diff --git a/src/unix/check.c b/src/unix/check.c
index 2584b327..cc5d3c7e 100644
--- a/src/unix/check.c
+++ b/src/unix/check.c
@@ -68,3 +68,8 @@ int uv_check_stop(uv_check_t* check) {
 
   return 0;
 }
+
+
+int uv__check_active(const uv_check_t* handle) {
+  return ev_is_active(&handle->check_watcher);
+}
diff --git a/src/unix/core.c b/src/unix/core.c
index a83079ea..09987e99 100644
--- a/src/unix/core.c
+++ b/src/unix/core.c
@@ -340,20 +340,16 @@ void uv__req_init(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_req_t* req) {
 
 int uv_is_active(uv_handle_t* handle) {
   switch (handle->type) {
-    case UV_TIMER:
-      return ev_is_active(&((uv_timer_t*)handle)->timer_watcher);
-
-    case UV_PREPARE:
-      return ev_is_active(&((uv_prepare_t*)handle)->prepare_watcher);
-
-    case UV_CHECK:
-      return ev_is_active(&((uv_check_t*)handle)->check_watcher);
-
-    case UV_IDLE:
-      return ev_is_active(&((uv_idle_t*)handle)->idle_watcher);
-
-    default:
-      return 1;
+  case UV_CHECK:
+    return uv__check_active((uv_check_t*)handle);
+  case UV_IDLE:
+    return uv__idle_active((uv_idle_t*)handle);
+  case UV_PREPARE:
+    return uv__prepare_active((uv_prepare_t*)handle);
+  case UV_TIMER:
+    return uv__timer_active((uv_timer_t*)handle);
+  default:
+    return 1;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/unix/idle.c b/src/unix/idle.c
index 0fab4db2..bcefd6a1 100644
--- a/src/unix/idle.c
+++ b/src/unix/idle.c
@@ -67,3 +67,8 @@ int uv_idle_stop(uv_idle_t* idle) {
 
   return 0;
 }
+
+
+int uv__idle_active(const uv_idle_t* handle) {
+  return ev_is_active(&handle->idle_watcher);
+}
diff --git a/src/unix/internal.h b/src/unix/internal.h
index 4f14eb46..2f5f54cb 100644
--- a/src/unix/internal.h
+++ b/src/unix/internal.h
@@ -139,6 +139,11 @@ void uv__udp_finish_close(uv_udp_t* handle);
 /* fs */
 void uv__fs_event_destroy(uv_fs_event_t* handle);
 
+int uv__check_active(const uv_check_t* handle);
+int uv__idle_active(const uv_idle_t* handle);
+int uv__prepare_active(const uv_prepare_t* handle);
+int uv__timer_active(const uv_timer_t* handle);
+
 #define UV__F_IPC        (1 << 0)
 #define UV__F_NONBLOCK   (1 << 1)
 int uv__make_socketpair(int fds[2], int flags);
diff --git a/src/unix/prepare.c b/src/unix/prepare.c
index 52417a5e..59ddf8c2 100644
--- a/src/unix/prepare.c
+++ b/src/unix/prepare.c
@@ -67,3 +67,8 @@ int uv_prepare_stop(uv_prepare_t* prepare) {
   }
   return 0;
 }
+
+
+int uv__prepare_active(const uv_prepare_t* handle) {
+  return ev_is_active(&handle->prepare_watcher);
+}
diff --git a/src/unix/timer.c b/src/unix/timer.c
index fe33dd39..e719c20e 100644
--- a/src/unix/timer.c
+++ b/src/unix/timer.c
@@ -23,11 +23,6 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 
 
-static int uv__timer_active(const uv_timer_t* timer) {
-  return timer->flags & UV_TIMER_ACTIVE;
-}
-
-
 static int uv__timer_repeating(const uv_timer_t* timer) {
   return timer->flags & UV_TIMER_REPEAT;
 }
@@ -120,3 +115,8 @@ int64_t uv_timer_get_repeat(uv_timer_t* timer) {
   assert(timer->type == UV_TIMER);
   return (int64_t)(1000 * timer->timer_watcher.repeat);
 }
+
+
+int uv__timer_active(const uv_timer_t* timer) {
+  return timer->flags & UV_TIMER_ACTIVE;
+}