diff --git a/src/MQTTAsync.c b/src/MQTTAsync.c
index 8f32bc87..5763465a 100644
--- a/src/MQTTAsync.c
+++ b/src/MQTTAsync.c
@@ -1260,7 +1260,12 @@ thread_return_type WINAPI MQTTAsync_sendThread(void* n)
 		int rc;
 		
 		while (commands->count > 0)
+		{
+			int before = commands->count;
 			MQTTAsync_processCommand();
+			if (before == commands->count)
+				break;  /* no commands were processed, so go into a wait */
+		}
 #if !defined(WIN32) && !defined(WIN64)
 		rc =  Thread_wait_cond(send_cond, 1);
 		if ((rc = Thread_wait_cond(send_cond, 1)) != 0 && rc != ETIMEDOUT)