diff --git i/src/w32.c w/src/w32.c
index 698e10e234..d14abc2f8e 100644
--- i/src/w32.c
+++ w/src/w32.c
@@ -8798,6 +8798,37 @@ _sys_wait_accept (int fd)
   return cp->status;
 }
 
+int
+_sys_wait_readable (int fd)
+{
+  HANDLE hEv;
+  child_process * cp;
+  int rc;
+
+  if (fd < 0 || fd >= MAXDESC)
+    return STATUS_READ_ERROR;
+
+  cp = fd_info[fd].cp;
+
+  if (cp == NULL || cp->fd != fd || cp->status != STATUS_READ_READY)
+    return STATUS_READ_ERROR;
+
+  cp->status = STATUS_READ_FAILED;
+
+  hEv = pfn_WSACreateEvent ();
+  rc = pfn_WSAEventSelect (SOCK_HANDLE (fd), hEv, FD_READ);
+  if (rc != SOCKET_ERROR)
+    {
+	rc = WaitForSingleObject (hEv, INFINITE);
+        pfn_WSAEventSelect (SOCK_HANDLE (fd), NULL, 0);
+        if (rc == WAIT_OBJECT_0)
+          cp->status = STATUS_READ_SUCCEEDED;
+    }
+  pfn_WSACloseEvent (hEv);
+
+  return cp->status;
+}
+
 int
 _sys_wait_connect (int fd)
 {
diff --git i/src/w32.h w/src/w32.h
index cf1dadf64c..4a6b7c4b53 100644
--- i/src/w32.h
+++ w/src/w32.h
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ #define FILE_SERIAL             0x0800
 
 extern int _sys_read_ahead (int fd);
 extern int _sys_wait_accept (int fd);
+extern int _sys_wait_readable (int fd);
 extern int _sys_wait_connect (int fd);
 
 extern HMODULE w32_delayed_load (Lisp_Object);
diff --git i/src/w32proc.c w/src/w32proc.c
index de33726905..1e109669f7 100644
--- i/src/w32proc.c
+++ w/src/w32proc.c
@@ -1225,7 +1225,7 @@ reader_thread (void *arg)
       else if (cp->fd >= 0 && (fd_info[cp->fd].flags & FILE_LISTEN) != 0)
 	rc = _sys_wait_accept (cp->fd);
       else
-	rc = _sys_read_ahead (cp->fd);
+	rc = _sys_wait_readable (cp->fd);
 
       /* Don't bother waiting for the event if we already have been
 	 told to exit by delete_child.  */