t *testing.T) {
 		s.Run(t, ctrl)
 		s.VerifyConsumers(t)
 		testConsumers := s.consumerServices[0].testConsumers
-		require.True(t, testConsumers[len(testConsumers)-1].consumed <= s.TotalMessages()*10/100)
+		require.True(t, testConsumers[len(testConsumers)-1].numConsumed() <= s.TotalMessages()*10/100)
 		testConsumers = s.consumerServices[1].testConsumers
-		require.True(t, testConsumers[len(testConsumers)-1].consumed <= s.TotalMessages()*20/100)
+		require.True(t, testConsumers[len(testConsumers)-1].numConsumed() <= s.TotalMessages()*20/100)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -546,8 +546,8 @@ func TestRemoveConsumerService(t *testing.T) {
 		)
 		s.Run(t, ctrl)
 		s.VerifyConsumers(t)
-		require.Equal(t, msgPerShard*numberOfShards, len(s.consumerServices[0].consumed))
-		require.Equal(t, msgPerShard*numberOfShards, len(s.consumerServices[1].consumed))
+		require.Equal(t, msgPerShard*numberOfShards, s.consumerServices[0].numConsumed())
+		require.Equal(t, msgPerShard*numberOfShards, s.consumerServices[1].numConsumed())
 	}
 }
 
@@ -574,8 +574,8 @@ func TestAddConsumerService(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		)
 		s.Run(t, ctrl)
-		require.Equal(t, s.ExpectedNumMessages(), len(s.consumerServices[0].consumed))
-		require.Equal(t, s.ExpectedNumMessages(), len(s.consumerServices[1].consumed))
-		require.True(t, len(s.consumerServices[2].consumed) <= s.ExpectedNumMessages()*80/100)
+		require.Equal(t, s.ExpectedNumMessages(), s.consumerServices[0].numConsumed())
+		require.Equal(t, s.ExpectedNumMessages(), s.consumerServices[1].numConsumed())
+		require.True(t, s.consumerServices[2].numConsumed() <= s.ExpectedNumMessages()*80/100)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/msg/integration/setup.go b/src/msg/integration/setup.go
index c1200f58e9..d797077021 100644
--- a/src/msg/integration/setup.go
+++ b/src/msg/integration/setup.go
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ func (s *setup) Run(
 func (s *setup) VerifyConsumers(t *testing.T) {
 	numWritesPerProducer := s.ExpectedNumMessages()
 	for _, cs := range s.consumerServices {
-		require.Equal(t, numWritesPerProducer, len(cs.consumed))
+		require.Equal(t, numWritesPerProducer, cs.numConsumed())
 	}
 }
 
@@ -407,6 +407,13 @@ func (cs *testConsumerService) markConsumed(b []byte) {
 	cs.consumed[string(b)] = struct{}{}
 }
 
+func (cs *testConsumerService) numConsumed() int {
+	cs.Lock()
+	defer cs.Unlock()
+
+	return len(cs.consumed)
+}
+
 func (cs *testConsumerService) Close() {
 	for _, c := range cs.testConsumers {
 		c.Close()
@@ -437,6 +444,13 @@ func (c *testConsumer) Close() {
 	close(c.doneCh)
 }
 
+func (c *testConsumer) numConsumed() int {
+	c.Lock()
+	defer c.Unlock()
+
+	return c.consumed
+}
+
 func newTestConsumer(t *testing.T, cs *testConsumerService) *testConsumer {
 	consumerListener, err := consumer.NewListener("127.0.0.1:0", testConsumerOptions(t))
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -539,8 +553,8 @@ writer:
   topicName: topicName
   topicWatchInitTimeout: 100ms
   placementWatchInitTimeout: 100ms
-  messagePool:
-    size: 100
+  # FIXME: Consumers sharing the same pool trigger false-positives in race detector
+  messagePool: ~
   messageRetry:
     initialBackoff: 20ms
     maxBackoff: 50ms
diff --git a/src/msg/producer/ref_counted.go b/src/msg/producer/ref_counted.go
index 93a17fd00e..18ecb24869 100644
--- a/src/msg/producer/ref_counted.go
+++ b/src/msg/producer/ref_counted.go
@@ -31,24 +31,24 @@ type OnFinalizeFn func(rm *RefCountedMessage)
 
 // RefCountedMessage is a reference counted message.
 type RefCountedMessage struct {
-	sync.RWMutex
+	mu sync.RWMutex
 	Message
 
 	size         uint64
 	onFinalizeFn OnFinalizeFn
 
-	refCount            *atomic.Int32
-	isDroppedOrConsumed *atomic.Bool
+	// RefCountedMessage must not be copied by value due to RWMutex,
+	// safe to store values here and not just pointers
+	refCount            atomic.Int32
+	isDroppedOrConsumed atomic.Bool
 }
 
