diff --git a/src/handle_wrap.cc b/src/handle_wrap.cc
index 817a4cfe1cd..9c243ea2c9f 100644
--- a/src/handle_wrap.cc
+++ b/src/handle_wrap.cc
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ Handle<Value> HandleWrap::Ref(const Arguments& args) {
 
   if (wrap) {
     uv_ref(wrap->handle__);
-    wrap->unref_ = false;
+    wrap->flags_ &= ~kUnref;
   }
 
   return v8::Undefined();
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ Handle<Value> HandleWrap::Unref(const Arguments& args) {
 
   if (wrap) {
     uv_unref(wrap->handle__);
-    wrap->unref_ = true;
+    wrap->flags_ |= kUnref;
   }
 
   return v8::Undefined();
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ Handle<Value> HandleWrap::Close(const Arguments& args) {
 
 
 HandleWrap::HandleWrap(Handle<Object> object, uv_handle_t* h) {
-  unref_ = false;
+  flags_ = 0;
   handle__ = h;
   if (h) {
     h->data = this;
diff --git a/src/handle_wrap.h b/src/handle_wrap.h
index 951b9386f5c..c77ec77f1a0 100644
--- a/src/handle_wrap.h
+++ b/src/handle_wrap.h
@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@ class HandleWrap {
     // Using double underscore due to handle_ member in tcp_wrap. Probably
     // tcp_wrap should rename it's member to 'handle'.
     uv_handle_t* handle__;
-    bool unref_;
+    unsigned int flags_;
+
+    static const unsigned int kUnref = 1;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/node.cc b/src/node.cc
index 2793d19c62e..279bb0c05b7 100644
--- a/src/node.cc
+++ b/src/node.cc
@@ -1382,7 +1382,7 @@ Handle<Value> GetActiveHandles(const Arguments& args) {
 
   ngx_queue_foreach(q, &handle_wrap_queue) {
     HandleWrap* w = container_of(q, HandleWrap, handle_wrap_queue_);
-    if (w->object_.IsEmpty() || w->unref_) continue;
+    if (w->object_.IsEmpty() || (w->flags_ & HandleWrap::kUnref)) continue;
     Local<Value> obj = w->object_->Get(owner_sym);
     if (obj->IsUndefined()) obj = *w->object_;
     ary->Set(i++, obj);