diff --git a/deps/evcom/evcom.c b/deps/evcom/evcom.c
index febed43a38..629864d58f 100644
--- a/deps/evcom/evcom.c
+++ b/deps/evcom/evcom.c
@@ -226,7 +226,10 @@ stream_send__close_one (evcom_stream *stream)
   /* TODO recover from EINTR */
 
   stream__set_send_closed(stream);
-  if (DUPLEX(stream)) stream__set_recv_closed(stream);
+
+  if (DUPLEX(stream) || stream->recv_action == stream_recv__wait_for_close) {
+    stream__set_recv_closed(stream);
+  }
 
   return OKAY;
 }
@@ -253,8 +256,11 @@ stream__close_both (evcom_stream *stream)
 static int
 stream_send__close (evcom_stream *stream)
 {
-  stream->send_action = DUPLEX(stream) ?
-      stream_send__close_one : stream__close_both;
+  if (DUPLEX(stream) || stream->recvfd < 0) {
+    stream->send_action = stream_send__close_one;
+  } else {
+    stream->send_action = stream__close_both;
+  }
   return OKAY;
 }
 
@@ -268,7 +274,10 @@ stream_recv__close_one (evcom_stream *stream)
   /* TODO recover from EINTR */
 
   stream__set_recv_closed(stream);
-  if (DUPLEX(stream)) stream__set_send_closed(stream);
+
+  if (DUPLEX(stream)) {
+    stream__set_send_closed(stream);
+  }
 
   return OKAY;
 }
@@ -276,8 +285,11 @@ stream_recv__close_one (evcom_stream *stream)
 static int
 stream_recv__close (evcom_stream *stream)
 {
-  stream->recv_action = DUPLEX(stream) ?
-      stream_recv__close_one : stream__close_both;
+  if (DUPLEX(stream) || stream->sendfd < 0) {
+    stream->recv_action = stream_recv__close_one;
+  } else {
+    stream->recv_action = stream__close_both;
+  }
   return OKAY;
 }
 
@@ -526,13 +538,13 @@ stream_recv__data (evcom_stream *stream)
     if (recved == 0) {
       stream->flags &= ~EVCOM_READABLE;
       ev_io_stop(D_LOOP_(stream) &stream->read_watcher);
+      stream->recv_action = stream_recv__wait_for_close;
     }
 
     /* NOTE: EOF is signaled with recved == 0 on callback */
     if (stream->on_read) stream->on_read(stream, buf, recved);
 
     if (recved == 0) {
-      stream->recv_action = stream_recv__wait_for_close;
       return OKAY;
     }
   }
@@ -682,7 +694,7 @@ stream_send__wait_for_connection (evcom_stream *stream)
   return OKAY;
 }
 
-static void
+void
 evcom_stream_assign_fds (evcom_stream *stream, int recvfd, int sendfd)
 {
   assert(recvfd >= 0);
@@ -690,6 +702,14 @@ evcom_stream_assign_fds (evcom_stream *stream, int recvfd, int sendfd)
 
   if (recvfd == sendfd) stream->flags |= EVCOM_DUPLEX;
 
+  if (set_nonblock(recvfd) != 0) {
+    evcom_perror("set_nonblock(recvfd)", errno);
+  }
+
+  if (set_nonblock(sendfd) != 0) {
+    evcom_perror("set_nonblock(sendfd)", errno);
+  }
+
 #ifdef SO_NOSIGPIPE
   if (DUPLEX(stream)) {
     int flags = 1;
@@ -736,7 +756,9 @@ accept_connection (evcom_server *server)
   if (fd < 0) {
     switch (errno) {
       case EMFILE:
+      case ENFILE:
         too_many_connections = 1;
+        server->flags |= EVCOM_TOO_MANY_CONN;
         evcom_server_detach(server);
         return NULL;
 
@@ -992,10 +1014,11 @@ stream_event (EV_P_ ev_io *w, int revents)
   if (stream->sendfd < 0 && stream->recvfd < 0) {
     ev_timer_stop(EV_A_ &stream->timeout_watcher);
 
-    if (too_many_connections && stream->server) {
+    if (stream->server && (stream->server->flags & EVCOM_TOO_MANY_CONN)) {
 #if EV_MULTIPLICITY
       struct ev_loop *loop = stream->server->loop;
 #endif
+      stream->server->flags &= ~EVCOM_TOO_MANY_CONN;
       evcom_server_attach(EV_A_ stream->server);
     }
     too_many_connections = 0;
@@ -1049,19 +1072,24 @@ void
 evcom_stream_close (evcom_stream *stream)
 {
   stream->flags |= EVCOM_GOT_CLOSE;
-  if (WRITABLE(stream)) {
-    ev_io_start(D_LOOP_(stream) &stream->write_watcher);
+  if (ATTACHED(stream)) {
+    // start the watchers if attached.
+    evcom_stream_attach(D_LOOP_(stream) stream); 
   }
 }
 
 void evcom_stream_force_close (evcom_stream *stream)
 {
-  close(stream->recvfd);
-  /* XXX What to do on EINTR? */
-  stream__set_recv_closed(stream);
+  if (stream->recvfd >= 0) {
+    close(stream->recvfd);
+    /* XXX What to do on EINTR? */
+    stream__set_recv_closed(stream);
+  }
 
