diff --git a/src/unix/stream.c b/src/unix/stream.c
index 2e5bde01..3cdeaa8c 100644
--- a/src/unix/stream.c
+++ b/src/unix/stream.c
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ void uv__stream_init(uv_loop_t* loop,
   stream->accepted_fd = -1;
   stream->fd = -1;
   stream->delayed_error = 0;
+  stream->blocking = 0;
   ngx_queue_init(&stream->write_queue);
   ngx_queue_init(&stream->write_completed_queue);
   stream->write_queue_size = 0;
@@ -340,9 +341,9 @@ static void uv__write(uv_stream_t* stream) {
   int iovcnt;
   ssize_t n;
 
-  assert(stream->fd >= 0);
+start:
 
-  /* TODO: should probably while(1) here until EAGAIN */
+  assert(stream->fd >= 0);
 
   /* Get the request at the head of the queue. */
   req = uv_write_queue_head(stream);
@@ -353,14 +354,16 @@ static void uv__write(uv_stream_t* stream) {
 
   assert(req->handle == stream);
 
-  /* Cast to iovec. We had to have our own uv_buf_t instead of iovec
+  /*
+   * Cast to iovec. We had to have our own uv_buf_t instead of iovec
    * because Windows's WSABUF is not an iovec.
    */
   assert(sizeof(uv_buf_t) == sizeof(struct iovec));
   iov = (struct iovec*) &(req->bufs[req->write_index]);
   iovcnt = req->bufcnt - req->write_index;
 
-  /* Now do the actual writev. Note that we've been updating the pointers
+  /*
+   * Now do the actual writev. Note that we've been updating the pointers
    * inside the iov each time we write. So there is no need to offset it.
    */
 
@@ -409,6 +412,9 @@ static void uv__write(uv_stream_t* stream) {
       stream->write_queue_size -= uv__write_req_size(req);
       uv__write_req_finish(req);
       return;
+    } else if (stream->blocking) {
+      /* If this is a blocking stream, try again. */
+      goto start;
     }
   } else {
     /* Successful write */
@@ -426,8 +432,17 @@ static void uv__write(uv_stream_t* stream) {
         stream->write_queue_size -= n;
         n = 0;
 
-        /* There is more to write. Break and ensure the watcher is pending. */
-        break;
+        /* There is more to write. */
+        if (stream->blocking) {
+          /*
+           * If we're blocking then we should not be enabling the write
+           * watcher - instead we need to try again.
+           */
+          goto start;
+        } else {
+          /* Break loop and ensure the watcher is pending. */
+          break;
+        }
 
       } else {
         /* Finished writing the buf at index req->write_index. */
@@ -453,6 +468,9 @@ static void uv__write(uv_stream_t* stream) {
   /* Either we've counted n down to zero or we've got EAGAIN. */
   assert(n == 0 || n == -1);
 
+  /* Only non-blocking streams should use the write_watcher. */
+  assert(!stream->blocking);
+
   /* We're not done. */
   ev_io_start(stream->loop->ev, &stream->write_watcher);
 }
@@ -862,6 +880,13 @@ int uv_write2(uv_write_t* req, uv_stream_t* stream, uv_buf_t bufs[], int bufcnt,
   if (empty_queue) {
     uv__write(stream);
   } else {
+    /*
+     * blocking streams should never have anything in the queue.
+     * if this assert fires then somehow the blocking stream isn't being
+     * sufficently flushed in uv__write.
+     */
+    assert(!stream->blocking);
+
     ev_io_start(stream->loop->ev, &stream->write_watcher);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/unix/tty.c b/src/unix/tty.c
index 32ac2c71..de77f5c4 100644
--- a/src/unix/tty.c
+++ b/src/unix/tty.c
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ int uv_tty_init(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_tty_t* tty, int fd, int readable) {
     uv__stream_open((uv_stream_t*)tty, fd, UV_READABLE);
   } else {
     /* Note: writable tty we set to blocking mode. */
-    uv__nonblock(fd, 0);
     uv__stream_open((uv_stream_t*)tty, fd, UV_WRITABLE);
     tty->blocking = 1;
   }