diff --git a/chronos/asyncfutures2.nim b/chronos/asyncfutures2.nim
index d170f08..d3954ba 100644
--- a/chronos/asyncfutures2.nim
+++ b/chronos/asyncfutures2.nim
@@ -451,19 +451,25 @@ proc internalCheckComplete*(fut: FutureBase) {.raises: [CatchableError].} =
       injectStacktrace(fut.internalError)
     raise fut.internalError
 
-proc internalRead*[T](fut: Future[T]): T {.inline.} =
-  # For internal use only. Used in asyncmacro
-  when T isnot void:
-    return fut.internalValue
+proc read*[T: not void](future: Future[T] ): lent T {.raises: [CatchableError].} =
+  ## Retrieves the value of ``future``. Future must be finished otherwise
+  ## this function will fail with a ``ValueError`` exception.
+  ##
+  ## If the result of the future is an error then that error will be raised.
+  if not future.finished():
+    # TODO: Make a custom exception type for this?
+    raise newException(ValueError, "Future still in progress.")
 
-proc read*[T](future: Future[T] ): T {.raises: [CatchableError].} =
+  internalCheckComplete(future)
+  future.internalValue
+
+proc read*(future: Future[void] ) {.raises: [CatchableError].} =
   ## Retrieves the value of ``future``. Future must be finished otherwise
   ## this function will fail with a ``ValueError`` exception.
   ##
   ## If the result of the future is an error then that error will be raised.
   if future.finished():
     internalCheckComplete(future)
-    internalRead(future)
   else:
     # TODO: Make a custom exception type for this?
     raise newException(ValueError, "Future still in progress.")
diff --git a/chronos/asyncmacro2.nim b/chronos/asyncmacro2.nim
index 45146a3..8e74073 100644
--- a/chronos/asyncmacro2.nim
+++ b/chronos/asyncmacro2.nim
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ template await*[T](f: Future[T]): untyped =
     # `child` released by `futureContinue`
     chronosInternalRetFuture.internalChild.internalCheckComplete()
     when T isnot void:
-      cast[type(f)](chronosInternalRetFuture.internalChild).internalRead()
+      cast[type(f)](chronosInternalRetFuture.internalChild).value()
   else:
     unsupported "await is only available within {.async.}"
 
diff --git a/chronos/futures.nim b/chronos/futures.nim
index edfae32..9b2667b 100644
--- a/chronos/futures.nim
+++ b/chronos/futures.nim
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ func completed*(future: FutureBase): bool {.inline.} =
 func location*(future: FutureBase): array[LocationKind, ptr SrcLoc] =
   future.internalLocation
 
-func value*[T](future: Future[T]): T =
+func value*[T: not void](future: Future[T]): lent T =
   ## Return the value in a completed future - raises Defect when
   ## `fut.completed()` is `false`.
   ##
@@ -196,8 +196,19 @@ func value*[T](future: Future[T]): T =
         msg: "Future not completed while accessing value",
         cause: future)
 
-  when T isnot void:
-    future.internalValue
+  future.internalValue
+
+func value*(future: Future[void]) =
+  ## Return the value in a completed future - raises Defect when
+  ## `fut.completed()` is `false`.
+  ##
+  ## See `read` for a version that raises an catchable error when future
+  ## has not completed.
+  when chronosStrictFutureAccess:
+    if not future.completed():
+      raise (ref FutureDefect)(
+        msg: "Future not completed while accessing value",
+        cause: future)
 
 func error*(future: FutureBase): ref CatchableError =
   ## Return the error of `future`, or `nil` if future did not fail.
diff --git a/tests/testfut.nim b/tests/testfut.nim
index af92354..a9fba05 100644
--- a/tests/testfut.nim
+++ b/tests/testfut.nim
@@ -1237,12 +1237,14 @@ suite "Future[T] behavior test suite":
     fut2.complete()                      # LINE POSITION 4
     fut3.complete()                      # LINE POSITION 6
 
+    {.push warning[Deprecated]: off.} # testing backwards compatibility interface
     let loc10 = fut1.location[0]
     let loc11 = fut1.location[1]
     let loc20 = fut2.location[0]
     let loc21 = fut2.location[1]
     let loc30 = fut3.location[0]
     let loc31 = fut3.location[1]
+    {.pop.}
 
     proc chk(loc: ptr SrcLoc, file: string, line: int,
              procedure: string): bool =