diff --git a/libcxxabi/src/cxa_guard_impl.h b/libcxxabi/src/cxa_guard_impl.h
--- a/libcxxabi/src/cxa_guard_impl.h
+++ b/libcxxabi/src/cxa_guard_impl.h
@@ -23,9 +23,15 @@
  * the thread currently performing initialization is stored in the second word.
  *
  *  Guard Object Layout:
- * -------------------------------------------------------------------------
- * |a: guard byte | a+1: init byte | a+2 : unused ... | a+4: thread-id ... |
- * -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * | a+0: guard byte | a+1: init byte | a+2: unused ... | a+4: thread-id ... |
+ * ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ *
+ * Note that we don't do what the ABI docs suggest (put a mutex in the guard
+ * object which we acquire in cxa_guard_acquire and release in
+ * cxa_guard_release). Instead we use the init byte to imitate that behaviour,
+ * but without actually holding anything mutex related between aquire and
+ * release/abort.
  *
  *  Access Protocol:
  *    For each implementation the guard byte is checked and set before accessing
@@ -176,8 +182,6 @@
 public:
   /// The guard byte portion of cxa_guard_acquire. Returns true if
   /// initialization has already been completed.
-  /// Note: On completion, we haven't 'acquired' ownership of anything mutex
-  /// related. The name is simply referring to __cxa_guard_acquire.
   bool acquire() {
     // if guard_byte is non-zero, we have already completed initialization
     // (i.e. release has been called)
@@ -185,8 +189,6 @@
   }
 
   /// The guard byte portion of cxa_guard_release.
-  /// Note: On completion, we haven't 'released' ownership of anything mutex
-  /// related. The name is simply referring to __cxa_guard_release.
   void release() { guard_byte.store(COMPLETE_BIT, std::_AO_Release); }
 
   /// The guard byte portion of cxa_guard_abort.
@@ -197,89 +199,70 @@
 };
 
 //===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
-//                          GuardBase
+//                       InitByte Implementations
 //===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
-
-enum class AcquireResult {
-  INIT_IS_DONE,
-  INIT_IS_PENDING,
-};
-constexpr AcquireResult INIT_IS_DONE = AcquireResult::INIT_IS_DONE;
-constexpr AcquireResult INIT_IS_PENDING = AcquireResult::INIT_IS_PENDING;
-
-template <class Derived>
-struct GuardObject {
-  GuardObject() = delete;
-  GuardObject(GuardObject const&) = delete;
-  GuardObject& operator=(GuardObject const&) = delete;
-
-private:
-  GuardByte guard_byte;
-
-public:
-  /// ARM Constructor
-  explicit GuardObject(uint32_t* g)
-      : guard_byte(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(g)), base_address(g),
-        init_byte_address(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(g) + 1), thread_id_address(nullptr) {}
-
-  /// Itanium Constructor
-  explicit GuardObject(uint64_t* g)
-      : guard_byte(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(g)), base_address(g),
-        init_byte_address(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(g) + 1), thread_id_address(reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(g) + 1) {}
-
-  /// Implements __cxa_guard_acquire.
-  AcquireResult cxa_guard_acquire() {
-    if (guard_byte.acquire())
-      return INIT_IS_DONE;
-    return derived()->acquire_init_byte();
-  }
-
-  /// Implements __cxa_guard_release.
-  void cxa_guard_release() {
-    // Update guard byte first, so if somebody is woken up by release_init_byte
-    // and comes all the way back around to __cxa_guard_acquire again, they see
-    // it as having completed initialization.
-    guard_byte.release();
-    derived()->release_init_byte();
-  }
-
-  /// Implements __cxa_guard_abort.
-  void cxa_guard_abort() {
-    guard_byte.abort();
-    derived()->abort_init_byte();
-  }
-
-public:
-  /// base_address - the address of the original guard object.
-  void* const base_address;
-  /// The address of the byte used by the implementation during initialization.
-  uint8_t* const init_byte_address;
-  /// An optional address storing an identifier for the thread performing initialization.
-  /// It's used to detect recursive initialization.
-  uint32_t* const thread_id_address;
-
-private:
-  Derived* derived() { return static_cast<Derived*>(this); }
-};
+//
+// Each initialization byte implementation supports the following methods:
+//
+//  InitByte(uint8_t* _init_byte_address, uint32_t* _thread_id_address)
+//    Construct the InitByte object, initializing our member variables
+//
+//  bool acquire()
+//    Called before we start the initialization. Check if someone else has already started, and if
+//    not to signal our intent to start it ourselves. We determine the current status from the init
+//    byte, which is one of 4 possible values:
+//      COMPLETE:           Initialization was finished by somebody else. Return true.
+//      PENDING:            Somebody has started the initialization already, set the WAITING bit,
+//                          then wait for the init byte to get updated with a new value.
+//      (PENDING|WAITING):  Somebody has started the initialization already, and we're not the
+//                          first one waiting. Wait for the init byte to get updated.
+//      UNSET:              Initialization hasn't successfully completed, and nobody is currently
+//                          performing the initialization. Set the PENDING bit to indicate our
+//                          intention to start the initialization, and return false.
+//    The return value indicates whether initialization has already been completed.
+//
+//  void release()
+//    Called after successfully completing the initialization. Update the init byte to reflect
+//    that, then if anybody else is waiting, wake them up.
+//
+//  void abort()
+//    Called after an error is thrown during the initialization. Reset the init byte to UNSET to
+//    indicate that we're no longer performing the initialization, then if anybody is waiting, wake
+//    them up so they can try performing the initialization.
+//
 
