diff --git a/lib/ost.rb b/lib/ost.rb
index 8e944f2..db2b4d2 100644
--- a/lib/ost.rb
+++ b/lib/ost.rb
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ def each(&block)
 
         item = @key.brpoplpush(@backup, TIMEOUT)
 
+        next unless item
+
         block.call(item)
 
         @backup.lpop
diff --git a/test/ost_test.rb b/test/ost_test.rb
index 35597dc..e0fbb28 100644
--- a/test/ost_test.rb
+++ b/test/ost_test.rb
@@ -53,6 +53,22 @@ def enqueue(id)
     assert_equal ["1"], results
   end
 
+  test "doesn't yield the block on timeout" do |redis|
+    results = []
+
+    Thread.new do
+      sleep 2
+      enqueue(1)
+    end
+
+    ost do |item|
+      results << item
+    end
+
+    assert_equal [], Ost[:events].items
+    assert_equal ["1"], results
+  end
+
   test "halt processing a queue" do
     Thread.new do
       sleep 0.5