diff --git a/src/unix/stream.c b/src/unix/stream.c
index 6f0d1378..bcfa1c93 100644
--- a/src/unix/stream.c
+++ b/src/unix/stream.c
@@ -523,12 +523,19 @@ static void uv__read(uv_stream_t* stream) {
   struct cmsghdr* cmsg;
   char cmsg_space[64];
   struct ev_loop* ev = stream->loop->ev;
+  int count;
+
+  /* Prevent loop starvation when the data comes in as fast as (or faster than)
+   * we can read it. XXX Need to rearm fd if we switch to edge-triggered I/O.
+   */
+  count = 32;
 
   /* XXX: Maybe instead of having UV_READING we just test if
    * tcp->read_cb is NULL or not?
    */
-  while ((stream->read_cb || stream->read2_cb) &&
-         stream->flags & UV_READING) {
+  while ((stream->read_cb || stream->read2_cb)
+      && (stream->flags & UV_READING)
+      && (count-- > 0)) {
     assert(stream->alloc_cb);
     buf = stream->alloc_cb((uv_handle_t*)stream, 64 * 1024);
 
diff --git a/src/unix/udp.c b/src/unix/udp.c
index 349bfae3..7d58fd9f 100644
--- a/src/unix/udp.c
+++ b/src/unix/udp.c
@@ -208,12 +208,17 @@ static void uv__udp_recvmsg(uv_udp_t* handle) {
   ssize_t nread;
   uv_buf_t buf;
   int flags;
+  int count;
 
   assert(handle->recv_cb != NULL);
   assert(handle->alloc_cb != NULL);
 
+  /* Prevent loop starvation when the data comes in as fast as (or faster than)
+   * we can read it. XXX Need to rearm fd if we switch to edge-triggered I/O.
+   */
+  count = 32;
+
   do {
-    /* FIXME: hoist alloc_cb out the loop but for now follow uv__read() */
     buf = handle->alloc_cb((uv_handle_t*)handle, 64 * 1024);
     assert(buf.len > 0);
     assert(buf.base != NULL);
@@ -254,6 +259,7 @@ static void uv__udp_recvmsg(uv_udp_t* handle) {
   }
   /* recv_cb callback may decide to pause or close the handle */
   while (nread != -1
+      && count-- > 0
       && handle->fd != -1
       && handle->recv_cb != NULL);
 }