 //===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
 //                    Single Threaded Implementation
 //===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
 
-struct InitByteNoThreads : GuardObject<InitByteNoThreads> {
-  using GuardObject::GuardObject;
+/// InitByteNoThreads - Doesn't use any inter-thread synchronization when
+/// managing reads and writes to the init byte.
+struct InitByteNoThreads {
+  InitByteNoThreads() = delete;
+  InitByteNoThreads(InitByteNoThreads const&) = delete;
+  InitByteNoThreads& operator=(InitByteNoThreads const&) = delete;
+
+  explicit InitByteNoThreads(uint8_t* _init_byte_address, uint32_t*) : init_byte_address(_init_byte_address) {}
 
-  AcquireResult acquire_init_byte() {
+  /// The init byte portion of cxa_guard_acquire. Returns true if
+  /// initialization has already been completed.
+  bool acquire() {
     if (*init_byte_address == COMPLETE_BIT)
-      return INIT_IS_DONE;
+      return true;
     if (*init_byte_address & PENDING_BIT)
       ABORT_WITH_MESSAGE("__cxa_guard_acquire detected recursive initialization");
     *init_byte_address = PENDING_BIT;
-    return INIT_IS_PENDING;
+    return false;
   }
 
-  void release_init_byte() { *init_byte_address = COMPLETE_BIT; }
-  void abort_init_byte() { *init_byte_address = UNSET; }
+  /// The init byte portion of cxa_guard_release.
+  void release() { *init_byte_address = COMPLETE_BIT; }
+  /// The init byte portion of cxa_guard_abort.
+  void abort() { *init_byte_address = UNSET; }
+
+private:
+  /// The address of the byte used during initialization.
+  uint8_t* const init_byte_address;
 };
 
 //===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
@@ -319,18 +302,20 @@
 struct LibcppCondVar {};
 #endif // !defined(_LIBCXXABI_HAS_NO_THREADS)
 
+/// InitByteGlobalMutex - Uses a global mutex and condition variable (common to
+/// all static local variables) to manage reads and writes to the init byte.
 template <class Mutex, class CondVar, Mutex& global_mutex, CondVar& global_cond,
           uint32_t (*GetThreadID)() = PlatformThreadID>
-struct InitByteGlobalMutex : GuardObject<InitByteGlobalMutex<Mutex, CondVar, global_mutex, global_cond, GetThreadID>> {
+struct InitByteGlobalMutex {
 
-  using BaseT = typename InitByteGlobalMutex::GuardObject;
-  using BaseT::BaseT;
-
-  explicit InitByteGlobalMutex(uint32_t* g) : BaseT(g), has_thread_id_support(false) {}
-  explicit InitByteGlobalMutex(uint64_t* g) : BaseT(g), has_thread_id_support(GetThreadID != nullptr) {}
+  explicit InitByteGlobalMutex(uint8_t* _init_byte_address, uint32_t* _thread_id_address)
+      : init_byte_address(_init_byte_address), thread_id_address(_thread_id_address),
+        has_thread_id_support(_thread_id_address != nullptr && GetThreadID != nullptr) {}
 
 public:
-  AcquireResult acquire_init_byte() {
+  /// The init byte portion of cxa_guard_acquire. Returns true if
+  /// initialization has already been completed.
+  bool acquire() {
     LockGuard g("__cxa_guard_acquire");
     // Check for possible recursive initialization.
     if (has_thread_id_support && (*init_byte_address & PENDING_BIT)) {
@@ -345,16 +330,17 @@
     }
 
     if (*init_byte_address == COMPLETE_BIT)
-      return INIT_IS_DONE;
+      return true;
 
     if (has_thread_id_support)
       *thread_id_address = current_thread_id.get();
 
