diff --git a/include/uv.h b/include/uv.h
index f065b9d9..6f302dcd 100644
--- a/include/uv.h
+++ b/include/uv.h
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ int uv_is_active(uv_handle_t* handle);
  * Request handle to be closed. close_cb will be called asynchronously after
  * this call. This MUST be called on each handle before memory is released.
  */
-int uv_close(uv_handle_t* handle, uv_close_cb close_cb);
+void uv_close(uv_handle_t* handle, uv_close_cb close_cb);
 
 
 #define UV_STREAM_FIELDS \
diff --git a/src/uv-unix.c b/src/uv-unix.c
index d583c378..34b92970 100644
--- a/src/uv-unix.c
+++ b/src/uv-unix.c
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ static uv_err_t uv_err_new(uv_handle_t* handle, int sys_error) {
 }
 
 
-int uv_close(uv_handle_t* handle, uv_close_cb close_cb) {
+void uv_close(uv_handle_t* handle, uv_close_cb close_cb) {
   uv_tcp_t* tcp;
   uv_pipe_t* pipe;
   uv_async_t* async;
@@ -245,7 +245,6 @@ int uv_close(uv_handle_t* handle, uv_close_cb close_cb) {
 
     default:
       assert(0);
-      return -1;
   }
 
   uv_flag_set(handle, UV_CLOSING);
@@ -254,8 +253,6 @@ int uv_close(uv_handle_t* handle, uv_close_cb close_cb) {
   ev_idle_start(EV_DEFAULT_ &handle->next_watcher);
   ev_feed_event(EV_DEFAULT_ &handle->next_watcher, EV_IDLE);
   assert(ev_is_pending(&handle->next_watcher));
-
-  return 0;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/win/handle.c b/src/win/handle.c
index 91dfba80..d5da22bf 100644
--- a/src/win/handle.c
+++ b/src/win/handle.c
@@ -111,9 +111,9 @@ static int uv_close_error(uv_handle_t* handle, uv_err_t e) {
 }
 
 
-int uv_close(uv_handle_t* handle, uv_close_cb close_cb) {
+void uv_close(uv_handle_t* handle, uv_close_cb close_cb) {
   handle->close_cb = close_cb;
-  return uv_close_error(handle, uv_ok_);
+  uv_close_error(handle, uv_ok_);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/test/test-async.c b/test/test-async.c
index f91d9b45..25898fa4 100644
--- a/test/test-async.c
+++ b/test/test-async.c
@@ -170,8 +170,7 @@ static void prepare_cb(uv_prepare_t* handle, int status) {
 #endif
 
     case 1:
-      r = uv_close((uv_handle_t*)handle, close_cb);
-      ASSERT(r == 0);
+      uv_close((uv_handle_t*)handle, close_cb);
       break;
 
     default:
diff --git a/test/test-callback-stack.c b/test/test-callback-stack.c
index 4162b221..6582010a 100644
--- a/test/test-callback-stack.c
+++ b/test/test-callback-stack.c
@@ -83,9 +83,7 @@ static void read_cb(uv_stream_t* tcp, ssize_t nread, uv_buf_t buf) {
     ASSERT(uv_last_error().code == UV_EOF);
 
     nested++;
-    if (uv_close((uv_handle_t*)tcp, close_cb)) {
-      FATAL("uv_close failed");
-    }
+    uv_close((uv_handle_t*)tcp, close_cb);
     nested--;
 
     return;
@@ -111,8 +109,6 @@ static void read_cb(uv_stream_t* tcp, ssize_t nread, uv_buf_t buf) {
 
 
 static void timer_cb(uv_timer_t* handle, int status) {
-  int r;
-
   ASSERT(handle == &timer);
   ASSERT(status == 0);
   ASSERT(nested == 0 && "timer_cb must be called from a fresh stack");
@@ -127,8 +123,7 @@ static void timer_cb(uv_timer_t* handle, int status) {
 
   timer_cb_called++;
 
