diff --git a/lib/events.js b/lib/events.js
index 9876b6494..b788b1cae 100644
--- a/lib/events.js
+++ b/lib/events.js
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@ var EventEmitter = function() {
 
     this.emit(name, done);
 
+    if (!pending) {
+      deferred.resolve();
+    }
+
     return deferred.promise;
   };
 };
diff --git a/test/unit/events.spec.coffee b/test/unit/events.spec.coffee
index 7b6123b43..d50005b7f 100644
--- a/test/unit/events.spec.coffee
+++ b/test/unit/events.spec.coffee
@@ -93,6 +93,12 @@ describe 'events', ->
           done()
 
 
+      it 'should resolve asynchronously when no listener', (done) ->
+        spyDone = sinon.spy done
+        emitter.emitAsync('whatever').then spyDone
+        expect(spyDone).to.not.have.been.called
+
+
   #============================================================================
   # events.bindAll
   #============================================================================