     *init_byte_address = PENDING_BIT;
-    return INIT_IS_PENDING;
+    return false;
   }
 
-  void release_init_byte() {
+  /// The init byte portion of cxa_guard_release.
+  void release() {
     bool has_waiting;
     {
       LockGuard g("__cxa_guard_release");
@@ -368,7 +354,8 @@
     }
   }
 
-  void abort_init_byte() {
+  /// The init byte portion of cxa_guard_abort.
+  void abort() {
     bool has_waiting;
     {
       LockGuard g("__cxa_guard_abort");
@@ -385,8 +372,12 @@
   }
 
 private:
-  using BaseT::init_byte_address;
-  using BaseT::thread_id_address;
+  /// The address of the byte used during initialization.
+  uint8_t* const init_byte_address;
+  /// An optional address storing an identifier for the thread performing initialization.
+  /// It's used to detect recursive initialization.
+  uint32_t* const thread_id_address;
+
   const bool has_thread_id_support;
   LazyValue<uint32_t, GetThreadID> current_thread_id;
 
@@ -433,38 +424,32 @@
 
 constexpr bool PlatformSupportsFutex() { return +PlatformFutexWait != nullptr; }
 
-/// InitByteFutex - Manages initialization using atomics and the futex syscall
-/// for waiting and waking.
+/// InitByteFutex - Uses a futex to manage reads and writes to the init byte.
 template <void (*Wait)(int*, int) = PlatformFutexWait, void (*Wake)(int*) = PlatformFutexWake,
           uint32_t (*GetThreadIDArg)() = PlatformThreadID>
-struct InitByteFutex : GuardObject<InitByteFutex<Wait, Wake, GetThreadIDArg>> {
-  using BaseT = typename InitByteFutex::GuardObject;
+struct InitByteFutex {
 
-  /// ARM Constructor
-  explicit InitByteFutex(uint32_t* g)
-      : BaseT(g), init_byte(this->init_byte_address),
-        has_thread_id_support(this->thread_id_address && GetThreadIDArg != nullptr),
-        thread_id(this->thread_id_address) {}
-
-  /// Itanium Constructor
-  explicit InitByteFutex(uint64_t* g)
-      : BaseT(g), init_byte(this->init_byte_address),
-        has_thread_id_support(this->thread_id_address && GetThreadIDArg != nullptr),
-        thread_id(this->thread_id_address) {}
+  explicit InitByteFutex(uint8_t* _init_byte_address, uint32_t* _thread_id_address)
+      : init_byte(_init_byte_address),
+        has_thread_id_support(_thread_id_address != nullptr && GetThreadIDArg != nullptr),
+        thread_id(_thread_id_address),
+        base_address(reinterpret_cast<int*>(/*_init_byte_address & ~0x3*/ _init_byte_address - 1)) {}
 
 public:
-  AcquireResult acquire_init_byte() {
+  /// The init byte portion of cxa_guard_acquire. Returns true if
+  /// initialization has already been completed.
+  bool acquire() {
     while (true) {
       uint8_t last_val = UNSET;
       if (init_byte.compare_exchange(&last_val, PENDING_BIT, std::_AO_Acq_Rel, std::_AO_Acquire)) {
         if (has_thread_id_support) {
           thread_id.store(current_thread_id.get(), std::_AO_Relaxed);
         }
-        return INIT_IS_PENDING;
+        return false;
       }
 
       if (last_val == COMPLETE_BIT)
-        return INIT_IS_DONE;
+        return true;
 
       if (last_val & PENDING_BIT) {
 
@@ -481,7 +466,7 @@
           if (!init_byte.compare_exchange(&last_val, PENDING_BIT | WAITING_BIT, std::_AO_Acq_Rel, std::_AO_Release)) {
             // (1) success, via someone else's work!
             if (last_val == COMPLETE_BIT)
-              return INIT_IS_DONE;
+              return true;
 
