diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/fifo_list.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/fifo_list.go
index 53e10543198..9a5fc77b072 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/fifo_list.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/fifo_list.go
@@ -33,9 +33,8 @@ type walkFunc func(*request) (ok bool)
 // Internal interface to abstract out the implementation details
 // of the underlying list used to maintain the requests.
 //
-// Note that the FIFO list is not safe for concurrent use by multiple
-// goroutines without additional locking or coordination. It rests with
-// the user to ensure that the FIFO list is used with proper locking.
+// Note that a fifo, including the removeFromFIFOFuncs returned from Enqueue,
+// is not safe for concurrent use by multiple goroutines.
 type fifo interface {
 	// Enqueue enqueues the specified request into the list and
 	// returns a removeFromFIFOFunc function that can be used to remove the
@@ -64,7 +63,7 @@ type fifo interface {
 }
 
 // the FIFO list implementation is not safe for concurrent use by multiple
-// goroutines without additional locking or coordination.
+// goroutines.
 type requestFIFO struct {
 	*list.List
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/queueset.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/queueset.go
index b2d60d4327d..d2023d8faea 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/queueset.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/queueset.go
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ type queueSetFactory struct {
 // promiseFactory returns a WriteOnce
 // - whose Set method is invoked with the queueSet locked, and
 // - whose Get method is invoked with the queueSet not locked.
+// The parameters are the same as for `promise.NewWriteOnce`.
 type promiseFactory func(initial interface{}, doneCh <-chan struct{}, doneVal interface{}) promise.WriteOnce
 
 // promiseFactoryFactory returns the promiseFactory to use for the given queueSet
@@ -94,8 +95,8 @@ type queueSet struct {
 	// the current dispatching configuration.
 	dCfg fq.DispatchingConfig
 
-	// If `config.DesiredNumQueues` is non-zero then dealer is not nil
-	// and is good for `config`.
+	// If `qCfg.DesiredNumQueues` is non-zero then dealer is not nil
+	// and is good for `qCfg`.
 	dealer *shufflesharding.Dealer
 
 	// queues may be longer than the desired number, while the excess
@@ -206,9 +207,9 @@ func (qs *queueSet) BeginConfigChange(qCfg fq.QueuingConfig) (fq.QueueSetComplet
 		dealer: dealer}, nil
 }
 
-// SetConfiguration is used to set the configuration for a queueSet.
+// setConfiguration is used to set the configuration for a queueSet.
 // Update handling for when fields are updated is handled here as well -
-// eg: if DesiredNum is increased, SetConfiguration reconciles by
+// eg: if DesiredNum is increased, setConfiguration reconciles by
 // adding more queues.
 func (qs *queueSet) setConfiguration(ctx context.Context, qCfg fq.QueuingConfig, dealer *shufflesharding.Dealer, dCfg fq.DispatchingConfig) {
 	qs.lockAndSyncTime(ctx)
@@ -247,8 +248,13 @@ type requestDecision int
 
 // Values passed through a request's decision
 const (
+	// Serve this one
 	decisionExecute requestDecision = iota
+
+	// Reject this one due to APF queuing considerations
 	decisionReject
+
+	// This one's context timed out / was canceled
 	decisionCancel
 )
 
@@ -257,7 +263,7 @@ const (
 // executing at each point where there is a change in that quantity,
 // because the metrics --- and only the metrics --- track that
 // quantity per FlowSchema.
-// The queueSet's promiseFactory is invoked once if the returns Request is non-nil,
+// The queueSet's promiseFactory is invoked once if the returned Request is non-nil,
 // not invoked if the Request is nil.
 func (qs *queueSet) StartRequest(ctx context.Context, workEstimate *fqrequest.WorkEstimate, hashValue uint64, flowDistinguisher, fsName string, descr1, descr2 interface{}, queueNoteFn fq.QueueNoteFn) (fq.Request, bool) {
 	qs.lockAndSyncTime(ctx)
@@ -380,7 +386,7 @@ func (req *request) wait() (bool, bool) {
 	// TODO(aaron-prindle) add metrics for this case
 	klog.V(5).Infof("QS(%s): Ejecting request %#+v %#+v from its queue", qs.qCfg.Name, req.descr1, req.descr2)
 	// remove the request from the queue as it has timed out
-	req.removeFromQueueFn()
+	req.removeFromQueueLocked()
 	qs.totRequestsWaiting--
 	metrics.AddRequestsInQueues(req.ctx, qs.qCfg.Name, req.fsName, -1)
 	req.NoteQueued(false)
@@ -399,7 +405,7 @@ func (qs *queueSet) isIdleLocked() bool {
 }
 
