diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 581c21826a..89ba8177f9 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ test_run_tests_SOURCES = test/blackhole-server.c \
                          test/test-thread.c \
                          test/test-threadpool-cancel.c \
                          test/test-threadpool.c \
+			 test/test-threadpool-fork.c \
                          test/test-timer-again.c \
                          test/test-timer-from-check.c \
                          test/test-timer.c \
diff --git a/src/unix/threadpool.c b/src/unix/threadpool.c
index 7923250a09..dc31678f69 100644
--- a/src/unix/threadpool.c
+++ b/src/unix/threadpool.c
@@ -34,12 +34,17 @@ static QUEUE exit_message;
 static QUEUE wq;
 static volatile int initialized;
 
+static uv_barrier_t fork_barrier;
+static uv_mutex_t fork_lock;
+static int do_fork_guard;
+
+static void fork_guard(void);
+static void init_fork_protection(int);
 
 static void uv__cancelled(struct uv__work* w) {
   abort();
 }
 
-
 /* To avoid deadlock with uv_cancel() it's crucial that the worker
  * never holds the global mutex and the loop-local mutex at the same time.
  */
@@ -50,6 +55,10 @@ static void worker(void* arg) {
   (void) arg;
 
   for (;;) {
+    if (do_fork_guard) {
+      fork_guard();
+    }
+
     uv_mutex_lock(&mutex);
 
     while (QUEUE_EMPTY(&wq))
@@ -82,6 +91,84 @@ static void worker(void* arg) {
   }
 }
 
+static void fork_guard(void) {
+  // give all the worker threads time to get to the same place
+  uv_barrier_wait(&fork_barrier);
+
+  // wait for the fork to occur
+  uv_mutex_lock(&fork_lock);
+  // since we were just waiting for the fork now release the resource and go
+  uv_mutex_unlock(&fork_lock);
+}
+
+static void seed_work_cb(uv_work_t *data) {
+}
+
+static void after_work_cb(uv_work_t *data, int status) {
+  free(data);
+}
+
+static void prepare_fork(void) {
+  assert(1 == initialized);
+  assert(0 == do_fork_guard);
+
+  // tell the threads to start getting ready to fork
+  do_fork_guard = 1;
+
+  if (QUEUE_EMPTY(&wq)) {
+    // seed nthreads jobs to spin up threads
+    int i = 0;
+    for(; i < nthreads; ++i) {
+      uv_work_t *req = malloc(sizeof(uv_work_t));
+      uv_queue_work(uv_default_loop(), req, &seed_work_cb, &after_work_cb);
+    }
+  }
+  // lock now so when the barrier hits we know the threads will halt
+  uv_mutex_lock(&fork_lock);
+  // wait for the threads to get here
+  uv_barrier_wait(&fork_barrier);
+}
+
+static void parent_process(void) {
+  assert(1 == initialized);
+  assert(1 == do_fork_guard);
+
+  // the parent threads can go and do what they want to do
+  do_fork_guard = 0;
+  // let them move on with life
+  uv_mutex_unlock(&fork_lock);
+}
+
+static void child_process(void) {
+  assert(1 == initialized);
+  assert(1 == do_fork_guard);
+
+  // set the guard to 0 so the newly spun up threads don't wait in the barrier
+  // and deadlock
+  do_fork_guard = 0;
+  uv_mutex_unlock(&fork_lock);
+
+  // our state will say we're initialized, so let's make it a reality for the
+  // child
+  int i;
+  for (i = 0; i < nthreads; i++) {
+    if (uv_thread_create(threads + i, worker, NULL)) {
+      abort();
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+void init_fork_protection(int num_threads) {
+  do_fork_guard = 0;
+  // init the fork to num_threads, plus the main thread
+  if (uv_barrier_init(&fork_barrier, num_threads + 1))
+    abort();
+  if (uv_mutex_init(&fork_lock))
+    abort();
+  // register the fork functions
+  if (pthread_atfork(&prepare_fork, &parent_process, &child_process))
+    abort();
+}
 
 static void post(QUEUE* q) {
   uv_mutex_lock(&mutex);
@@ -121,6 +208,8 @@ static void init_once(void) {
 
   QUEUE_INIT(&wq);
 
+  init_fork_protection(nthreads);
+
   for (i = 0; i < nthreads; i++)
     if (uv_thread_create(threads + i, worker, NULL))
       abort();
diff --git a/test/test-list.h b/test/test-list.h
index a6e692f631..60c0a1f78d 100644
--- a/test/test-list.h
+++ b/test/test-list.h
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ TEST_DECLARE   (threadpool_cancel_getaddrinfo)
 TEST_DECLARE   (threadpool_cancel_work)
 TEST_DECLARE   (threadpool_cancel_fs)
 TEST_DECLARE   (threadpool_cancel_single)
+TEST_DECLARE   (threadpool_queue_work_after_fork)
 TEST_DECLARE   (thread_local_storage)
 TEST_DECLARE   (thread_mutex)
 TEST_DECLARE   (thread_rwlock)
diff --git a/test/test-threadpool-fork.c b/test/test-threadpool-fork.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..77e70e9304
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test-threadpool-fork.c
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+/* Copyright Joyent, Inc. and other Node contributors. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * 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.
+ */
+
+#include "uv.h"
+#include "task.h"
+
+static int work_cb_count;
+static int after_work_cb_count;
+static uv_work_t work_req;
+static char data;
+
+
+static void work_cb(uv_work_t* req) {
+  ASSERT(req == &work_req);
+  ASSERT(req->data == &data);
+  work_cb_count++;
+}
+
+
+static void after_work_cb(uv_work_t* req, int status) {
+  ASSERT(status == 0);
+  ASSERT(req == &work_req);
+  ASSERT(req->data == &data);
+  after_work_cb_count++;
+}
+
+
+TEST_IMPL(threadpool_queue_work_after_fork) {
+  int r;
+
+  work_req.data = &data;
+  r = uv_queue_work(uv_default_loop(), &work_req, work_cb, after_work_cb);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  uv_run(uv_default_loop(), UV_RUN_DEFAULT);
+
+  ASSERT(work_cb_count == 1);
+  ASSERT(after_work_cb_count == 1);
+
+  pid_t p = fork();
+  
+  // both sides should be able to run jobs
+  r = uv_queue_work(uv_default_loop(), &work_req, work_cb, after_work_cb);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  uv_run(uv_default_loop(), UV_RUN_DEFAULT);
+
+  ASSERT(work_cb_count == 2);
+  ASSERT(after_work_cb_count == 2);
+
+  MAKE_VALGRIND_HAPPY();
+  return 0;
+}