diff --git a/include/uv.h b/include/uv.h
index 9794d996..5328373a 100644
--- a/include/uv.h
+++ b/include/uv.h
@@ -378,8 +378,7 @@ UV_EXTERN const char* uv_err_name(int err);
   /* read-only */                                                             \
   uv_req_type type;                                                           \
   /* private */                                                               \
-  void* active_queue[2];                                                      \
-  void* reserved[4];                                                          \
+  void* reserved[6];                                                          \
   UV_REQ_PRIVATE_FIELDS                                                       \
 
 /* Abstract base class of all requests. */
@@ -1531,7 +1530,10 @@ struct uv_loop_s {
   /* Loop reference counting. */
   unsigned int active_handles;
   void* handle_queue[2];
-  void* active_reqs[2];
+  union {
+    void* unused[2];
+    unsigned int count;
+  } active_reqs;
   /* Internal flag to signal loop stop. */
   unsigned int stop_flag;
   UV_LOOP_PRIVATE_FIELDS
diff --git a/src/unix/loop.c b/src/unix/loop.c
index 5b5b0e09..99ead6cb 100644
--- a/src/unix/loop.c
+++ b/src/unix/loop.c
@@ -38,13 +38,14 @@ int uv_loop_init(uv_loop_t* loop) {
 
   heap_init((struct heap*) &loop->timer_heap);
   QUEUE_INIT(&loop->wq);
-  QUEUE_INIT(&loop->active_reqs);
   QUEUE_INIT(&loop->idle_handles);
   QUEUE_INIT(&loop->async_handles);
   QUEUE_INIT(&loop->check_handles);
   QUEUE_INIT(&loop->prepare_handles);
   QUEUE_INIT(&loop->handle_queue);
 
+  loop->active_handles = 0;
+  loop->active_reqs.count = 0;
   loop->nfds = 0;
   loop->watchers = NULL;
   loop->nwatchers = 0;
diff --git a/src/uv-common.c b/src/uv-common.c
index bc7d1379..71345895 100644
--- a/src/uv-common.c
+++ b/src/uv-common.c
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ int uv_loop_close(uv_loop_t* loop) {
   void* saved_data;
 #endif
 
-  if (!QUEUE_EMPTY(&(loop)->active_reqs))
+  if (uv__has_active_reqs(loop))
     return UV_EBUSY;
 
   QUEUE_FOREACH(q, &loop->handle_queue) {
diff --git a/src/uv-common.h b/src/uv-common.h
index d4fa22aa..c497d014 100644
--- a/src/uv-common.h
+++ b/src/uv-common.h
@@ -133,18 +133,18 @@ int uv__socket_sockopt(uv_handle_t* handle, int optname, int* value);
 void uv__fs_scandir_cleanup(uv_fs_t* req);
 
 #define uv__has_active_reqs(loop)                                             \
-  (QUEUE_EMPTY(&(loop)->active_reqs) == 0)
+  ((loop)->active_reqs.count > 0)
 
 #define uv__req_register(loop, req)                                           \
   do {                                                                        \
-    QUEUE_INSERT_TAIL(&(loop)->active_reqs, &(req)->active_queue);            \
+    (loop)->active_reqs.count++;                                              \
   }                                                                           \
   while (0)
 
 #define uv__req_unregister(loop, req)                                         \
   do {                                                                        \
     assert(uv__has_active_reqs(loop));                                        \
-    QUEUE_REMOVE(&(req)->active_queue);                                       \
+    (loop)->active_reqs.count--;                                              \
   }                                                                           \
   while (0)
 
diff --git a/src/win/core.c b/src/win/core.c
index 9ed4e824..5fa9b666 100644
--- a/src/win/core.c
+++ b/src/win/core.c
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ int uv_loop_init(uv_loop_t* loop) {
 
   QUEUE_INIT(&loop->wq);
   QUEUE_INIT(&loop->handle_queue);
-  QUEUE_INIT(&loop->active_reqs);
+  loop->active_reqs.count = 0;
   loop->active_handles = 0;
 
   loop->pending_reqs_tail = NULL;
@@ -470,8 +470,8 @@ static void uv_poll_ex(uv_loop_t* loop, DWORD timeout) {
 
 
 static int uv__loop_alive(const uv_loop_t* loop) {
-  return loop->active_handles > 0 ||
-         !QUEUE_EMPTY(&loop->active_reqs) ||
+  return uv__has_active_handles(loop) ||
+         uv__has_active_reqs(loop) ||
          loop->endgame_handles != NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/win/pipe.c b/src/win/pipe.c
index 1a7c4dc1..0ecfbf1f 100644
--- a/src/win/pipe.c
+++ b/src/win/pipe.c
@@ -847,6 +847,7 @@ static void uv_pipe_queue_accept(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_pipe_t* handle,
     return;
   }
 
+  /* Wait for completion via IOCP */
   handle->reqs_pending++;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/win/stream-inl.h b/src/win/stream-inl.h
index dba03747..40f5ddd5 100644
--- a/src/win/stream-inl.h
+++ b/src/win/stream-inl.h
@@ -37,11 +37,6 @@ INLINE static void uv_stream_init(uv_loop_t* loop,
   handle->write_queue_size = 0;
   handle->activecnt = 0;
   handle->stream.conn.shutdown_req = NULL;
-}
-
-
-INLINE static void uv_connection_init(uv_stream_t* handle) {
-  handle->flags |= UV_HANDLE_CONNECTION;
   handle->stream.conn.write_reqs_pending = 0;
 
   UV_REQ_INIT(&handle->read_req, UV_READ);
@@ -51,4 +46,9 @@ INLINE static void uv_connection_init(uv_stream_t* handle) {
 }
 
 
+INLINE static void uv_connection_init(uv_stream_t* handle) {
+  handle->flags |= UV_HANDLE_CONNECTION;
+}
+
+
 #endif /* UV_WIN_STREAM_INL_H_ */
diff --git a/src/win/tcp.c b/src/win/tcp.c
index fd6efbaf..f84a0d1e 100644
--- a/src/win/tcp.c
+++ b/src/win/tcp.c
@@ -459,8 +459,6 @@ static void uv_tcp_queue_accept(uv_tcp_t* handle, uv_tcp_accept_t* req) {
           INFINITE, WT_EXECUTEINWAITTHREAD)) {
       SET_REQ_ERROR(req, GetLastError());
       uv_insert_pending_req(loop, (uv_req_t*)req);
-      handle->reqs_pending++;
-      return;
     }
   } else {
     /* Make this req pending reporting an error. */