diff --git a/src/uvw/work.cpp b/src/uvw/work.cpp
index be95385a..2a27f467 100644
--- a/src/uvw/work.cpp
+++ b/src/uvw/work.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ UVW_INLINE void work_req::work_callback(uv_work_t *req) {
     static_cast<work_req *>(req->data)->func();
 }
 
-UVW_INLINE void work_req::after_work_callback(uv_work_t *req, int status) {
+UVW_INLINE void work_req::after_work_callback(uv_work_t* req, int status) {
     if(auto ptr = reserve(req); status) {
         ptr->publish(error_event{status});
     } else {
@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@ UVW_INLINE void work_req::after_work_callback(uv_work_t *req, int status) {
 }
 
 UVW_INLINE void work_req::queue() {
-    // uv_queue_work only returns an error if the callback is null which is not the case here
-    this->leak_if(uv_queue_work(parent().raw(), raw(), &work_callback, &after_work_callback));
+    if(auto err = this->leak_if(uv_queue_work(parent().raw(), raw(), &work_callback, &after_work_callback)); err != 0) {
+        publish(error_event{err});
+    }
 }
 
 } // namespace uvw