diff --git a/evdns.c b/evdns.c
index 66a3bff3..b196229b 100644
--- a/evdns.c
+++ b/evdns.c
@@ -662,6 +662,7 @@ request_finished(struct request *const req, struct request **head, int free_hand
 	    req->ns->requests_inflight == 0 &&
 	    req->base->disable_when_inactive) {
 		event_del(&req->ns->event);
+		evtimer_del(&req->ns->timeout_event);
 	}
 
 	if (!req->request_appended) {
@@ -2198,9 +2199,10 @@ evdns_request_transmit_to(struct request *req, struct nameserver *server) {
 	ASSERT_VALID_REQUEST(req);
 
 	if (server->requests_inflight == 1 &&
-		req->base->disable_when_inactive &&
-		event_add(&server->event, NULL) < 0) {
-		return 1;
+		req->base->disable_when_inactive) {
+		if (event_add(&server->event, NULL) < 0 ||
+			evtimer_add(&req->ns->timeout_event, &req->base->global_nameserver_probe_initial_timeout) < 0)
+			return 1;
 	}
 
 	r = sendto(server->socket, (void*)req->request, req->request_len, 0,