A system includes a processor configured to: initiate atomic execution of a plurality of instruction units in a thread, starting with a beginning instruction unit in the plurality of instruction units, wherein the plurality of instruction units in the thread are not programmatically specified to be executed atomically, and wherein the plurality of instruction units includes one or more memory modification instructions; in response to executing an instruction to commit inserted into the plurality of instructions units, incrementally commit a portion of the one or more memory modification instructions that have been atomically executed so far; and subsequent to incrementally committing the portion of the memory modification instructions that have been atomically executed so far, continue atomic execution of the plurality of instruction units. The system further includes a memory coupled to the processor, configured to provide the processor with the plurality of instruction units.