diff --git a/src/unix/core.c b/src/unix/core.c
index e8e256d9..a2c07e6a 100644
--- a/src/unix/core.c
+++ b/src/unix/core.c
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ int uv_backend_timeout(const uv_loop_t* loop) {
   if (loop->stop_flag != 0)
     return 0;
 
-  if (!uv_loop_alive(loop))
+  if (!uv__has_active_handles(loop) && !uv__has_active_reqs(loop))
     return 0;
 
   if (!QUEUE_EMPTY(&loop->idle_handles))
@@ -310,6 +310,9 @@ int uv_backend_timeout(const uv_loop_t* loop) {
   if (!QUEUE_EMPTY(&loop->pending_queue))
     return 0;
 
+  if (loop->closing_handles)
+    return 0;
+
   return uv__next_timeout(loop);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/win/core.c b/src/win/core.c
index d9c57a42..e84186d4 100644
--- a/src/win/core.c
+++ b/src/win/core.c
@@ -336,12 +336,15 @@ int uv_backend_timeout(const uv_loop_t* loop) {
   if (loop->stop_flag != 0)
     return 0;
 
-  if (!uv_loop_alive(loop))
+  if (!uv__has_active_handles(loop) && !uv__has_active_reqs(loop))
     return 0;
 
   if (loop->pending_reqs_tail)
     return 0;
 
+  if (loop->endgame_handles)
+    return 0;
+
   if (loop->idle_handles)
     return 0;
 
@@ -460,8 +463,8 @@ static void uv_poll_ex(uv_loop_t* loop, DWORD timeout) {
 
 
 static int uv__loop_alive(const uv_loop_t* loop) {
-  return uv__has_active_handles(loop) ||
-         uv__has_active_reqs(loop) ||
+  return loop->active_handles > 0 ||
+         !QUEUE_EMPTY(&loop->active_reqs) ||
          loop->endgame_handles != NULL;
 }