diff --git a/ext/mysql2/client.c b/ext/mysql2/client.c
index 2650b2f..f2942c2 100644
--- a/ext/mysql2/client.c
+++ b/ext/mysql2/client.c
@@ -257,7 +257,6 @@ static VALUE rb_mysql_client_query(int argc, VALUE * argv, VALUE self) {
   int fd, retval;
   int async = 0;
   VALUE opts, defaults;
-  int(*selector)(int, fd_set *, fd_set *, fd_set *, struct timeval *) = NULL;
   GET_CLIENT(self)
 
   REQUIRE_OPEN_DB(client);
@@ -299,12 +298,11 @@ static VALUE rb_mysql_client_query(int argc, VALUE * argv, VALUE self) {
     // the below code is largely from do_mysql
     // http://github.com/datamapper/do
     fd = client->net.fd;
-    selector = rb_thread_alone() ? *select : *rb_thread_select;
     for(;;) {
       FD_ZERO(&fdset);
       FD_SET(fd, &fdset);
 
-      retval = selector(fd + 1, &fdset, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+      retval = rb_thread_select(fd + 1, &fdset, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 
       if (retval < 0) {
         rb_sys_fail(0);
diff --git a/spec/mysql2/client_spec.rb b/spec/mysql2/client_spec.rb
index 7c5c8ce..2df7a77 100644
--- a/spec/mysql2/client_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/mysql2/client_spec.rb
@@ -78,6 +78,33 @@ describe Mysql2::Client do
         @client.query("SELECT 1")
       }.should raise_error(Mysql2::Error)
     end
+
+    # XXX this test is not deterministic (because Unix signal handling is not)
+    # and may fail on a loaded system
+    it "should run signal handlers while waiting for a response" do
+      mark = {}
+      trap(:USR1) { mark[:USR1] = Time.now }
+      begin
+        mark[:START] = Time.now
+        pid = fork do
+          sleep 1 # wait for client "SELECT sleep(2)" query to start
+          Process.kill(:USR1, Process.ppid)
+          sleep # wait for explicit kill to prevent GC disconnect
+        end
+        @client.query("SELECT sleep(2)")
+        mark[:END] = Time.now
+        mark.include?(:USR1).should be_true
+        (mark[:USR1] - mark[:START]).should >= 1
+        (mark[:USR1] - mark[:START]).should < 1.1
+        (mark[:END] - mark[:USR1]).should > 0.9
+        (mark[:END] - mark[:START]).should >= 2
+        (mark[:END] - mark[:START]).should < 2.1
+        Process.kill(:TERM, pid)
+        Process.waitpid2(pid)
+      ensure
+        trap(:USR1, 'DEFAULT')
+      end
+    end if RUBY_PLATFORM !~ /mingw|mswin/
   end
 
   it "should respond to #escape" do