diff --git a/shared/src/main/scala/async/Semaphore.scala b/shared/src/main/scala/async/Semaphore.scala
index 26e801d..e509aaf 100644
--- a/shared/src/main/scala/async/Semaphore.scala
+++ b/shared/src/main/scala/async/Semaphore.scala
@@ -9,53 +9,65 @@ import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger
   * @param initialValue
   *   the initial counter of this semaphore
   */
-class Semaphore(initialValue: Int) extends Async.Source[Unit]:
+class Semaphore(initialValue: Int) extends Async.Source[Semaphore.Guard]:
+  self =>
   private val value = AtomicInteger(initialValue)
-  private val waiting = ConcurrentLinkedQueue[Listener[Unit]]()
+  private val waiting = ConcurrentLinkedQueue[Listener[Semaphore.Guard]]()
 
-  override def onComplete(k: Listener[Unit]): Unit =
+  override def onComplete(k: Listener[Semaphore.Guard]): Unit =
     if k.acquireLock() then // if k is gone, we are done
       if value.getAndDecrement() > 0 then
         // we got a ticket
-        k.complete((), this)
+        k.complete(guard, this)
       else
         // no ticket -> add to queue and reset value (was now negative - unless concurrently increased)
         k.releaseLock()
         waiting.add(k)
-        release()
+        guard.release()
 
-  override def dropListener(k: Listener[Unit]): Unit = waiting.remove(k)
+  override def dropListener(k: Listener[Semaphore.Guard]): Unit = waiting.remove(k)
 
-  override def poll(k: Listener[Unit]): Boolean =
+  override def poll(k: Listener[Semaphore.Guard]): Boolean =
     if !k.acquireLock() then return true
     val success = value.getAndUpdate(i => if i > 0 then i - 1 else i) > 0
-    if success then k.complete((), this) else k.releaseLock()
+    if success then k.complete(guard, self) else k.releaseLock()
     success
 
-  override def poll(): Option[Unit] =
-    if value.getAndUpdate(i => if i > 0 then i - 1 else i) > 0 then Some(()) else None
+  override def poll(): Option[Semaphore.Guard] =
+    if value.getAndUpdate(i => if i > 0 then i - 1 else i) > 0 then Some(guard) else None
 
   /** Decrease the number of grants available from this semaphore, possibly waiting if none is available.
     *
     * @param a
     *   the async capability used for waiting
     */
-  inline def acquire()(using a: Async): Unit =
-    a.await(this) // do not short-circuit because cancellation should be considered first
+  inline def acquire()(using Async): Semaphore.Guard =
+    this.awaitResult // do not short-circuit because cancellation should be considered first
 
-  /** Increase the number of grants available to this semaphore, possibly waking up a waiting [[acquire]].
+  private object guard extends Semaphore.Guard:
+    /** Increase the number of grants available to this semaphore, possibly waking up a waiting [[acquire]].
+      */
+    def release(): Unit =
+      // if value is < 0, a ticket is missing anyway -> do nothing now
+      if value.getAndUpdate(i => if i < 0 then i + 1 else i) >= 0 then
+        // we kept the ticket for now
+
+        var listener = waiting.poll()
+        while listener != null && !listener.completeNow(guard, self) do listener = waiting.poll()
+        // if listener not null, then we quit because listener was completed -> ticket is reused -> we are done
+
+        // if listener is null, return the ticket by incrementing, then recheck waiting queue (if incremented to >0)
+        if listener == null && value.getAndIncrement() >= 0 then
+          listener = waiting.poll()
+          if listener != null then // if null now, we are done
+            onComplete(listener)
+
+object Semaphore:
+  /** A guard that marks a single usage of the [[Semaphore]]. Implements [[java.lang.AutoCloseable]] so it can be used
+    * as a try-with-resource (e.g. with [[scala.util.Using]]).
     */
-  def release(): Unit =
-    // if value is < 0, a ticket is missing anyway -> do nothing now
-    if value.getAndUpdate(i => if i < 0 then i + 1 else i) >= 0 then
-      // we kept the ticket for now
-
-      var listener = waiting.poll()
-      while listener != null && !listener.completeNow((), this) do listener = waiting.poll()
-      // if listener not null, then we quit because listener was completed -> ticket is reused -> we are done
-
-      // if listener is null, return the ticket by incrementing, then recheck waiting queue (if incremented to >0)
-      if listener == null && value.getAndIncrement() >= 0 then
-        listener = waiting.poll()
-        if listener != null then // if null now, we are done
-          onComplete(listener)
+  trait Guard extends java.lang.AutoCloseable:
+    /** Release the semaphore, must be called exactly once. */
+    def release(): Unit
+
+    final def close() = release()
diff --git a/shared/src/test/scala/SemaphoreBehavior.scala b/shared/src/test/scala/SemaphoreBehavior.scala
index ff32fbc..9496837 100644
--- a/shared/src/test/scala/SemaphoreBehavior.scala
+++ b/shared/src/test/scala/SemaphoreBehavior.scala
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@ class SemaphoreBehavior extends munit.FunSuite {
   test("single threaded semaphore") {
     Async.blocking:
       val sem = Semaphore(2)
-      sem.acquire()
-      sem.release()
+      sem.acquire().release()
       sem.acquire()
       sem.acquire()
   }
@@ -23,11 +22,11 @@ class SemaphoreBehavior extends munit.FunSuite {
   test("single threaded semaphore blocked") {
     Async.blocking:
       val sem = Semaphore(2)
-      sem.acquire()
+      val guard = sem.acquire()
       sem.acquire()
       val res = withTimeoutOption(100.millis)(sem.acquire())
       assertEquals(res, None)
-      sem.release()
+      guard.release()
       sem.acquire()
   }
 
@@ -39,9 +38,8 @@ class SemaphoreBehavior extends munit.FunSuite {
       Seq
         .fill(100)(Future {
           for i <- 0 until 1_000 do
-            sem.acquire()
-            count += 1
-            sem.release()
+            scala.util.Using(sem.acquire()): _ =>
+              count += 1
         })
         .awaitAll
       assertEquals(count, 100_000)