diff --git a/e1000d/src/main.rs b/e1000d/src/main.rs
index 755bff8d89..a2e88466e8 100644
--- a/e1000d/src/main.rs
+++ b/e1000d/src/main.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ extern crate syscall;
 use std::cell::RefCell;
 use std::env;
 use std::fs::File;
-use std::io::{Read, Write, Result};
+use std::io::{ErrorKind, Read, Write, Result};
 use std::os::unix::io::{AsRawFd, FromRawFd, RawFd};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ use syscall::{Packet, SchemeBlockMut, PHYSMAP_NO_CACHE, PHYSMAP_WRITE};
 
 pub mod device;
 
-fn handle_update(socket: &mut File, device: &mut device::Intel8254x, todo: &mut Vec<Packet>) -> Result<()> {
+fn handle_update(socket: &mut File, device: &mut device::Intel8254x, todo: &mut Vec<Packet>) -> Result<bool> {
     // Handle any blocked packets
     let mut i = 0;
     while i < todo.len() {
@@ -33,8 +33,14 @@ fn handle_update(socket: &mut File, device: &mut device::Intel8254x, todo: &mut
     // Check that the socket is empty
     loop {
         let mut packet = Packet::default();
-        if socket.read(&mut packet)? == 0 {
-            break;
+        match socket.read(&mut packet) {
+            Ok(0) => return Ok(true),
+            Ok(_) => (),
+            Err(err) => if err.kind() == ErrorKind::WouldBlock {
+                break;
+            } else {
+                return Err(err);
+            }
         }
 
         if let Some(a) = device.handle(&packet) {
@@ -45,7 +51,7 @@ fn handle_update(socket: &mut File, device: &mut device::Intel8254x, todo: &mut
         }
     }
 
-    Ok(())
+    Ok(false)
 }
 
 fn main() {
@@ -88,7 +94,9 @@ fn main() {
                 if unsafe { device_irq.borrow().irq() } {
                     irq_file.write(&mut irq)?;
 
-                    handle_update(&mut socket_irq.borrow_mut(), &mut device_irq.borrow_mut(), &mut todo_irq.borrow_mut())?;
+                    if handle_update(&mut socket_irq.borrow_mut(), &mut device_irq.borrow_mut(), &mut todo_irq.borrow_mut())? {
+                        return Ok(Some(0))
+                    }
 
                     let next_read = device_irq.borrow().next_read();
                     if next_read > 0 {
@@ -101,7 +109,9 @@ fn main() {
             let device_packet = device.clone();
             let socket_packet = socket.clone();
             event_queue.add(socket_fd as RawFd, move |_event| -> Result<Option<usize>> {
-                handle_update(&mut socket_packet.borrow_mut(), &mut device_packet.borrow_mut(), &mut todo.borrow_mut());
+                if handle_update(&mut socket_packet.borrow_mut(), &mut device_packet.borrow_mut(), &mut todo.borrow_mut())? {
+                    return Ok(Some(0));
+                }
 
                 let next_read = device_packet.borrow().next_read();
                 if next_read > 0 {
@@ -135,6 +145,9 @@ fn main() {
 
             loop {
                 let event_count = event_queue.run().expect("e1000d: failed to handle events");
+                if event_count == 0 {
+                    break;
+                }
                 send_events(event_count);
             }
         }