 // NewRefCountedMessage creates RefCountedMessage.
 func NewRefCountedMessage(m Message, fn OnFinalizeFn) *RefCountedMessage {
 	return &RefCountedMessage{
-		Message:             m,
-		refCount:            atomic.NewInt32(0),
-		size:                uint64(m.Size()),
-		onFinalizeFn:        fn,
-		isDroppedOrConsumed: atomic.NewBool(false),
+		Message:      m,
+		size:         uint64(m.Size()),
+		onFinalizeFn: fn,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -76,12 +76,12 @@ func (rm *RefCountedMessage) DecRef() {
 
 // IncReads increments the reads count.
 func (rm *RefCountedMessage) IncReads() {
-	rm.RLock()
+	rm.mu.RLock()
 }
 
 // DecReads decrements the reads count.
 func (rm *RefCountedMessage) DecReads() {
-	rm.RUnlock()
+	rm.mu.RUnlock()
 }
 
 // NumRef returns the number of references remaining.
@@ -107,13 +107,13 @@ func (rm *RefCountedMessage) IsDroppedOrConsumed() bool {
 func (rm *RefCountedMessage) finalize(r FinalizeReason) bool {
 	// NB: This lock prevents the message from being finalized when its still
 	// being read.
-	rm.Lock()
+	rm.mu.Lock()
 	if rm.isDroppedOrConsumed.Load() {
-		rm.Unlock()
+		rm.mu.Unlock()
 		return false
 	}
 	rm.isDroppedOrConsumed.Store(true)
-	rm.Unlock()
+	rm.mu.Unlock()
 	if rm.onFinalizeFn != nil {
 		rm.onFinalizeFn(rm)
 	}
diff --git a/src/msg/producer/writer/message.go b/src/msg/producer/writer/message.go
index 6c9501ff36..5e8db247b9 100644
--- a/src/msg/producer/writer/message.go
+++ b/src/msg/producer/writer/message.go
@@ -38,14 +38,14 @@ type message struct {
 	retried      int
 	// NB(cw) isAcked could be accessed concurrently by the background thread
 	// in message writer and acked by consumer service writers.
-	isAcked *atomic.Bool
+	// Safe to store value inside struct, as message is never copied by value
+	isAcked atomic.Bool
 }
 
 func newMessage() *message {
 	return &message{
 		retryAtNanos: 0,
 		retried:      0,
-		isAcked:      atomic.NewBool(false),
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/msg/producer/writer/message_benchmark_test.go b/src/msg/producer/writer/message_benchmark_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..76d1a10241
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/msg/producer/writer/message_benchmark_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2018 Uber Technologies, Inc.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+// of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+// in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+// to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+// copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+// furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+// all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+// IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+// FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+// AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+// LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+// OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+// THE SOFTWARE.
+
+package writer
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/msg/producer"
+)
+
+var (
+	// BenchMessage prevents optimization
+	BenchMessage *message
+	// BenchBool prevents optimization
+	BenchBool bool
+)
+
+type emptyMessage struct{}
+
+// Shard returns the shard of the message.
+func (e emptyMessage) Shard() uint32 { return 0 }
+
+// Bytes returns the bytes of the message.
+func (e emptyMessage) Bytes() []byte { return nil }
+
+// Size returns the size of the bytes of the message.
+func (e emptyMessage) Size() int { return 0 }
+
+// Finalize will be called by producer to indicate the end of its lifecycle.
+func (e emptyMessage) Finalize(_ producer.FinalizeReason) {}
+
+func BenchmarkMessageAtomics(b *testing.B) {
+	rm := producer.NewRefCountedMessage(emptyMessage{}, nil)
+	msg := newMessage()
+	for n := 0; n < b.N; n++ {
+		msg.Set(metadata{}, rm, 500)
+		rm.IncRef()
+		msg.Ack()
+		BenchBool = msg.IsAcked()
+		_, BenchBool = msg.Marshaler()
+		msg.Close()
+		BenchMessage = msg
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkMessageAtomicsAllocs(b *testing.B) {
+	for n := 0; n < b.N; n++ {
+		rm := producer.NewRefCountedMessage(emptyMessage{}, nil)
+		msg := newMessage()
+		msg.Set(metadata{}, rm, 500)
+		rm.IncRef()
+		msg.Ack()
+		BenchBool = msg.IsAcked()
+		_, BenchBool = msg.Marshaler()
+		msg.Close()
+		BenchMessage = msg
+	}
+}