diff --git a/lib/timers.js b/lib/timers.js
index d0ec0c8d9da..a1a994c3ea7 100644
--- a/lib/timers.js
+++ b/lib/timers.js
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ function insert(item, msecs) {
     };
   }
 
-  if (list._idleNext === list) {
+  if (isEmpty(list)) {
     // if empty (re)start the timer
     list.again(msecs);
   }
@@ -142,16 +142,14 @@ function insert(item, msecs) {
 
 
 var unenroll = exports.unenroll = function(item) {
-  if (item._idleNext) {
-    remove(item);
+  remove(item);
 
-    var list = lists[item._idleTimeout];
-    // if empty then stop the watcher
-    debug('unenroll');
-    if (list && isEmpty(list)) {
-      debug('unenroll: list empty');
-      list.stop();
-    }
+  var list = lists[item._idleTimeout];
+  // if empty then stop the watcher
+  debug('unenroll');
+  if (list && isEmpty(list)) {
+    debug('unenroll: list empty');
+    list.stop();
   }
 };
 
@@ -166,6 +164,7 @@ exports.enroll = function(item, msecs) {
   init(item);
 };
 
+
 // call this whenever the item is active (not idle)
 // it will reset its timeout.
 exports.active = function(item) {
diff --git a/test/simple/test-timers-linked-list.js b/test/simple/test-timers-linked-list.js
index 9caa909d010..0d9a2b9b310 100644
--- a/test/simple/test-timers-linked-list.js
+++ b/test/simple/test-timers-linked-list.js
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ var D = { name: "D" };
 
 
 L.init(list);
+L.init(A);
+L.init(B);
+L.init(C);
+L.init(D);
+
 assert.ok(L.isEmpty(list));
 assert.equal(null, L.peek(list));