diff --git a/src/devpoll.cpp b/src/devpoll.cpp
index ac5c72f2..2386034e 100644
--- a/src/devpoll.cpp
+++ b/src/devpoll.cpp
@@ -54,10 +54,11 @@ zmq::devpoll_t::devpoll_t ()
 
 zmq::devpoll_t::~devpoll_t ()
 {
+    worker.stop ();
+
     //  Make sure there are no fds registered on shutdown.
     zmq_assert (load.get () == 0);
 
-    worker.stop ();
     close (devpoll_fd);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kqueue.cpp b/src/kqueue.cpp
index f4c58a3d..c967c734 100644
--- a/src/kqueue.cpp
+++ b/src/kqueue.cpp
@@ -42,10 +42,11 @@ zmq::kqueue_t::kqueue_t ()
 
 zmq::kqueue_t::~kqueue_t ()
 {
+    worker.stop ();
+
     //  Make sure there are no fds registered on shutdown.
     zmq_assert (load.get () == 0);
 
-    worker.stop ();
     close (kqueue_fd);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/poll.cpp b/src/poll.cpp
index 94e4fd47..dd3de439 100644
--- a/src/poll.cpp
+++ b/src/poll.cpp
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ zmq::poll_t::poll_t () :
 
 zmq::poll_t::~poll_t ()
 {
+    worker.stop ();
+
     //  Make sure there are no fds registered on shutdown.
     zmq_assert (load.get () == 0);
-
-    worker.stop ();
 }
 
 zmq::handle_t zmq::poll_t::add_fd (fd_t fd_, i_poll_events *events_)