diff --git a/src/extension/libuv.c b/src/extension/libuv.c
index 40a5f9e8..ca242566 100644
--- a/src/extension/libuv.c
+++ b/src/extension/libuv.c
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
 struct getdns_libuv_data {
     uv_loop_t* loop;
     uv_poll_t* poll_handle;
-    uint8_t polling;
 };
 
 static void request_count_changed(uint32_t request_count, struct getdns_libuv_data *uv_data);
@@ -65,12 +64,10 @@ getdns_libuv_cb(uv_poll_t* handle, int status, int events) {
 
 static void
 request_count_changed(uint32_t request_count, struct getdns_libuv_data *uv_data) {
-    if (request_count > 0 && uv_data->polling == 0) {
+    if (request_count > 0 && !uv_is_active((uv_handle_t*) uv_data->poll_handle)) {
         uv_poll_start(uv_data->poll_handle, UV_READABLE, getdns_libuv_cb);
-        uv_data->polling = 1;
-    } else if (request_count == 0 && uv_data->polling == 1) {
+    } else if (request_count == 0 && uv_is_active((uv_handle_t*) uv_data->poll_handle)) {
         uv_poll_stop(uv_data->poll_handle);
-        uv_data->polling = 0;
     }
 }
 
@@ -86,9 +83,7 @@ getdns_libuv_timeout_cb(uv_timer_t* handle, int status) {
 
 static void
 getdns_libuv_close_cb(uv_handle_t* handle) {
-    if (handle) {
-        free(handle);
-    }
+    free(handle);
 }
 
 /* getdns extension functions */
@@ -166,9 +161,12 @@ getdns_extension_set_libuv_loop(struct getdns_context *context,
     }
     int fd = getdns_context_fd(context);
     uv_data->poll_handle = (uv_poll_t*) malloc(sizeof(uv_poll_t));
+    if (!uv_data->poll_handle) {
+        free(uv_data);
+        return GETDNS_RETURN_MEMORY_ERROR;
+    }
     uv_poll_init(uv_loop, uv_data->poll_handle, fd);
     uv_data->poll_handle->data = context;
     uv_data->loop = uv_loop;
-    uv_data->polling = 0;
     return getdns_extension_set_eventloop(context, &LIBUV_EXT, uv_data);
 }               /* getdns_extension_set_libuv_loop */