 // lockAndSyncTime acquires the lock and updates the virtual time.
-// Doing them together avoids the mistake of modify some queue state
+// Doing them together avoids the mistake of modifying some queue state
 // before calling syncTimeLocked.
 func (qs *queueSet) lockAndSyncTime(ctx context.Context) {
 	qs.lock.Lock()
@@ -508,7 +514,7 @@ func (qs *queueSet) timeoutOldRequestsAndRejectOrEnqueueLocked(ctx context.Conte
 	// requests that are in the queue longer than the timeout if there are no new requests
 	// We prefer the simplicity over the promptness, at least for now.
 
-	defer qs.boundNextDispatch(queue)
+	defer qs.boundNextDispatchLocked(queue)
 
 	// Create a request and enqueue
 	req := &request{
@@ -633,7 +639,7 @@ func (qs *queueSet) enqueueLocked(request *request) {
 			klog.Infof("QS(%s) at t=%s R=%v: initialized queue %d start R due to request %#+v %#+v", qs.qCfg.Name, now.Format(nsTimeFmt), queue.nextDispatchR, queue.index, request.descr1, request.descr2)
 		}
 	}
-	queue.Enqueue(request)
+	request.removeFromQueueLocked = queue.requests.Enqueue(request)
 	qs.totRequestsWaiting++
 	metrics.AddRequestsInQueues(request.ctx, qs.qCfg.Name, request.fsName, 1)
 	request.NoteQueued(true)
@@ -687,12 +693,11 @@ func (qs *queueSet) dispatchSansQueueLocked(ctx context.Context, workEstimate *f
 // return value indicates whether a request was dispatched; this will
 // be false when there are no requests waiting in any queue.
 func (qs *queueSet) dispatchLocked() bool {
-	queue := qs.findDispatchQueueLocked()
+	queue, request := qs.findDispatchQueueLocked()
 	if queue == nil {
 		return false
 	}
-	request, ok := queue.Dequeue()
-	if !ok { // This should never happen.  But if it does...
+	if request == nil { // This should never happen.  But if it does...
 		return false
 	}
 	request.startTime = qs.clock.Now()
@@ -719,9 +724,9 @@ func (qs *queueSet) dispatchLocked() bool {
 	}
 	// When a request is dequeued for service -> qs.virtualStart += G * width
 	queue.nextDispatchR += request.totalWork()
-	qs.boundNextDispatch(queue)
+	qs.boundNextDispatchLocked(queue)
 	request.decision.Set(decisionExecute)
-	return ok
+	return true
 }
 
 // canAccommodateSeatsLocked returns true if this queueSet has enough
@@ -749,8 +754,9 @@ func (qs *queueSet) canAccommodateSeatsLocked(seats int) bool {
 
 // findDispatchQueueLocked examines the queues in round robin order and
 // returns the first one of those for which the virtual finish time of
-// the oldest waiting request is minimal.
-func (qs *queueSet) findDispatchQueueLocked() *queue {
+// the oldest waiting request is minimal, and also returns that request.
+// Returns nils if the head of the selected queue can not be dispatched now.
+func (qs *queueSet) findDispatchQueueLocked() (*queue, *request) {
 	minVirtualFinish := MaxSeatSeconds
 	sMin := MaxSeatSeconds
 	dsMin := MaxSeatSeconds
@@ -783,7 +789,7 @@ func (qs *queueSet) findDispatchQueueLocked() *queue {
 	if oldestReqFromMinQueue == nil {
 		// This cannot happen
 		klog.ErrorS(errors.New("selected queue is empty"), "Impossible", "queueSet", qs.qCfg.Name)
-		return nil
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 	if !qs.canAccommodateSeatsLocked(oldestReqFromMinQueue.MaxSeats()) {
 		// since we have not picked the queue with the minimum virtual finish
@@ -792,8 +798,9 @@ func (qs *queueSet) findDispatchQueueLocked() *queue {
 			klog.Infof("QS(%s): request %v %v seats %d cannot be dispatched from queue %d, waiting for currently executing requests to complete, %d requests are occupying %d seats and the limit is %d",
 				qs.qCfg.Name, oldestReqFromMinQueue.descr1, oldestReqFromMinQueue.descr2, oldestReqFromMinQueue.MaxSeats(), minQueue.index, qs.totRequestsExecuting, qs.totSeatsInUse, qs.dCfg.ConcurrencyLimit)
 		}
-		return nil
+		return nil, nil
 	}
+	oldestReqFromMinQueue.removeFromQueueLocked()
 
