Techniques are disclosed for efficient handling of messages in computing systems that include tag matching capable hardware. A message management module provides for handling message events including application receives and channel notifications such that hardware tag matching can continuously run in hardware channels, such as network adapters. When the message event is an application receive the message management module adds the application receive to a tracking queue and determines if the application receive can be posted to a hardware channel capable of tag matching. When the message event is a channel notification, the message management module determines a message action using the message tracking queue and the information in the channel notification.