diff --git a/bufferevent.c b/bufferevent.c
index 4e8d9278..9080c5e2 100644
--- a/bufferevent.c
+++ b/bufferevent.c
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ _bufferevent_decref_and_unlock(struct bufferevent *bufev)
 
 	if (bufev_private->rate_limiting) {
 		if (bufev_private->rate_limiting->group)
-			bufferevent_remove_from_rate_limit_group(bufev);
+			bufferevent_remove_from_rate_limit_group_internal(bufev,0);
 		if (event_initialized(&bufev_private->rate_limiting->refill_bucket_event))
 			event_del(&bufev_private->rate_limiting->refill_bucket_event);
 		event_debug_unassign(&bufev_private->rate_limiting->refill_bucket_event);
diff --git a/bufferevent_ratelim.c b/bufferevent_ratelim.c
index cb8a3bf5..7ac579ac 100644
--- a/bufferevent_ratelim.c
+++ b/bufferevent_ratelim.c
@@ -715,6 +715,13 @@ bufferevent_add_to_rate_limit_group(struct bufferevent *bev,
 
 int
 bufferevent_remove_from_rate_limit_group(struct bufferevent *bev)
+{
+	return bufferevent_remove_from_rate_limit_group_internal(bev, 1);
+}
+
+int
+bufferevent_remove_from_rate_limit_group_internal(struct bufferevent *bev,
+    int unsuspend)
 {
 	struct bufferevent_private *bevp =
 	    EVUTIL_UPCAST(bev, struct bufferevent_private, bev);
@@ -728,8 +735,10 @@ bufferevent_remove_from_rate_limit_group(struct bufferevent *bev)
 		TAILQ_REMOVE(&g->members, bevp, rate_limiting->next_in_group);
 		UNLOCK_GROUP(g);
 	}
-	bufferevent_unsuspend_read(bev, BEV_SUSPEND_BW_GROUP);
-	bufferevent_unsuspend_write(bev, BEV_SUSPEND_BW_GROUP);
+	if (unsuspend) {
+		bufferevent_unsuspend_read(bev, BEV_SUSPEND_BW_GROUP);
+		bufferevent_unsuspend_write(bev, BEV_SUSPEND_BW_GROUP);
+	}
 	BEV_UNLOCK(bev);
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/ratelim-internal.h b/ratelim-internal.h
index a47e2408..d60f6376 100644
--- a/ratelim-internal.h
+++ b/ratelim-internal.h
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ int ev_token_bucket_init(struct ev_token_bucket *bucket,
     ev_uint32_t current_tick,
     int reinitialize);
 
+int bufferevent_remove_from_rate_limit_group_internal(struct bufferevent *bev,
+    int unsuspend);
+
 /** Decrease the read limit of 'b' by 'n' bytes */
 #define ev_token_bucket_decrement_read(b,n)	\
 	do {					\
diff --git a/test/test-ratelim.c b/test/test-ratelim.c
index 55c42932..306f1254 100644
--- a/test/test-ratelim.c
+++ b/test/test-ratelim.c
@@ -187,7 +187,11 @@ test_ratelimiting(void)
 	sin.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(0x7f000001); /* 127.0.0.1 */
 	sin.sin_port = 0; /* unspecified port */
 
+	if (0)
+		event_enable_debug_mode();
+
 	base = event_base_new();
+
 	listener = evconnlistener_new_bind(base, echo_listenercb, base,
 	    LEV_OPT_CLOSE_ON_FREE|LEV_OPT_REUSEABLE, -1,
 	    (struct sockaddr *)&sin, sizeof(sin));