diff --git a/lib/net_uv.js b/lib/net_uv.js
index 2e103609f6f..7230c9379f0 100644
--- a/lib/net_uv.js
+++ b/lib/net_uv.js
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ exports.connect = exports.createConnection = function(port /* [host], [cb] */) {
 
 /* called when creating new Socket, or when re-using a closed Socket */
 function initSocketHandle(self) {
-  self._writeRequests = [];
+  self._pendingWriteReqs = 0;
 
   self._flags = 0;
   self._connectQueueSize = 0;
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ Socket.prototype.destroySoon = function() {
   this.writable = false;
   this._flags |= FLAG_DESTROY_SOON;
 
-  if (this._writeRequests.length == 0) {
+  if (this._pendingWriteReqs == 0) {
     this.destroy();
   }
 };
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ Socket.prototype.write = function(data /* [encoding], [fd], [cb] */) {
 
   writeReq.oncomplete = afterWrite;
   writeReq.cb = cb;
-  this._writeRequests.push(writeReq);
+  this._pendingWriteReqs++;
 
   return this._handle.writeQueueSize == 0;
 };
@@ -410,10 +410,9 @@ function afterWrite(status, handle, req, buffer) {
   }
   // TODO check status.
 
-  var req_ = self._writeRequests.shift();
-  assert.equal(req, req_);
+  self._pendingWriteReqs--;
 
-  if (self._writeRequests.length == 0) {
+  if (self._pendingWriteReqs == 0) {
     // TODO remove all uses of ondrain - this is not a good hack.
     if (self.ondrain) self.ondrain();
     self.emit('drain');
@@ -421,7 +420,7 @@ function afterWrite(status, handle, req, buffer) {
 
   if (req.cb) req.cb();
 
-  if (self._writeRequests.length == 0 && self._flags & FLAG_DESTROY_SOON) {
+  if (self._pendingWriteReqs == 0 && self._flags & FLAG_DESTROY_SOON) {
     self.destroy();
   }
 }