diff --git a/lib/cluster.js b/lib/cluster.js
index 1f9536de29..4e9ce2a8d3 100644
--- a/lib/cluster.js
+++ b/lib/cluster.js
@@ -310,9 +310,14 @@ function masterInit() {
   };
 
   cluster.disconnect = function(cb) {
-    for (var key in cluster.workers) {
-      var worker = cluster.workers[key];
-      worker.disconnect();
+    var workers = Object.keys(cluster.workers);
+    if (workers.length === 0) {
+      process.nextTick(intercom.emit.bind(intercom, 'disconnect'));
+    } else {
+      for (var key in workers) {
+        key = workers[key];
+        cluster.workers[key].disconnect();
+      }
     }
     if (cb) intercom.once('disconnect', cb);
   };
diff --git a/test/simple/test-cluster-disconnect-with-no-workers.js b/test/simple/test-cluster-disconnect-with-no-workers.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b05be777e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/simple/test-cluster-disconnect-with-no-workers.js
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+// Copyright Joyent, Inc. and other Node contributors.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+// copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+// "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+// without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+// distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit
+// persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the
+// following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+// in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+// OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+// MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN
+// NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
+// DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR
+// OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE
+// USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+var assert = require('assert');
+var cluster = require('cluster');
+
+var disconnected;
+
+process.on('exit', function() {
+  assert(disconnected);
+});
+
+cluster.disconnect(function() {
+  disconnected = true;
+});