diff --git a/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_dec.txt b/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_dec.txt
index 164ba950..53a088c4 100644
--- a/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_dec.txt
+++ b/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_dec.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ zmq_atomic_counter_dec - decrement an atomic counter
 
 SYNOPSIS
 --------
-*bool zmq_atomic_counter_dec (void *counter);*
+*int zmq_atomic_counter_dec (void *counter);*
 
 
 DESCRIPTION
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ operations.
 
 RETURN VALUE
 ------------
-The _zmq_atomic_counter_dec()_ function returns true if the counter is
-greater than zero after decrementing, or false if the counter reached
+The _zmq_atomic_counter_dec()_ function returns 1 if the counter is
+greater than zero after decrementing, or zero if the counter reached
 zero.
 
 
@@ -36,13 +36,14 @@ assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 0);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 1);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 2);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_value (counter) == 3);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
 zmq_atomic_counter_set (counter, 2);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
 zmq_atomic_counter_destroy (&counter);
+return 0;
 ----
 
 
diff --git a/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_destroy.txt b/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_destroy.txt
index c58d1e44..ee7c863f 100644
--- a/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_destroy.txt
+++ b/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_destroy.txt
@@ -36,13 +36,14 @@ assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 0);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 1);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 2);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_value (counter) == 3);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
 zmq_atomic_counter_set (counter, 2);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
 zmq_atomic_counter_destroy (&counter);
+return 0;
 ----
 
 
diff --git a/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_inc.txt b/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_inc.txt
index fccda5f2..6346ea13 100644
--- a/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_inc.txt
+++ b/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_inc.txt
@@ -35,13 +35,14 @@ assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 0);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 1);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 2);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_value (counter) == 3);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
 zmq_atomic_counter_set (counter, 2);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
 zmq_atomic_counter_destroy (&counter);
+return 0;
 ----
 
 
diff --git a/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_new.txt b/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_new.txt
index 38427ba4..7278f2b7 100644
--- a/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_new.txt
+++ b/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_new.txt
@@ -36,13 +36,14 @@ assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 0);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 1);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 2);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_value (counter) == 3);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
 zmq_atomic_counter_set (counter, 2);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
 zmq_atomic_counter_destroy (&counter);
+return 0;
 ----
 
 
diff --git a/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_set.txt b/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_set.txt
index 6df210e2..3b0812f6 100644
--- a/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_set.txt
+++ b/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_set.txt
@@ -35,13 +35,14 @@ assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 0);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 1);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 2);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_value (counter) == 3);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
 zmq_atomic_counter_set (counter, 2);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
 zmq_atomic_counter_destroy (&counter);
+return 0;
 ----
 
 
diff --git a/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_value.txt b/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_value.txt
index 66cd870d..3cd26dec 100644
--- a/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_value.txt
+++ b/doc/zmq_atomic_counter_value.txt
@@ -34,13 +34,14 @@ assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 0);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 1);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 2);
 assert (zmq_atomic_counter_value (counter) == 3);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
 zmq_atomic_counter_set (counter, 2);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
 zmq_atomic_counter_destroy (&counter);
+return 0;
 ----
 
 
diff --git a/include/zmq.h b/include/zmq.h
index f56f838e..61817a03 100644
--- a/include/zmq.h
+++ b/include/zmq.h
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ ZMQ_EXPORT int zmq_curve_keypair (char *z85_public_key, char *z85_secret_key);
 ZMQ_EXPORT void *zmq_atomic_counter_new (void);
 ZMQ_EXPORT void zmq_atomic_counter_set (void *counter, int value);
 ZMQ_EXPORT int zmq_atomic_counter_inc (void *counter);
-ZMQ_EXPORT bool zmq_atomic_counter_dec (void *counter);
+ZMQ_EXPORT int zmq_atomic_counter_dec (void *counter);
 ZMQ_EXPORT int zmq_atomic_counter_value (void *counter);
 ZMQ_EXPORT void zmq_atomic_counter_destroy (void **counter_p);
 
diff --git a/src/zmq_utils.cpp b/src/zmq_utils.cpp
index a04859d4..852d4ede 100644
--- a/src/zmq_utils.cpp
+++ b/src/zmq_utils.cpp
@@ -232,11 +232,12 @@ int zmq_atomic_counter_inc (void *counter_)
     return ((zmq::atomic_counter_t *) counter_)->add (1);
 }
 
-//  Decrement the atomic counter and return true if still > zero
+//  Decrement the atomic counter and return 1 (if counter >= 1), or
+//  0 if counter hit zero.
 
-bool zmq_atomic_counter_dec (void *counter_)
+int zmq_atomic_counter_dec (void *counter_)
 {
-    return ((zmq::atomic_counter_t *) counter_)->sub (1);
+    return ((zmq::atomic_counter_t *) counter_)->sub (1)? 1: 0;
 }
 
 //  Return actual value of atomic counter
diff --git a/tests/test_atomics.cpp b/tests/test_atomics.cpp
index a4dfc810..c9abaa9c 100644
--- a/tests/test_atomics.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_atomics.cpp
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@ int main (void)
     assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 1);
     assert (zmq_atomic_counter_inc (counter) == 2);
     assert (zmq_atomic_counter_value (counter) == 3);
-    assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-    assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-    assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+    assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+    assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+    assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
     zmq_atomic_counter_set (counter, 2);
-    assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == true);
-    assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == false);
+    assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 1);
+    assert (zmq_atomic_counter_dec (counter) == 0);
     zmq_atomic_counter_destroy (&counter);
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/tests/test_disconnect_inproc.cpp b/tests/test_disconnect_inproc.cpp
index 475ce0b0..dd484fcd 100644
--- a/tests/test_disconnect_inproc.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_disconnect_inproc.cpp
@@ -25,8 +25,10 @@ zmq_msg_init(&msg) && printf("zmq_msg_init: %s\n", zmq_strerror(errno)); \
 zmq_msg_init_size (&msg, size + 1) && printf("zmq_msg_init_size: %s\n",zmq_strerror(errno)); \
 memcpy(zmq_msg_data(&msg), data, size + 1);
 
-int publicationsReceived = 0;
-bool isSubscribed = false;
+//  TODO: this code fails to meet our style guidelines, and needs rewriting
+
+static int publicationsReceived = 0;
+static bool isSubscribed = false;
 
 int main(int, char**) {
     setup_test_environment();
diff --git a/tests/testutil.hpp b/tests/testutil.hpp
index c59578d1..7d9b74c7 100644
--- a/tests/testutil.hpp
+++ b/tests/testutil.hpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 //  This defines the settle time used in tests; raise this if we
 //  get test failures on slower systems due to binds/connects not
 //  settled. Tested to work reliably at 1 msec on a fast PC.
-#define SETTLE_TIME 10         //  In msec
+#define SETTLE_TIME 50         //  In msec
 
 #undef NDEBUG
 #include <time.h>