 	// If the requested final seats exceed capacity of that queue,
 	// we reduce them to current capacity and adjust additional latency
@@ -814,7 +821,7 @@ func (qs *queueSet) findDispatchQueueLocked() *queue {
 		klog.ErrorS(errors.New("dispatch before arrival"), "Inconceivable!", "QS", qs.qCfg.Name, "queue", minQueue.index, "dispatchR", minQueue.nextDispatchR, "request", oldestReqFromMinQueue)
 	}
 	metrics.SetDispatchMetrics(qs.qCfg.Name, qs.currentR.ToFloat(), minQueue.nextDispatchR.ToFloat(), sMin.ToFloat(), sMax.ToFloat(), dsMin.ToFloat(), dsMax.ToFloat())
-	return minQueue
+	return minQueue, oldestReqFromMinQueue
 }
 
 func ssMin(a, b SeatSeconds) SeatSeconds {
@@ -921,18 +928,18 @@ func (qs *queueSet) finishRequestLocked(r *request) {
 		// When a request finishes being served, and the actual service time was S,
 		// the queue’s start R is decremented by (G - S)*width.
 		r.queue.nextDispatchR -= SeatsTimesDuration(float64(r.InitialSeats()), qs.estimatedServiceDuration-actualServiceDuration)
-		qs.boundNextDispatch(r.queue)
+		qs.boundNextDispatchLocked(r.queue)
 	}
 }
 
-// boundNextDispatch applies the anti-windup hack.
+// boundNextDispatchLocked applies the anti-windup hack.
 // We need a hack because all non-empty queues are allocated the same
 // number of seats.  A queue that can not use all those seats and does
 // not go empty accumulates a progresively earlier `virtualStart` compared
 // to queues that are using more than they are allocated.
 // The following hack addresses the first side of that inequity,
 // by insisting that dispatch in the virtual world not precede arrival.
-func (qs *queueSet) boundNextDispatch(queue *queue) {
+func (qs *queueSet) boundNextDispatchLocked(queue *queue) {
 	oldestReqFromMinQueue, _ := queue.requests.Peek()
 	if oldestReqFromMinQueue == nil {
 		return
@@ -991,7 +998,7 @@ func (qs *queueSet) Dump(includeRequestDetails bool) debug.QueueSetDump {
 		SeatsInUse: qs.totSeatsInUse,
 	}
 	for i, q := range qs.queues {
-		d.Queues[i] = q.dump(includeRequestDetails)
+		d.Queues[i] = q.dumpLocked(includeRequestDetails)
 	}
 	return d
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/queueset_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/queueset_test.go
index 4ec4e00b013..afa8155566c 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/queueset_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/queueset_test.go
@@ -1308,7 +1308,7 @@ func TestFindDispatchQueueLocked(t *testing.T) {
 					minQueueExpected = test.queues[queueIdx]
 				}
 
