diff --git a/event.c b/event.c
index ee741e7b..0c8238d7 100644
--- a/event.c
+++ b/event.c
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ static void
 notify_base_cbq_callback(struct deferred_cb_queue *cb, void *baseptr)
 {
 	struct event_base *base = baseptr;
-	if (!EVBASE_IN_THREAD(base))
+	if (EVBASE_NEED_NOTIFY(base))
 		evthread_notify_base(base);
 }
 
@@ -1390,18 +1390,20 @@ event_loopbreak(void)
 int
 event_base_loopbreak(struct event_base *event_base)
 {
+	int r = 0;
 	if (event_base == NULL)
 		return (-1);
 
 	EVBASE_ACQUIRE_LOCK(event_base, th_base_lock);
 	event_base->event_break = 1;
-	EVBASE_RELEASE_LOCK(event_base, th_base_lock);
 
-	if (!EVBASE_IN_THREAD(event_base)) {
-		return evthread_notify_base(event_base);
+	if (EVBASE_NEED_NOTIFY(event_base)) {
+		r = evthread_notify_base(event_base);
 	} else {
-		return (0);
+		r = (0);
 	}
+	EVBASE_RELEASE_LOCK(event_base, th_base_lock);
+	return r;
 }
 
 int
@@ -2050,7 +2052,7 @@ event_add_internal(struct event *ev, const struct timeval *tv,
 	}
 
 	/* if we are not in the right thread, we need to wake up the loop */
-	if (res != -1 && notify && !EVBASE_IN_THREAD(base))
+	if (res != -1 && notify && EVBASE_NEED_NOTIFY(base))
 		evthread_notify_base(base);
 
 	_event_debug_note_add(ev);
@@ -2144,7 +2146,7 @@ event_del_internal(struct event *ev)
 	}
 
 	/* if we are not in the right thread, we need to wake up the loop */
-	if (res != -1 && notify && !EVBASE_IN_THREAD(base))
+	if (res != -1 && notify && EVBASE_NEED_NOTIFY(base))
 		evthread_notify_base(base);
 
 	_event_debug_note_del(ev);
diff --git a/evthread-internal.h b/evthread-internal.h
index d710939a..b7286ded 100644
--- a/evthread-internal.h
+++ b/evthread-internal.h
@@ -48,12 +48,20 @@ extern int _evthread_lock_debugging_enabled;
 #define EVTHREAD_GET_ID() \
 	(_evthread_id_fn ? _evthread_id_fn() : 1)
 
-/** Return true iff we're in the thread that is currently running a given
- * event_base's loop. */
+/** Return true iff we're in the thread that is currently (or most recently)
+ * running a given event_base's loop. Requires lock. */
 #define EVBASE_IN_THREAD(base)				 \
 	(_evthread_id_fn == NULL ||			 \
 	(base)->th_owner_id == _evthread_id_fn())
 
+/** Return true iff we need to notify the base's main thread about changes to
+ * its state, because it's currently running the main loop in another
+ * thread. Requires lock. */
+#define EVBASE_NEED_NOTIFY(base)			 \
+	(_evthread_id_fn != NULL &&			 \
+	    (base)->running_loop &&			 \
+	    (base)->th_owner_id != _evthread_id_fn())
+
 /** Allocate a new lock, and store it in lockvar, a void*.  Sets lockvar to
     NULL if locking is not enabled. */
 #define EVTHREAD_ALLOC_LOCK(lockvar, locktype)		\
@@ -196,6 +204,7 @@ EVLOCK_TRY_LOCK(void *lock)
 #define EVLOCK_UNLOCK2(lock1,lock2,mode1,mode2) _EVUTIL_NIL_STMT
 
 #define EVBASE_IN_THREAD(base)	1
+#define EVBASE_NEED_NOTIFY(base) 0
 #define EVBASE_ACQUIRE_LOCK(base, lock) _EVUTIL_NIL_STMT
 #define EVBASE_RELEASE_LOCK(base, lock) _EVUTIL_NIL_STMT
 #define EVLOCK_ASSERT_LOCKED(lock) _EVUTIL_NIL_STMT