diff --git a/lplanes_pool.cpp b/lplanes_pool.cpp
index d06923a..f8a1e25 100644
--- a/lplanes_pool.cpp
+++ b/lplanes_pool.cpp
@@ -13,36 +13,29 @@ LPlanesPool::LPlanesPool()
 
 void LPlanesPool::Reset()
 {
-	memset(m_ucTaken, 0, sizeof (	m_ucTaken));
-	m_uiCount = 0;
+	for (int n=0; n<POOL_MAX; n++)
+	{
+		m_ucFreeList[n] = POOL_MAX - n - 1;
+	}
+
+	m_uiNumFree = POOL_MAX;
 }
 
 unsigned int LPlanesPool::Request()
 {
-	// can't do, pool run out
-	if (m_uiCount >= POOL_MAX)
+	if (!m_uiNumFree)
 		return -1;
 
-	// could be done more efficiently .. NYI
-	for (unsigned int n=0; n<POOL_MAX; n++)
-	{
-		if (m_ucTaken[n] == 0)
-		{
-			m_ucTaken[n] = 255;
-			m_uiCount++;
-			return n;
-		}
-	}
+	m_uiNumFree--;
+	return m_ucFreeList[m_uiNumFree];
 
-	assert (0);
 }
 
 void LPlanesPool::Free(unsigned int ui)
 {
 	assert (ui <= POOL_MAX);
-	assert (m_ucTaken[ui]);
-	assert (m_uiCount);
+	assert (m_uiNumFree < POOL_MAX);
 
-	m_ucTaken[ui] = 0;
-	m_uiCount--;
+	m_ucFreeList[m_uiNumFree] = ui;
+	m_uiNumFree++;
 }
diff --git a/lplanes_pool.h b/lplanes_pool.h
index 95ad61b..e4d5258 100644
--- a/lplanes_pool.h
+++ b/lplanes_pool.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ public:
 	LPlanesPool();
 private:
 	LVector<Plane> m_Planes[	POOL_MAX];
-	unsigned char m_ucTaken[POOL_MAX];
-	unsigned int m_uiCount;
+
+	uint8_t m_ucFreeList[POOL_MAX];
+	uint32_t m_uiNumFree;
 };