diff --git a/lib/net.js b/lib/net.js
index 8bdece435f..fc07465143 100644
--- a/lib/net.js
+++ b/lib/net.js
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@ var sys = require("sys");
 var fs = require("fs");
 var events = require("events");
 
-var debugLevel = 0;
-if ('NODE_DEBUG' in process.ENV) debugLevel = 1;
+var debugLevel = process.env['NODE_DEBUG'] ? 1 : 0;
 function debug () {
   if (debugLevel > 0) sys.error.apply(this, arguments);
 }
@@ -102,7 +101,7 @@ var timeout = new (function () {
   // the main function - creates lists on demand and the watchers associated
   // with them.
   function insert (socket, msecs) {
-    socket._idleStart = process.now;
+    socket._idleStart = new Date();
     socket._idleTimeout = msecs;
 
     if (!msecs) return;
@@ -122,13 +121,14 @@ var timeout = new (function () {
         debug('timeout callback ' + msecs);
         // TODO - don't stop and start the watcher all the time.
         // just set its repeat
-        var now = process.now;
+        var now = new Date();
+        debug("now: " + now);
         var first;
         while (first = peek(list)) {
           var diff = now - first._idleStart;
           if (diff < msecs) {
             list.again(msecs - diff);
-            debug(msecs + ' list wait');
+            debug(msecs + ' list wait because diff is '  + diff);
             return;
           } else {
             remove(first);
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ var timeout = new (function () {
         insert(socket, msecs);
       } else {
         // inline append
-        socket._idleStart = process.now;
+        socket._idleStart = new Date();
         socket._idleNext._idlePrev = socket._idlePrev;
         socket._idlePrev._idleNext = socket._idleNext;
         socket._idleNext = list._idleNext;
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ function initStream (self) {
       allocNewPool();
     }
 
-    //debug('pool.used ' + pool.used);
+    debug('pool.used ' + pool.used);
     var bytesRead;
 
     try {
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ function initStream (self) {
       return;
     }
 
-    //debug('bytesRead ' + bytesRead + '\n');
+    debug('bytesRead ' + bytesRead + '\n');
 
     if (bytesRead == 0) {
       self.readable = false;
@@ -449,12 +449,12 @@ Stream.prototype._writeString = function (data, encoding) {
   buffer.used += bytesWritten;
   self._writeQueueSize += bytesWritten;
 
-  //debug('charsWritten ' + charsWritten);
-  //debug('buffer.used ' + buffer.used);
+  debug('charsWritten ' + charsWritten);
+  debug('buffer.used ' + buffer.used);
 
   // If we didn't finish, then recurse with the rest of the string.
   if (charsWritten < data.length) {
-    //debug('recursive write');
+    debug('recursive write');
     self._writeString(data.slice(charsWritten), encoding);
   }
 };
@@ -499,8 +499,6 @@ Stream.prototype.write = function (data, encoding) {
       encoding = (encoding || 'utf8').toLowerCase();
       var bytes = Buffer.byteLength(data, encoding);
 
-      //debug('write string :' + JSON.stringify(data));
-
       if (!pool) allocNewPool();
 
       if (pool.length - pool.used < bytes) {
@@ -620,7 +618,6 @@ Stream.prototype.flush = function () {
 
     timeout.active(self);
 
-
     if (bytesWritten === null) {
       // EAGAIN
       debug('write EAGAIN');
diff --git a/src/node.cc b/src/node.cc
index 3fbc8e29de..452c111b11 100644
--- a/src/node.cc
+++ b/src/node.cc
@@ -539,13 +539,6 @@ static Handle<Value> SetUid(const Arguments& args) {
   return Undefined();
 }
 
-Handle<Value>
-NowGetter (Local<String> property, const AccessorInfo& info)
-{
-  HandleScope scope;
-  return scope.Close(Integer::New(ev_now(EV_DEFAULT_UC)));
-}
-
 
 v8::Handle<v8::Value> Exit(const v8::Arguments& args) {
   HandleScope scope;
@@ -1234,8 +1227,6 @@ static void Load(int argc, char *argv[]) {
   Local<FunctionTemplate> process_template = FunctionTemplate::New();
   node::EventEmitter::Initialize(process_template);
 
-  process_template->InstanceTemplate()->SetAccessor(String::NewSymbol("now"), NowGetter, NULL);
-
   process = Persistent<Object>::New(process_template->GetFunction()->NewInstance());
 
   // Add a reference to the global object
diff --git a/test/pummel/test-tcp-timeout.js b/test/pummel/test-tcp-timeout.js
index 3f7b8f3157..fe82ab3d3f 100644
--- a/test/pummel/test-tcp-timeout.js
+++ b/test/pummel/test-tcp-timeout.js
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ var echo_server = net.createServer(function (socket) {
     puts("server timeout");
     timeouttime = new Date;
     p(timeouttime);
-    socket.forceClose();
   });
 
   socket.addListener("data", function (d) {
@@ -62,19 +61,20 @@ client.addListener("end", function () {
   client.close();
 });
 
-client.addListener("close", function (had_error) {
+client.addListener("close", function () {
   puts("client disconnect");
   echo_server.close();
-  assert.equal(false, had_error);
 });
 
 process.addListener("exit", function () {
-  assert.equal(true, starttime != null);
-  assert.equal(true, timeouttime != null);
+  assert.ok(starttime != null);
+  assert.ok(timeouttime != null);
 
   diff = timeouttime - starttime;
   puts("diff = " + diff);
-  assert.equal(true, timeout < diff);
+
+  assert.ok(timeout < diff);
+
   // Allow for 800 milliseconds more
-  assert.equal(true, diff < timeout + 800);
+  assert.ok(diff < timeout + 800);
 });