-  r = uv_close((uv_handle_t*)handle, close_cb);
-  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  uv_close((uv_handle_t*)handle, close_cb);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/test/test-delayed-accept.c b/test/test-delayed-accept.c
index 30b63b9b..8e3dfc14 100644
--- a/test/test-delayed-accept.c
+++ b/test/test-delayed-accept.c
@@ -71,18 +71,15 @@ static void do_accept(uv_timer_t* timer_handle, int status) {
   do_accept_called++;
 
   /* Immediately close the accepted handle. */
-  r = uv_close((uv_handle_t*)accepted_handle, close_cb);
-  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  uv_close((uv_handle_t*)accepted_handle, close_cb);
 
   /* After accepting the two clients close the server handle */
   if (do_accept_called == 2) {
-    r = uv_close((uv_handle_t*)server, close_cb);
-    ASSERT(r == 0);
+    uv_close((uv_handle_t*)server, close_cb);
   }
 
   /* Dispose the timer. */
-  r = uv_close((uv_handle_t*)timer_handle, close_cb);
-  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  uv_close((uv_handle_t*)timer_handle, close_cb);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/test/test-idle.c b/test/test-idle.c
index 5c226c77..7144e1bb 100644
--- a/test/test-idle.c
+++ b/test/test-idle.c
@@ -37,15 +37,11 @@ static void close_cb(uv_handle_t* handle) {
 
 
 static void timer_cb(uv_timer_t* handle, int status) {
-  int r;
-
   ASSERT(handle == &timer_handle);
   ASSERT(status == 0);
 
-  r = uv_close((uv_handle_t*) &idle_handle, close_cb);
-  ASSERT(r == 0);
-  r = uv_close((uv_handle_t*) &idle_handle, close_cb);
-  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  uv_close((uv_handle_t*) &idle_handle, close_cb);
+  uv_close((uv_handle_t*) &idle_handle, close_cb);
 
   timer_cb_called++;
 }
@@ -83,4 +79,4 @@ TEST_IMPL(idle_starvation) {
   ASSERT(close_cb_called == 2);
 
   return 0;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/test/test-loop-handles.c b/test/test-loop-handles.c
index 7979a74b..2e858c1d 100644
--- a/test/test-loop-handles.c
+++ b/test/test-loop-handles.c
@@ -130,8 +130,6 @@ static void idle_2_close_cb(uv_handle_t* handle) {
 
 
 static void idle_2_cb(uv_idle_t* handle, int status) {
-  int r;
-
   LOG("IDLE_2_CB\n");
 
   ASSERT(handle == &idle_2_handle);
@@ -139,8 +137,7 @@ static void idle_2_cb(uv_idle_t* handle, int status) {
 
   idle_2_cb_called++;
 
-  r = uv_close((uv_handle_t*)handle, idle_2_close_cb);
-  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  uv_close((uv_handle_t*)handle, idle_2_close_cb);
 }
 
 
@@ -230,23 +227,18 @@ static void check_cb(uv_check_t* handle, int status) {
 
   } else {
     /* End of the test - close all handles */
-    r = uv_close((uv_handle_t*)&prepare_1_handle, prepare_1_close_cb);
-    ASSERT(r == 0);
-    r = uv_close((uv_handle_t*)&check_handle, check_close_cb);
-    ASSERT(r == 0);
-    r = uv_close((uv_handle_t*)&prepare_2_handle, prepare_2_close_cb);
-    ASSERT(r == 0);
+    uv_close((uv_handle_t*)&prepare_1_handle, prepare_1_close_cb);
+    uv_close((uv_handle_t*)&check_handle, check_close_cb);
+    uv_close((uv_handle_t*)&prepare_2_handle, prepare_2_close_cb);
 
     for (i = 0; i < IDLE_COUNT; i++) {
-      r = uv_close((uv_handle_t*)&idle_1_handles[i], idle_1_close_cb);
-      ASSERT(r == 0);
+      uv_close((uv_handle_t*)&idle_1_handles[i], idle_1_close_cb);
     }
 
     /* This handle is closed/recreated every time, close it only if it is */
     /* active.*/
     if (idle_2_is_active) {
-      r = uv_close((uv_handle_t*)&idle_2_handle, idle_2_close_cb);
-      ASSERT(r == 0);
+      uv_close((uv_handle_t*)&idle_2_handle, idle_2_close_cb);
     }
   }