diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/runqueue.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/runqueue.py
index 075c84985a..197308fd9d 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/runqueue.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/runqueue.py
@@ -895,6 +895,14 @@ class RunQueue:
         if self.fakeworkerpipe:
             self.fakeworkerpipe.read()
 
+    def active_fds(self):
+        fds = []
+        if self.workerpipe:
+            fds.append(self.workerpipe.input)
+        if self.fakeworkerpipe:
+            fds.append(self.fakeworkerpipe.input)
+        return fds
+
     def check_stamp_task(self, task, taskname = None, recurse = False, cache = None):
         def get_timestamp(f):
             try:
@@ -972,7 +980,7 @@ class RunQueue:
         (if the abort on failure configuration option isn't set)
         """
 
-        retval = 0.5
+        retval = True
 
         if self.state is runQueuePrepare:
             self.rqexe = RunQueueExecuteDummy(self)
@@ -1375,7 +1383,7 @@ class RunQueueExecuteTasks(RunQueueExecute):
 
         if self.stats.active > 0:
             self.rq.read_workers()
-            return 0.5
+            return self.rq.active_fds()
 
         if len(self.failed_fnids) != 0:
             self.rq.state = runQueueFailed
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/server/process.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/server/process.py
index e2cec49b74..c0af052ebd 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/server/process.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/server/process.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import os
 import signal
 import sys
 import time
+import select
 from Queue import Empty
 from multiprocessing import Event, Process, util, Queue, Pipe, queues
 
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ class ProcessServer(Process, BaseImplServer):
                     command = self.command_channel.recv()
                     self.runCommand(command)
 
-                self.idle_commands(.1)
+                self.idle_commands(.1, [self.event_queue._reader, self.command_channel])
             except Exception:
                 logger.exception('Running command %s', command)
 
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ class ProcessServer(Process, BaseImplServer):
         self.cooker.stop()
         self.idle_commands(.1)
 
-    def idle_commands(self, delay):
+    def idle_commands(self, delay, fds = []):
         nextsleep = delay
 
         for function, data in self._idlefuns.items():
@@ -127,15 +128,15 @@ class ProcessServer(Process, BaseImplServer):
                     nextsleep = None
                 elif nextsleep is None:
                     continue
-                elif retval < nextsleep:
-                    nextsleep = retval
+                else:
+                    fds = fds + retval
             except SystemExit:
                 raise
             except Exception:
                 logger.exception('Running idle function')
 
         if nextsleep is not None:
-            time.sleep(nextsleep)
+            select.select(fds,[],[],nextsleep)
 
     def runCommand(self, command):
         """
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/server/xmlrpc.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/server/xmlrpc.py
index 641e15e833..cca569d0e9 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/server/xmlrpc.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/server/xmlrpc.py
@@ -264,12 +264,9 @@ class XMLRPCServer(SimpleXMLRPCServer, BaseImplServer):
         Serve Requests. Overloaded to honor a quit command
         """
         self.quit = False
-        self.timeout = 0 # Run Idle calls for our first callback
         while not self.quit:
-            #print "Idle queue length %s" % len(self._idlefuns)
-            self.handle_request()
-            #print "Idle timeout, running idle functions"
-            nextsleep = None
+            fds = [self]
+            nextsleep = 0.1
             for function, data in self._idlefuns.items():
                 try:
                     retval = function(self, data, False)
@@ -277,21 +274,22 @@ class XMLRPCServer(SimpleXMLRPCServer, BaseImplServer):
                         del self._idlefuns[function]
                     elif retval is True:
                         nextsleep = 0
-                    elif nextsleep is 0:
-                        continue
-                    elif nextsleep is None:
-                        nextsleep = retval
-                    elif retval < nextsleep:
-                        nextsleep = retval
+                    else:
+                        fds = fds + retval
                 except SystemExit:
                     raise
                 except:
                     import traceback
                     traceback.print_exc()
                     pass
-            if nextsleep is None and len(self._idlefuns) > 0:
-                nextsleep = 0
-            self.timeout = nextsleep
+
+            socktimeout = self.socket.gettimeout() or nextsleep
+            socktimeout = min(socktimeout, nextsleep)
+            # Mirror what BaseServer handle_request would do
+            fd_sets = select.select(fds, [], [], socktimeout)
+            if fd_sets[0] and self in fd_sets[0]:
+                self._handle_request_noblock()
+
         # Tell idle functions we're exiting
         for function, data in self._idlefuns.items():
             try: