diff --git a/lib/_stream_readable.js b/lib/_stream_readable.js
index b81f2a82a13..2f4d8a49633 100644
--- a/lib/_stream_readable.js
+++ b/lib/_stream_readable.js
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ function ReadableState(options, stream) {
   // that we're awaiting a 'readable' event emission.
   this.needReadable = false;
   this.emittedReadable = false;
+  this.readableListening = false;
 
 
   // object stream flag. Used to make read(n) ignore n and to
@@ -378,7 +379,6 @@ function emitReadable(stream) {
 }
 
 function emitReadable_(stream) {
-  var state = stream._readableState;
   stream.emit('readable');
 }
 
@@ -655,8 +655,19 @@ Readable.prototype.on = function(ev, fn) {
   if (ev === 'data' && !this._readableState.flowing)
     emitDataEvents(this);
 
-  if (ev === 'readable' && !this._readableState.reading)
-    this.read(0);
+  if (ev === 'readable' && this.readable) {
+    var state = this._readableState;
+    if (!state.readableListening) {
+      state.readableListening = true;
+      state.emittedReadable = false;
+      state.needReadable = true;
+      if (!state.reading) {
+        this.read(0);
+      } else if (state.length) {
+        emitReadable(this, state);
+      }
+    }
+  }
 
   return res;
 };
diff --git a/test/simple/test-stream-readable-event.js b/test/simple/test-stream-readable-event.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..be17f0455f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/simple/test-stream-readable-event.js
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+// Copyright Joyent, Inc. and other Node contributors.
+//
+// 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.
+
+var common = require('../common');
+var assert = require('assert');
+
+var Readable = require('stream').Readable;
+
+(function first() {
+  // First test, not reading when the readable is added.
+  // make sure that read(0) triggers a readable event.
+  var r = new Readable({
+    highWaterMark: 3
+  });
+
+  r._read = function(n) {
+    r.push(new Buffer(new Array(n + 1).join('x')));
+  };
+
+  // This triggers a 'readable' event, which is lost.
+  r.push(new Buffer('blerg'));
+
+  var caughtReadable = false;
+  setTimeout(function() {
+    r.on('readable', function() {
+      caughtReadable = true;
+    });
+  });
+
+  process.on('exit', function() {
+    assert(caughtReadable);
+    console.log('ok 1');
+  });
+})();
+
+(function second() {
+  // second test, make sure that readable is re-emitted if there's
+  // already a length, while it IS reading.
+
+  var r = new Readable({
+    highWaterMark: 3
+  });
+
+  r._read = function(n) {
+    setTimeout(function() {
+      r.push(new Buffer(new Array(n + 1).join('x')));
+    });
+  };
+
+  // This triggers a 'readable' event, which is lost.
+  r.push(new Buffer('blerg'));
+
+  var caughtReadable = false;
+  process.nextTick(function() {
+    r.on('readable', function() {
+      caughtReadable = true;
+    });
+  });
+
+  process.on('exit', function() {
+    assert(caughtReadable);
+    console.log('ok 2');
+  });
+})();