-				minQueueGot := qs.findDispatchQueueLocked()
+				minQueueGot, reqGot := qs.findDispatchQueueLocked()
 				if minQueueExpected != minQueueGot {
 					t.Errorf("Expected queue: %#v, but got: %#v", minQueueExpected, minQueueGot)
 				}
@@ -1317,6 +1317,10 @@ func TestFindDispatchQueueLocked(t *testing.T) {
 				if robinIndexExpected != qs.robinIndex {
 					t.Errorf("Expected robin index: %d for attempt: %d, but got: %d", robinIndexExpected, attempt, qs.robinIndex)
 				}
+
+				if (reqGot == nil) != (minQueueGot == nil) {
+					t.Errorf("reqGot=%p but minQueueGot=%p", reqGot, minQueueGot)
+				}
 			}
 		})
 	}
@@ -1451,7 +1455,7 @@ func TestRequestWork(t *testing.T) {
 func newFIFO(requests ...*request) fifo {
 	l := newRequestFIFO()
 	for i := range requests {
-		l.Enqueue(requests[i])
+		requests[i].removeFromQueueLocked = l.Enqueue(requests[i])
 	}
 	return l
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/types.go
index d3fbea7eda1..d4f7d5d1d52 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/flowcontrol/fairqueuing/queueset/types.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // request is a temporary container for "requests" with additional
-// tracking fields required for the functionality FQScheduler
+// tracking fields required for QueueSet functionality.
 type request struct {
 	ctx context.Context
 
@@ -43,9 +43,6 @@ type request struct {
 	// a queue.
 	queue *queue
 
-	// startTime is the real time when the request began executing
-	startTime time.Time
-
 	// estimated amount of work of the request
 	workEstimate completedWorkEstimate
 
@@ -61,22 +58,29 @@ type request struct {
 	// arrivalTime is the real time when the request entered this system
 	arrivalTime time.Time
 
-	// arrivalR is R(arrivalTime).  R is, confusingly, also called "virtual time".
-	// This field is meaningful only while the request is waiting in the virtual world.
-	arrivalR SeatSeconds
-
 	// descr1 and descr2 are not used in any logic but they appear in
 	// log messages
 	descr1, descr2 interface{}
 
-	// Indicates whether client has called Request::Wait()
-	waitStarted bool
-
 	queueNoteFn fq.QueueNoteFn
 
+	// The preceding fields are filled in at creation and not modified since;
+	// the following fields may be modified later and must only be accessed while
+	// holding the queueSet's lock.
+
 	// Removes this request from its queue. If the request is not put into a
 	// a queue it will be nil.
-	removeFromQueueFn removeFromFIFOFunc
+	removeFromQueueLocked removeFromFIFOFunc
+
+	// arrivalR is R(arrivalTime).  R is, confusingly, also called "virtual time".
+	// This field is meaningful only while the request is waiting in the virtual world.
+	arrivalR SeatSeconds
+
+	// startTime is the real time when the request began executing
+	startTime time.Time
+
+	// Indicates whether client has called Request::Wait()
+	waitStarted bool
 }
 
 type completedWorkEstimate struct {
@@ -85,8 +89,8 @@ type completedWorkEstimate struct {
 	finalWork SeatSeconds // only final work
 }
 
-// queue is an array of requests with additional metadata required for
-// the FQScheduler
+// queue is a sequence of requests that have arrived but not yet finished
+// execution in both the real and virtual worlds.
 type queue struct {
 	// The requests not yet executing in the real world are stored in a FIFO list.
 	requests fifo
@@ -95,9 +99,11 @@ type queue struct {
 	// which the next request will be dispatched in the virtual world.
 	nextDispatchR SeatSeconds
 
-	// requestsExecuting is the count in the real world
+	// requestsExecuting is the count in the real world.
 	requestsExecuting int
-	index             int
+
+	// index is the position of this queue among those in its queueSet.
+	index int
 
 	// seatsInUse is the total number of "seats" currently occupied
 	// by all the requests that are currently executing in this queue.
@@ -140,19 +146,7 @@ func (qs *queueSet) computeFinalWork(we *fcrequest.WorkEstimate) SeatSeconds {
 	return SeatsTimesDuration(float64(we.FinalSeats), we.AdditionalLatency)
 }
 
-// Enqueue enqueues a request into the queue and
-// sets the removeFromQueueFn of the request appropriately.
-func (q *queue) Enqueue(request *request) {
-	request.removeFromQueueFn = q.requests.Enqueue(request)
-}
-
-// Dequeue dequeues a request from the queue
-func (q *queue) Dequeue() (*request, bool) {
-	request, ok := q.requests.Dequeue()
-	return request, ok
-}
-
-func (q *queue) dump(includeDetails bool) debug.QueueDump {
+func (q *queue) dumpLocked(includeDetails bool) debug.QueueDump {
 	digest := make([]debug.RequestDump, q.requests.Length())
 	i := 0
 	q.requests.Walk(func(r *request) bool {