See: http://developer.apple.com/techpubs/macosx/Essentials/SystemOverview/InverEnvironissues/chapter_14_section_9.html
The link above is dead, but info available here: http://developer.apple.com/documentation/CoreFoundation/Reference/CFMessagePortRef/Reference/reference.html
Note: CFMessagePortSendRequest leaks memory if you pass NULL for replyMode (10.4.3 and later?). Pass kCFRunLoopDefaultMode instead.
Has this be logged in Radar? Is it fixed on 10.5?