diff --git a/nsqd/topic.go b/nsqd/topic.go
index 874e7ea08..41dae4336 100644
--- a/nsqd/topic.go
+++ b/nsqd/topic.go
@@ -236,28 +236,27 @@ func (t *Topic) messagePump() {
 	var memoryMsgChan chan *Message
 	var backendChan chan []byte
 
-	// before Start()
-	gotChannels := false
-	started := false
-	for !started {
+	// before Start(), avoid blocking Pause() or GetChannel()
+	for {
 		select {
 		case <-t.channelUpdateChan:
-			gotChannels = true
+			continue
 		case <-t.pauseChan:
-			// no effect before channels added
+			continue
 		case <-t.exitChan:
 			goto exit
 		case <-t.startChan:
-			started = true
 		}
+		break;
 	}
-	if gotChannels {
-		go func() {
-			select {
-			case t.channelUpdateChan <- 1:
-			case <-t.exitChan:
-			}
-		}()
+	t.RLock()
+	for _, c := range t.channelMap {
+		chans = append(chans, c)
+	}
+	t.RUnlock()
+	if len(chans) > 0 && !t.IsPaused() {
+		memoryMsgChan = t.memoryMsgChan
+		backendChan = t.backend.ReadChan()
 	}
 
 	// main loop