diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/kernel.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/kernel.js
index f864374a403..463e0ec1cd8 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/kernel.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/kernel.js
@@ -878,6 +878,9 @@ export default function buildKernel(
     let useMeter = false;
     let deliverP = null;
 
+    // The common action should be delivering events to the vat. Any references
+    // in the events should no longer be the kernel's responsibility and the
+    // refcounts should be decremented
     if (message.type === 'send') {
       useMeter = true;
       const route = routeSendEvent(message);
@@ -890,6 +893,8 @@ export default function buildKernel(
           decrementSendEventRefCount(message);
           deliverP = processSend(vatID, route.target, message.msg);
         } else {
+          // Message is requeued and stays the kernel's responsibility, do not
+          // decrement refcounts in this case
           kernelKeeper.addMessageToPromiseQueue(route.target, message.msg);
         }
       }
@@ -1096,14 +1101,17 @@ export default function buildKernel(
     /** @type { PolicyInput } */
     const policyInput = ['none'];
 
+    // By default we're moving events from one queue to another. Any references
+    // in the events remain the kernel's responsibility and the refcounts persist
     if (message.type === 'send') {
       const route = routeSendEvent(message);
       if (!route) {
-        // Message went splat
+        // Message went splat, no longer the kernel's responsibility
         decrementSendEventRefCount(message);
       } else {
         const { vatID, target } = route;
         if (target !== message.target) {
+          // Message has been re-targeted, other refcounts stay intact
           kernelKeeper.decrementRefCount(message.target, `deq|msg|t`);
           kernelKeeper.incrementRefCount(target, `enq|msg|t`);
         }
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/state/kernelKeeper.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/state/kernelKeeper.js
index 468f2edc791..24e8eaeef4e 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/state/kernelKeeper.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/state/kernelKeeper.js
@@ -833,6 +833,23 @@ export default function makeKernelKeeper(
     insistKernelType('promise', kernelSlot);
     insistMessage(msg);
 
+    // Each message on a promise's queue maintains a refcount to the promise
+    // itself. This isn't strictly necessary (the promise will be kept alive
+    // by the deciding vat's clist, or the queued message that holds this
+    // promise as its result), but it matches our policy with run-queue
+    // messages (each holds a refcount on its target).
+    //
+    // Messages are enqueued on a promise queue in 2 cases:
+    // - A message routed from the acceptance queue
+    // - A pipelined message had a decider change while in the run-queue
+    // Messages are dequeued from a promise queue in 2 cases:
+    // - The promise is resolved
+    // - The promise's decider is changed to a pipelining vat
+    // In all cases the messages are just moved from one queue to another so
+    // the caller should not need to change the refcounts when moving messages
+    // sent to promises between queues. Only when re-targeting after resolution
+    // would the targets refcount be updated (but not the result or slots).
+
     const p = getKernelPromise(kernelSlot);
     assert(
       p.state === 'unresolved',