diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyObject.java b/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyObject.java
index e0715ec..44f0740 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyObject.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyObject.java
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ private static void startCleanupThread() {
     }
 
     public static int cleanup() {
-        return REFERENCES.asProxy().cleanupOnlyUseFromGIL();
+        return REFERENCES.asProxy().threadSafeCleanup();
     }
 
     private final PyObjectState state;
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ public static int cleanup() {
     PyObject(long pointer, boolean fromJNI) {
         state = new PyObjectState(pointer);
         if (fromJNI) {
-            if (CLEANUP_ON_INIT && PyLib.hasGil()) {
-                REFERENCES.cleanupOnlyUseFromGIL(); // only performs *one* cleanup
+            if (CLEANUP_ON_INIT) {
+                REFERENCES.threadSafeCleanup(); // only performs *one* cleanup
             }
             if (CLEANUP_ON_THREAD) {
                 // ensures that we've only started after python has been started, and we know there is something to cleanup
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyObjectCleanup.java b/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyObjectCleanup.java
index cda8455..7285e3a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyObjectCleanup.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyObjectCleanup.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 package org.jpy;
 
 interface PyObjectCleanup {
-    int cleanupOnlyUseFromGIL();
+    int threadSafeCleanup();
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyObjectReferences.java b/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyObjectReferences.java
index 9eec190..4afea8a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyObjectReferences.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jpy/PyObjectReferences.java
@@ -76,11 +76,11 @@ private Reference<PyObject> asRef(PyObject pyObject) {
     /**
      * This should *only* be invoked through the proxy, or when we *know* we have the GIL.
      */
-    public int cleanupOnlyUseFromGIL() {
-        return cleanupOnlyUseFromGIL(buffer);
+    public int threadSafeCleanup() {
+        return threadSafeCleanup(buffer);
     }
 
-    private int cleanupOnlyUseFromGIL(long[] buffer) {
+    private int threadSafeCleanup(long[] buffer) {
         return PyLib.ensureGil(() -> {
             int index = 0;
             while (index < buffer.length) {
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ def cleanup(references):
                 // any fairness guarantees. As such, we need to be mindful of other python users/code,
                 // and ensure we don't overly acquire the GIL causing starvation issues, especially when
                 // there is no cleanup work to do.
-                final int size = proxy.cleanupOnlyUseFromGIL();
+                final int size = proxy.threadSafeCleanup();
 
 
                 // Although, it *does* make sense to potentially take the GIL in a tight loop when there