diff --git a/mps/code/format.c b/mps/code/format.c
index fc369f6a4ba..69e7ff1ddbe 100644
--- a/mps/code/format.c
+++ b/mps/code/format.c
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ Bool FormatCheck(Format format)
   CHECKU(Arena, format->arena);
   CHECKL(format->serial < format->arena->formatSerial);
   CHECKD_NOSIG(Ring, &format->arenaRing);
-  CHECKD_NOSIG(Ring, &format->poolRing);
   CHECKL(AlignCheck(format->alignment));
   /* TODO: Define the concept of the maximum alignment it is possible to
      request from the MPS, document and provide an interface to it, and then
@@ -142,7 +141,7 @@ Res FormatCreate(Format *formatReturn, Arena arena, ArgList args)
 
   format->arena = arena;
   RingInit(&format->arenaRing);
-  RingInit(&format->poolRing);
+  format->poolCount = 0;
   format->alignment = fmtAlign;
   format->headerSize = fmtHeaderSize;
   format->scan = fmtScan;
@@ -170,14 +169,13 @@ Res FormatCreate(Format *formatReturn, Arena arena, ArgList args)
 void FormatDestroy(Format format)
 {
   AVERT(Format, format);
-  AVER(RingIsSingle(&format->poolRing));
+  AVER(format->poolCount == 0);
 
   RingRemove(&format->arenaRing);
 
   format->sig = SigInvalid;
  
   RingFinish(&format->arenaRing);
-  RingFinish(&format->poolRing);
 
   ControlFree(format->arena, format, sizeof(FormatStruct));
 }
diff --git a/mps/code/mpmst.h b/mps/code/mpmst.h
index 62d82d658ce..2885f193d31 100644
--- a/mps/code/mpmst.h
+++ b/mps/code/mpmst.h
@@ -110,7 +110,6 @@ typedef struct mps_pool_s {     /* generic structure */
   RingStruct segRing;           /* segs are attached to pool */
   Align alignment;              /* alignment for units */
   Format format;                /* format only if class->attr&AttrFMT */
-  RingStruct formatRing;        /* link in list of pools using format */
   PoolFixMethod fix;            /* fix method */
   double fillMutatorSize;       /* bytes filled, mutator buffers */
   double emptyMutatorSize;      /* bytes emptied, mutator buffers */
@@ -411,7 +410,7 @@ typedef struct mps_fmt_s {
   Serial serial;                /* from arena->formatSerial */
   Arena arena;                  /* owning arena */
   RingStruct arenaRing;         /* formats are attached to the arena */
-  RingStruct poolRing;          /* ring of pools using the format */
+  Count poolCount;              /* number of pools using the format */
   Align alignment;              /* alignment of formatted objects */
   mps_fmt_scan_t scan;
   mps_fmt_skip_t skip;
diff --git a/mps/code/pool.c b/mps/code/pool.c
index 96f853eb94b..2e59c08a69a 100644
--- a/mps/code/pool.c
+++ b/mps/code/pool.c
@@ -153,7 +153,6 @@ Res PoolInit(Pool pool, Arena arena, PoolClass class, ArgList args)
   RingInit(&pool->arenaRing);
   RingInit(&pool->bufferRing);
   RingInit(&pool->segRing);
-  RingInit(&pool->formatRing);
   pool->bufferSerial = (Serial)0;
   pool->alignment = MPS_PF_ALIGN;
   pool->format = NULL;
@@ -180,14 +179,13 @@ Res PoolInit(Pool pool, Arena arena, PoolClass class, ArgList args)
 
   /* Add initialized pool to list of pools using format. */
   if (pool->format) {
-    RingAppend(&pool->format->poolRing, &pool->formatRing);
+    ++ pool->format->poolCount;
   }
 
   return ResOK;
 
 failInit:
   pool->sig = SigInvalid;      /* Leave arena->poolSerial incremented */
-  RingFinish(&pool->formatRing);
   RingFinish(&pool->segRing);
   RingFinish(&pool->bufferRing);
   RingFinish(&pool->arenaRing);
@@ -247,11 +245,11 @@ void PoolFinish(Pool pool)
   /* Detach the pool from the arena and format, and unsig it. */
   RingRemove(&pool->arenaRing);
   if (pool->format) {
-    RingRemove(&pool->formatRing);
+    AVER(pool->format->poolCount > 0);
+    -- pool->format->poolCount;
   }
   pool->sig = SigInvalid;
  
-  RingFinish(&pool->formatRing);
   RingFinish(&pool->segRing);
   RingFinish(&pool->bufferRing);
   RingFinish(&pool->arenaRing);
diff --git a/mps/test/conerr/12.c b/mps/test/conerr/12.c
index f904f1e3267..139abce195b 100644
--- a/mps/test/conerr/12.c
+++ b/mps/test/conerr/12.c
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ TEST_HEADER
 OUTPUT_SPEC
  assert = true
  assertfile P= format.c
- assertcond = RingIsSingle(&format->poolRing)
+ assertcond = format->poolCount == 0
 END_HEADER
 */