diff --git a/examples/decorator/src/lib.rs b/examples/decorator/src/lib.rs
index ca6db532..de3fe125 100644
--- a/examples/decorator/src/lib.rs
+++ b/examples/decorator/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use pyo3::prelude::*;
 use pyo3::types::{PyDict, PyTuple};
-use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU64, Ordering};
+use std::cell::Cell;
 
 /// A function decorator that keeps track how often it is called.
 ///
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU64, Ordering};
 pub struct PyCounter {
     // Keeps track of how many calls have gone through.
     //
-    // See the discussion at the end for why an atomic is used.
-    count: AtomicU64,
+    // See the discussion at the end for why `Cell` is used.
+    count: Cell<u64>,
 
     // This is the actual function being wrapped.
     wraps: Py<PyAny>,
@@ -26,14 +26,14 @@ impl PyCounter {
     #[new]
     fn __new__(wraps: Py<PyAny>) -> Self {
         PyCounter {
-            count: AtomicU64::new(0),
+            count: Cell::new(0),
             wraps,
         }
     }
 
     #[getter]
     fn count(&self) -> u64 {
-        self.count.load(Ordering::Relaxed)
+        self.count.get()
     }
 
     #[args(args = "*", kwargs = "**")]
@@ -43,10 +43,12 @@ impl PyCounter {
         args: &PyTuple,
         kwargs: Option<&PyDict>,
     ) -> PyResult<Py<PyAny>> {
-        let old_count = self.count.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
+        let old_count = self.count.get();
+        let new_count = old_count + 1;
+        self.count.set(new_count);
         let name = self.wraps.getattr(py, "__name__")?;
 
-        println!("{} has been called {} time(s).", name, old_count + 1);
+        println!("{} has been called {} time(s).", name, new_count);
 
         // After doing something, we finally forward the call to the wrapped function
         let ret = self.wraps.call(py, args, kwargs)?;
diff --git a/guide/src/class/call.md b/guide/src/class/call.md
index be544e70..9485d45f 100644
--- a/guide/src/class/call.md
+++ b/guide/src/class/call.md
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ def Counter(wraps):
     return call
 ```
 
-### What are the atomics for?
+### What is the `Cell` for?
 
 A [previous implementation] used a normal `u64`, which meant it required a `&mut self` receiver to update the count:
 
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ say_hello()
 # RuntimeError: Already borrowed
 ```
 
-The implementation in this chapter fixes that by never borrowing exclusively; all the methods take `&self` as receivers, of which multiple may exist simultaneously. This requires a shared and threadsafe counter and the easiest way to do that is to use atomics, so that's what is used here.
+The implementation in this chapter fixes that by never borrowing exclusively; all the methods take `&self` as receivers, of which multiple may exist simultaneously. This requires a shared counter and the easiest way to do that is to use [`Cell`], so that's what is used here.
 
 This shows the dangers of running arbitrary Python code - note that "running arbitrary Python code" can be far more subtle than the example above:
 - Python's asynchronous executor may park the current thread in the middle of Python code, even in Python code that *you* control, and let other Python code run.
@@ -112,4 +112,5 @@ This shows the dangers of running arbitrary Python code - note that "running arb
 
 This especially important if you are writing unsafe code; Python code must never be able to cause undefined behavior. You must ensure that your Rust code is in a consistent state before doing any of the above things.
 
-[previous implementation]: https://github.com/PyO3/pyo3/discussions/2598 "Thread Safe Decorator <Help Wanted> · Discussion #2598 · PyO3/pyo3"
\ No newline at end of file
+[previous implementation]: https://github.com/PyO3/pyo3/discussions/2598 "Thread Safe Decorator <Help Wanted> · Discussion #2598 · PyO3/pyo3"
+[`Cell`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/std/cell/struct.Cell.html "Cell in std::cell - Rust"
\ No newline at end of file