             // (3) someone else, bailed on doing the work, retry from the start!
             if (last_val == UNSET)
@@ -495,13 +480,15 @@
     }
   }
 
-  void release_init_byte() {
+  /// The init byte portion of cxa_guard_release.
+  void release() {
     uint8_t old = init_byte.exchange(COMPLETE_BIT, std::_AO_Acq_Rel);
     if (old & WAITING_BIT)
       wake_all();
   }
 
-  void abort_init_byte() {
+  /// The init byte portion of cxa_guard_abort.
+  void abort() {
     if (has_thread_id_support)
       thread_id.store(0, std::_AO_Relaxed);
 
@@ -512,12 +499,11 @@
 
 private:
   /// Use the futex to wait on the current guard variable. Futex expects a
-  /// 32-bit 4-byte aligned address as the first argument, so we have to use use
-  /// the base address of the guard variable (not the init byte).
-  void wait_on_initialization() {
-    Wait(static_cast<int*>(this->base_address), expected_value_for_futex(PENDING_BIT | WAITING_BIT));
-  }
-  void wake_all() { Wake(static_cast<int*>(this->base_address)); }
+  /// 32-bit 4-byte aligned address as the first argument, so we use the 4-byte
+  /// aligned address that encompasses the init byte (i.e. the address of the
+  /// raw guard object that was passed to __cxa_guard_acquire/release/abort).
+  void wait_on_initialization() { Wait(base_address, expected_value_for_futex(PENDING_BIT | WAITING_BIT)); }
+  void wake_all() { Wake(base_address); }
 
 private:
   AtomicInt<uint8_t> init_byte;
@@ -527,6 +513,10 @@
   AtomicInt<uint32_t> thread_id;
   LazyValue<uint32_t, GetThreadIDArg> current_thread_id;
 
+  /// the 4-byte-aligned address that encompasses the init byte (i.e. the
+  /// address of the raw guard object).
+  int* const base_address;
+
   /// Create the expected integer value for futex `wait(int* addr, int expected)`.
   /// We pass the base address as the first argument, So this function creates
   /// an zero-initialized integer  with `b` copied at the correct offset.
@@ -539,6 +529,66 @@
   static_assert(Wait != nullptr && Wake != nullptr, "");
 };
 
+//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
+//                          GuardObject
+//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
+
+enum class AcquireResult {
+  INIT_IS_DONE,
+  INIT_IS_PENDING,
+};
+constexpr AcquireResult INIT_IS_DONE = AcquireResult::INIT_IS_DONE;
+constexpr AcquireResult INIT_IS_PENDING = AcquireResult::INIT_IS_PENDING;
+
+/// Co-ordinates between GuardByte and InitByte.
+template <class InitByteT>
+struct GuardObject {
+  GuardObject() = delete;
+  GuardObject(GuardObject const&) = delete;
+  GuardObject& operator=(GuardObject const&) = delete;
+
+private:
+  GuardByte guard_byte;
+  InitByteT init_byte;
+
+public:
+  /// ARM Constructor
+  explicit GuardObject(uint32_t* raw_guard_object)
+      : guard_byte(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(raw_guard_object)),
+        init_byte(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(raw_guard_object) + 1, nullptr) {}
+
+  /// Itanium Constructor
+  explicit GuardObject(uint64_t* raw_guard_object)
+      : guard_byte(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(raw_guard_object)),
+        init_byte(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(raw_guard_object) + 1, reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(raw_guard_object) + 1) {
+  }
+
+  /// Implements __cxa_guard_acquire.
+  AcquireResult cxa_guard_acquire() {
+    // Use short-circuit evaluation to avoid calling init_byte.acquire when
+    // guard_byte.acquire returns true. (i.e. don't call it when we know from
+    // the guard byte that initialization has already been completed)
+    if (guard_byte.acquire() || init_byte.acquire())
+      return INIT_IS_DONE;
+    return INIT_IS_PENDING;
+  }
+
+  /// Implements __cxa_guard_release.
+  void cxa_guard_release() {
+    // Update guard byte first, so if somebody is woken up by init_byte.release
+    // and comes all the way back around to __cxa_guard_acquire again, they see
+    // it as having completed initialization.
+    guard_byte.release();
+    init_byte.release();
+  }
+
+  /// Implements __cxa_guard_abort.
+  void cxa_guard_abort() {
+    guard_byte.abort();
+    init_byte.abort();
+  }
+};
+
 //===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
 //
 //===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
@@ -555,20 +605,23 @@
 template <Implementation Impl>
 struct SelectImplementation;
 
