diff --git a/include/uv-private/uv-unix.h b/include/uv-private/uv-unix.h
index 4b86d2c02..efd57f07c 100644
--- a/include/uv-private/uv-unix.h
+++ b/include/uv-private/uv-unix.h
@@ -198,7 +198,6 @@ typedef struct {
 
 /* UV_IDLE */
 #define UV_IDLE_PRIVATE_FIELDS \
-  ev_idle idle_watcher; \
   uv_idle_cb idle_cb; \
   ngx_queue_t queue;
 
diff --git a/src/unix/core.c b/src/unix/core.c
index c4b25e9ab..db0cc48ab 100644
--- a/src/unix/core.c
+++ b/src/unix/core.c
@@ -203,17 +203,22 @@ static void uv__poll(uv_loop_t* loop, int block) {
 }
 
 
-static int uv__run(uv_loop_t* loop) {
-  /*
-  if (!uv__has_pending_handles(loop) && !uv__has_active_reqs(loop))
-    uv__run_idle(loop);
-  */
+static int uv__should_block(uv_loop_t* loop) {
+  return ngx_queue_empty(&loop->idle_handles)
+      && !ngx_queue_empty(&loop->active_handles);
+}
 
+
+static int uv__run(uv_loop_t* loop) {
+  uv__run_idle(loop);
   uv__run_pending(loop);
 
   if (uv__has_active_handles(loop) || uv__has_active_reqs(loop)) {
     uv__run_prepare(loop);
-    uv__poll(loop, uv__has_active_handles(loop));
+    /* Need to poll even if there are no active handles left, otherwise
+     * uv_work_t reqs won't complete...
+     */
+    uv__poll(loop, uv__should_block(loop));
     uv__run_check(loop);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/unix/loop.c b/src/unix/loop.c
index f9b6eee90..aca2a889f 100644
--- a/src/unix/loop.c
+++ b/src/unix/loop.c
@@ -109,47 +109,7 @@ void uv__loop_delete(uv_loop_t* loop) {
   void uv__##name##_close(uv_##name##_t* handle) {                            \
     uv_##name##_stop(handle);                                                 \
   }
-/*X(idle, UV_IDLE)*/
+X(idle, UV_IDLE)
 X(check, UV_CHECK)
 X(prepare, UV_PREPARE)
 #undef X
-
-
-static void uv__idle(EV_P_ ev_idle* w, int revents) {
-  uv_idle_t* handle = container_of(w, uv_idle_t, idle_watcher);
-  handle->idle_cb(handle, 0);
-}
-
-
-int uv_idle_init(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_idle_t* handle) {
-  uv__handle_init(loop, (uv_handle_t*)handle, UV_IDLE);
-  ev_idle_init(&handle->idle_watcher, uv__idle);
-  loop->counters.idle_init++;
-  handle->idle_cb = NULL;
-  return 0;
-}
-
-
-int uv_idle_start(uv_idle_t* handle, uv_idle_cb cb) {
-  if (uv__is_active(handle)) return 0;
-  ngx_queue_insert_head(&handle->loop->idle_handles, &handle->queue);
-  ev_idle_start(handle->loop->ev, &handle->idle_watcher);
-  uv__handle_start(handle);
-  handle->idle_cb = cb;
-  return 0;
-}
-
-
-int uv_idle_stop(uv_idle_t* handle) {
-  if (!uv__is_active(handle)) return 0;
-  ngx_queue_remove(&handle->queue);
-  ev_idle_stop(handle->loop->ev, &handle->idle_watcher);
-  uv__handle_stop(handle);
-  handle->idle_cb = NULL;
-  return 0;
-}
-
-
-void uv__idle_close(uv_idle_t* handle) {
-  uv_idle_stop(handle);
-}