diff --git a/src/proxy.cpp b/src/proxy.cpp
index 73e3441a..0d2b6b16 100644
--- a/src/proxy.cpp
+++ b/src/proxy.cpp
@@ -71,12 +71,15 @@ int zmq::proxy (
     int more;
     size_t moresz;
     zmq_pollitem_t items [] = {
-        { frontend_, 0, ZMQ_POLLIN | ZMQ_POLLOUT, 0 },
-        { backend_, 0, ZMQ_POLLIN | ZMQ_POLLOUT, 0 },
+        { frontend_, 0, ZMQ_POLLIN, 0 },
+        { backend_, 0, ZMQ_POLLIN, 0 },
         { control_, 0, ZMQ_POLLIN, 0 }
     };
     int qt_poll_items = (control_ ? 3 : 2);
-
+    zmq_pollitem_t itemsout [] = {
+        { frontend_, 0, ZMQ_POLLOUT, 0 },
+        { backend_, 0, ZMQ_POLLOUT, 0 }
+    };
     //  Proxy can be in these three states
     enum {
         active,
@@ -96,6 +99,12 @@ int zmq::proxy (
             if (unlikely (rc < 0))
                 return -1;
 
+        //  Get the pollout separately because when combining this with pollin it maxes the CPU
+        //  because pollout shall most of the time return directly
+        rc = zmq_poll (&itemsout [0], 2, 0);
+        if (unlikely (rc < 0))
+            return -1;
+
             moresz = sizeof more;
             rc = control_->getsockopt (ZMQ_RCVMORE, &more, &moresz);
             if (unlikely (rc < 0) || more)
@@ -132,7 +141,7 @@ int zmq::proxy (
         //  Process a request
         if (state == active
         &&  items [0].revents & ZMQ_POLLIN
-        &&  items [1].revents & ZMQ_POLLOUT) {
+        &&  itemsout [1].revents & ZMQ_POLLOUT) {
             while (true) {
                 rc = frontend_->recv (&msg, 0);
                 if (unlikely (rc < 0))
@@ -166,7 +175,7 @@ int zmq::proxy (
         //  Process a reply
         if (state == active
         &&  items [1].revents & ZMQ_POLLIN
-        &&  items [0].revents & ZMQ_POLLOUT) {
+        &&  itemsout [0].revents & ZMQ_POLLOUT) {
             while (true) {
                 rc = backend_->recv (&msg, 0);
                 if (unlikely (rc < 0))