+/// Manage initialization without performing any inter-thread synchronization.
 template <>
 struct SelectImplementation<Implementation::NoThreads> {
-  using type = InitByteNoThreads;
+  using type = GuardObject<InitByteNoThreads>;
 };
 
+/// Manage initialization using a global mutex and condition variable.
 template <>
 struct SelectImplementation<Implementation::GlobalMutex> {
-  using type = InitByteGlobalMutex<LibcppMutex, LibcppCondVar, GlobalStatic<LibcppMutex>::instance,
-                                   GlobalStatic<LibcppCondVar>::instance, PlatformThreadID>;
+  using type = GuardObject<InitByteGlobalMutex<LibcppMutex, LibcppCondVar, GlobalStatic<LibcppMutex>::instance,
+                                               GlobalStatic<LibcppCondVar>::instance, PlatformThreadID>>;
 };
 
+/// Manage initialization using atomics and the futex syscall for waiting and waking.
 template <>
 struct SelectImplementation<Implementation::Futex> {
-  using type = InitByteFutex<PlatformFutexWait, PlatformFutexWake, PlatformThreadID>;
+  using type = GuardObject<InitByteFutex<PlatformFutexWait, PlatformFutexWake, PlatformThreadID>>;
 };
 
 // TODO(EricWF): We should prefer the futex implementation when available. But
diff --git a/libcxxabi/test/guard_test_basic.pass.cpp b/libcxxabi/test/guard_test_basic.pass.cpp
--- a/libcxxabi/test/guard_test_basic.pass.cpp
+++ b/libcxxabi/test/guard_test_basic.pass.cpp
@@ -119,16 +119,13 @@
   {
 #if defined(_LIBCXXABI_HAS_NO_THREADS)
     static_assert(CurrentImplementation == Implementation::NoThreads, "");
-    static_assert(
-        std::is_same<SelectedImplementation, InitByteNoThreads>::value, "");
+    static_assert(std::is_same<SelectedImplementation, GuardObject<InitByteNoThreads>>::value, "");
 #else
     static_assert(CurrentImplementation == Implementation::GlobalMutex, "");
     static_assert(
-        std::is_same<
-            SelectedImplementation,
-            InitByteGlobalMutex<LibcppMutex, LibcppCondVar,
-                                GlobalStatic<LibcppMutex>::instance,
-                                GlobalStatic<LibcppCondVar>::instance>>::value,
+        std::is_same<SelectedImplementation,
+                     GuardObject<InitByteGlobalMutex<LibcppMutex, LibcppCondVar, GlobalStatic<LibcppMutex>::instance,
+                                                     GlobalStatic<LibcppCondVar>::instance>>>::value,
         "");
 #endif
   }
@@ -142,19 +139,17 @@
     }
   }
   {
-    Tests<uint32_t, InitByteNoThreads>::test();
-    Tests<uint64_t, InitByteNoThreads>::test();
+    Tests<uint32_t, GuardObject<InitByteNoThreads>>::test();
+    Tests<uint64_t, GuardObject<InitByteNoThreads>>::test();
   }
   {
     using MutexImpl =
-        InitByteGlobalMutex<NopMutex, NopCondVar, global_nop_mutex,
-                            global_nop_cond, MockGetThreadID>;
+        GuardObject<InitByteGlobalMutex<NopMutex, NopCondVar, global_nop_mutex, global_nop_cond, MockGetThreadID>>;
     Tests<uint32_t, MutexImpl>::test();
     Tests<uint64_t, MutexImpl>::test();
   }
   {
-    using FutexImpl =
-        InitByteFutex<&NopFutexWait, &NopFutexWake, &MockGetThreadID>;
+    using FutexImpl = GuardObject<InitByteFutex<&NopFutexWait, &NopFutexWake, &MockGetThreadID>>;
     Tests<uint32_t, FutexImpl>::test();
     Tests<uint64_t, FutexImpl>::test();
   }