diff --git a/test/test-list.h b/test/test-list.h
index bf376e3914..267912284c 100644
--- a/test/test-list.h
+++ b/test/test-list.h
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ TEST_DECLARE   (connection_fail_doesnt_auto_close)
 TEST_DECLARE   (shutdown_eof)
 TEST_DECLARE   (callback_stack)
 TEST_DECLARE   (timer)
+TEST_DECLARE   (timer_ref)
+TEST_DECLARE   (timer_ref2)
 TEST_DECLARE   (timer_again)
 TEST_DECLARE   (idle_starvation)
 TEST_DECLARE   (loop_handles)
@@ -154,6 +156,8 @@ TASK_LIST_START
   TEST_HELPER (callback_stack, tcp4_echo_server)
 
   TEST_ENTRY  (timer)
+  TEST_ENTRY  (timer_ref)
+  TEST_ENTRY  (timer_ref2)
 
   TEST_ENTRY  (timer_again)
 
diff --git a/test/test-timer.c b/test/test-timer.c
index 17bcb84b77..87235a51bc 100644
--- a/test/test-timer.c
+++ b/test/test-timer.c
@@ -130,3 +130,43 @@ TEST_IMPL(timer) {
 
   return 0;
 }
+
+
+TEST_IMPL(timer_ref) {
+  uv_timer_t never;
+  int r;
+
+  /* A timer just initialized should count as one reference. */
+  r = uv_timer_init(uv_default_loop(), &never);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+
+  /* One unref should set the loop ref count to zero. */
+  uv_unref(uv_default_loop());
+
+  /* Therefore this does not block */
+  uv_run(uv_default_loop());
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+
+TEST_IMPL(timer_ref2) {
+  uv_timer_t never;
+  int r;
+
+  /* A timer just initialized should count as one reference. */
+  r = uv_timer_init(uv_default_loop(), &never);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+
+  /* We start the timer, this should not effect the ref count. */
+  r = uv_timer_start(&never, never_cb, 1000, 1000);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+
+  /* One unref should set the loop ref count to zero. */
+  uv_unref(uv_default_loop());
+
+  /* Therefore this does not block */
+  uv_run(uv_default_loop());
+
+  return 0;
+}