diff --git a/lib/events.js b/lib/events.js
index 9eaa36ba68..bee1c6132f 100644
--- a/lib/events.js
+++ b/lib/events.js
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ EventEmitter.prototype.emit = function(type) {
   if (this.domain && this !== process)
     this.domain.enter();
 
-  if (typeof handler == 'function') {
+  if (typeof handler === 'function') {
     switch (arguments.length) {
       // fast cases
       case 1:
@@ -267,11 +267,14 @@ EventEmitter.prototype.removeAllListeners = function(type) {
 };
 
 EventEmitter.prototype.listeners = function(type) {
+  var ret;
   if (!this._events || !this._events[type])
-    return [];
-  if (typeof this._events[type] === 'function')
-    return [this._events[type]];
-  return this._events[type].slice();
+    ret = [];
+  else if (typeof this._events[type] === 'function')
+    ret = [this._events[type]];
+  else
+    ret = this._events[type].slice();
+  return ret;
 };
 
 EventEmitter.listenerCount = function(emitter, type) {