-  if (!DUPLEX(stream)) close(stream->sendfd);
-  stream__set_send_closed(stream);
+  if (!DUPLEX(stream) && stream->sendfd >= 0) {
+    close(stream->sendfd);
+    stream__set_send_closed(stream);
+  }
 
   evcom_stream_detach(stream);
 }
diff --git a/deps/evcom/evcom.h b/deps/evcom/evcom.h
index 1bbfd03f15..fae9244747 100644
--- a/deps/evcom/evcom.h
+++ b/deps/evcom/evcom.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #define EVCOM_PAUSED            0x0040
 #define EVCOM_READABLE          0x0080
 #define EVCOM_WRITABLE          0x0100
+#define EVCOM_TOO_MANY_CONN     0x0200
 
 enum evcom_stream_state { EVCOM_INITIALIZED
                         , EVCOM_CONNECTING
@@ -181,6 +182,7 @@ void evcom_stream_init          (evcom_stream *, float timeout);
 
  int evcom_stream_pair          (evcom_stream *a, evcom_stream *b);
  int evcom_stream_connect       (evcom_stream *, struct sockaddr *address);
+void evcom_stream_assign_fds    (evcom_stream *, int recvfd, int sendfd);
 
 void evcom_stream_attach        (EV_P_ evcom_stream *);
 void evcom_stream_detach        (evcom_stream *);
diff --git a/deps/evcom/test/test.c b/deps/evcom/test/test.c
index 6b4b765fa0..7aadebeebc 100644
--- a/deps/evcom/test/test.c
+++ b/deps/evcom/test/test.c
@@ -218,9 +218,6 @@ pingpong (struct sockaddr *address)
   nconnections = 0;
   got_server_close = 0;
 
-  printf("sizeof(evcom_server): %d\n", (int)sizeof(evcom_server));
-  printf("sizeof(evcom_stream): %d\n", (int)sizeof(evcom_stream));
-
   evcom_server_init(&server);
   server.on_connection = pingpong_on_server_connection;
   server.on_close = common_on_server_close;
@@ -549,7 +546,7 @@ void b_read (evcom_stream *stream, const void *buf, size_t len)
 }
 
 int
-pair_pingpong ()
+pair_pingpong (int use_pipe)
 {
   a_got_close = 0;
   a_got_connect = 0;
@@ -573,8 +570,18 @@ pair_pingpong ()
   if (use_tls) anon_tls_server(&b);
 #endif
 
-  int r = evcom_stream_pair(&a, &b);
-  assert(r == 0);
+  if (use_pipe) {
+    int pipeA[2], pipeB[2];
+    assert(0 == pipe(pipeA));
+    assert(0 == pipe(pipeB));
+
+    evcom_stream_assign_fds(&a, pipeA[0], pipeB[1]);
+    evcom_stream_assign_fds(&b, pipeB[0], pipeA[1]);
+
+  } else {
+    int r = evcom_stream_pair(&a, &b);
+    assert(r == 0);
+  }
 
   evcom_stream_attach(EV_DEFAULT_ &a);
   evcom_stream_attach(EV_DEFAULT_ &b);
@@ -764,6 +771,11 @@ free_unix_address (struct sockaddr *address)
 int
 main (void)
 {
+  fprintf(stderr, "sizeof(evcom_server): %d\n", (int)sizeof(evcom_server));
+  fprintf(stderr, "sizeof(evcom_stream): %d\n", (int)sizeof(evcom_stream));
+  fprintf(stderr, "sizeof(evcom_reader): %d\n", (int)sizeof(evcom_reader));
+  fprintf(stderr, "sizeof(evcom_writer): %d\n", (int)sizeof(evcom_writer));
+
 #if EVCOM_HAVE_GNUTLS
   gnutls_global_init();
 
@@ -785,6 +797,14 @@ main (void)
 
   use_tls = 0;
 
+  fprintf(stderr, "pair_pingpong use_pipe=1: ");
+  assert(pair_pingpong(1) == 0);
+  fprintf(stderr, "\n");
+
+  fprintf(stderr, "pair_pingpong use_pipe=0: ");
+  assert(pair_pingpong(0) == 0);
+  fprintf(stderr, "\n");
+
   fprintf(stderr, "zero_stream tcp: ");
   assert(zero_stream((struct sockaddr*)&tcp_address, 5*1024*1024) == 0);
   fprintf(stderr, "\n");
@@ -793,10 +813,6 @@ main (void)
   assert(pipe_stream() == 0);
   fprintf(stderr, "\n");
 
-  fprintf(stderr, "pair_pingpong: ");
-  assert(pair_pingpong() == 0);
-  fprintf(stderr, "\n");
-
   fprintf(stderr, "pingpong tcp: ");
   assert(pingpong((struct sockaddr*)&tcp_address) == 0);
   fprintf(stderr, "\n");
@@ -812,8 +828,12 @@ main (void)
   assert(zero_stream((struct sockaddr*)&tcp_address, 50*1024) == 0);
   fprintf(stderr, "\n");
 
-  fprintf(stderr, "pair_pingpong ssl: ");
-  assert(pair_pingpong() == 0);
+  fprintf(stderr, "pair_pingpong ssl use_pipe=1: ");
+  assert(pair_pingpong(1) == 0);
+  fprintf(stderr, "\n");
+
+  fprintf(stderr, "pair_pingpong ssl use_pipe=0: ");
+  assert(pair_pingpong(0) == 0);
   fprintf(stderr, "\n");
 
   fprintf(stderr, "pingpong ssl: ");