diff --git a/lib/net.js b/lib/net.js
index facb975ff0..e78bb1e150 100644
--- a/lib/net.js
+++ b/lib/net.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 var util = require('util');
 var events = require('events');
 var stream = require('stream');
+var timers = require('timers');;
 
 var kMinPoolSpace = 128;
 var kPoolSize = 40 * 1024;
@@ -420,7 +421,7 @@ Socket.prototype._writeOut = function(data, encoding, fd, cb) {
   debug('wrote ' + bytesWritten + ' to socket. [fd, off, len] = ' +
         JSON.stringify([this.fd, off, len]) + '\n');
 
-  require('timers').active(this);
+  timers.active(this);
 
   if (bytesWritten == len) {
     // awesome. sent to buffer.
@@ -498,6 +499,8 @@ Socket.prototype.setEncoding = function(encoding) {
 
 
 function doConnect(socket, port, host) {
+  timers.active(socket);
+
   try {
     connect(socket.fd, port, host);
   } catch (e) {
@@ -601,7 +604,7 @@ Socket.prototype._onReadable = function() {
     if (self.onend) self.onend();
   } else if (bytesRead > 0) {
 
-    require('timers').active(self);
+    timers.active(self);
 
     var start = pool.used;
     var end = pool.used + bytesRead;
@@ -635,7 +638,7 @@ Socket.prototype.connect = function() {
   if (self.fd) throw new Error('Socket already opened');
   if (!self._readWatcher) throw new Error('No readWatcher');
 
-  require('timers').active(socket);
+  timers.active(this);
 
   self._connecting = true; // set false in doConnect
   self.writable = true;
@@ -659,6 +662,7 @@ Socket.prototype.connect = function() {
       if (err) {
         self.emit('error', err);
       } else {
+        timers.active(self);
         self.type = addressType == 4 ? 'tcp4' : 'tcp6';
         self.fd = socket(self.type);
         doConnect(self, port, ip);
@@ -688,10 +692,10 @@ Socket.prototype.setKeepAlive = function(enable, time) {
 
 Socket.prototype.setTimeout = function(msecs) {
   if (msecs > 0) {
-    require('timers').enroll(this, msecs);
-    if (this.fd) { require('timers').active(this); }
+    timers.enroll(this, msecs);
+    if (this.fd) { timers.active(this); }
   } else if (msecs === 0) {
-    require('timers').unenroll(this);
+    timers.unenroll(this);
   }
 };
 
@@ -742,7 +746,7 @@ Socket.prototype.destroy = function(exception) {
     this._readWatcher = null;
   }
 
-  require('timers').unenroll(this);
+  timers.unenroll(this);
 
   if (this.server) {
     this.server.connections--;
diff --git a/test/simple/test-net-connect-timeout.js b/test/simple/test-net-connect-timeout.js
index cd0cc47ee1..59d7cfa55c 100644
--- a/test/simple/test-net-connect-timeout.js
+++ b/test/simple/test-net-connect-timeout.js
@@ -1,37 +1,73 @@
 // This example attempts to time out before the connection is established
 // https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/nodejs/UE0ZbfLt6t8
 // https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/nodejs-dev/jR7-5UDqXkw
+//
+// TODO: how to do this without relying on the responses of specific sites?
 
 var common = require('../common');
 var net = require('net');
 var assert = require('assert');
 
 var start = new Date();
-var gotTimeout = false;
-var gotConnect = false;
+
+var gotTimeout0 = false;
+var gotTimeout1 = false;
+
+var gotConnect0 = false;
+var gotConnect1 = false;
+
 var T = 100;
 
-var socket = net.createConnection(9999, '23.23.23.23');
 
-socket.setTimeout(T);
+// With DNS
+
+var socket0 = net.createConnection(9999, 'google.com');
+
+socket0.setTimeout(T);
+
+socket0.on('timeout', function() {
+  console.error("timeout");
+  gotTimeout0 = true;
+  var now = new Date();
+  assert.ok(now - start < T + 500);
+  socket0.end();
+});
+
+socket0.on('connect', function() {
+  console.error("connect");
+  gotConnect0 = true;
+  socket0.end();
+});
+
+
+// Without DNS
 
+var socket1 = net.createConnection(9999, '24.24.24.24');
 
-socket.on('timeout', function() {
+socket1.setTimeout(T);
+
+socket1.on('timeout', function() {
   console.error("timeout");
-  gotTimeout = true;
+  gotTimeout1 = true;
   var now = new Date();
   assert.ok(now - start < T + 500);
-  socket.end();
+  socket1.end();
 });
 
-socket.on('connect', function() {
+socket1.on('connect', function() {
   console.error("connect");
-  gotConnect = true;
-  socket.end();
+  gotConnect1 = true;
+  socket1.end();
 });
 
 
+
+
+
 process.on('exit', function() {
-  assert.ok(gotTimeout);
-  assert.ok(!gotConnect);
+  assert.ok(gotTimeout0);
+  assert.ok(!gotConnect0);
+
+  assert.ok(gotTimeout1);
+  assert.ok(!gotConnect1);
 });