diff --git a/extlib/XMPPHP/XMLStream.php b/extlib/XMPPHP/XMLStream.php
index 4de23ef7fb..62aa4de890 100644
--- a/extlib/XMPPHP/XMLStream.php
+++ b/extlib/XMPPHP/XMLStream.php
@@ -616,4 +616,12 @@ class XMPPHP_XMLStream {
 		xml_set_element_handler($this->parser, 'startXML', 'endXML');
 		xml_set_character_data_handler($this->parser, 'charXML');
 	}
+
+	public function readyToProcess() {
+		$read = array($this->socket);
+		$write = null;
+		$except = null;
+		$updated = @stream_select($read, $write, $except, 0);
+		return $updated !== false;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/scripts/xmppqueuehandler.php b/scripts/xmppqueuehandler.php
index 040191c283..52db0eb59f 100755
--- a/scripts/xmppqueuehandler.php
+++ b/scripts/xmppqueuehandler.php
@@ -53,9 +53,15 @@ class XmppQueueHandler extends QueueHandler {
 	}
 
 	function idle() {
-	        $this->log(LOG_DEBUG, 'Processing the incoming message queue.');
+	    $this->log(LOG_DEBUG, 'Checking the incoming message queue.');
 		# Process the queue for a second
-		$this->conn->processTime(1);
+		if ($this->conn->readyToProcess()) {
+			$this->log(LOG_DEBUG, 'Something in the incoming message queue; processing it.');
+			$this->conn->processTime(1);
+			$this->log(LOG_DEBUG, 'Done processing incoming message queue.');
+		} else {
+			$this->log(LOG_DEBUG, 'Nothing in the incoming message queue; skipping it.');
+		}
 	}
 
 	function finish() {