diff --git a/tokio/src/runtime/queue.rs b/tokio/src/runtime/queue.rs
index f75e672c5eb..93225a11e64 100644
--- a/tokio/src/runtime/queue.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/runtime/queue.rs
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ pub(super) fn local<T: 'static>() -> (Steal<T>, Local<T>) {
 impl<T> Local<T> {
     /// Returns true if the queue has entries that can be stealed.
     pub(super) fn is_stealable(&self) -> bool {
+        // self.inner.len() > 4
         !self.inner.is_empty()
     }
 
@@ -469,6 +470,13 @@ impl<T> Drop for Local<T> {
 }
 
 impl<T> Inner<T> {
+    fn len(&self) -> u16 {
+        let (_, head) = unpack(self.head.load(Acquire));
+        let tail = self.tail.load(Acquire);
+
+        tail.wrapping_sub(head)
+    }
+
     fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
         let (_, head) = unpack(self.head.load(Acquire));
         let tail = self.tail.load(Acquire);
diff --git a/tokio/src/runtime/thread_pool/idle.rs b/tokio/src/runtime/thread_pool/idle.rs
index 6b7ee1289ce..a57bf6a0b13 100644
--- a/tokio/src/runtime/thread_pool/idle.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/runtime/thread_pool/idle.rs
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ impl Idle {
 
         // A worker should be woken up, atomically increment the number of
         // searching workers as well as the number of unparked workers.
-        State::unpark_one(&self.state);
+        State::unpark_one(&self.state, 1);
 
         // Get the worker to unpark
         let ret = sleepers.pop();
@@ -111,7 +111,9 @@ impl Idle {
 
     /// Unpark a specific worker. This happens if tasks are submitted from
     /// within the worker's park routine.
-    pub(super) fn unpark_worker_by_id(&self, worker_id: usize) {
+    ///
+    /// Returns `true` if the worker was parked before calling the method.
+    pub(super) fn unpark_worker_by_id(&self, worker_id: usize) -> bool {
         let mut sleepers = self.sleepers.lock();
 
         for index in 0..sleepers.len() {
@@ -119,11 +121,13 @@ impl Idle {
                 sleepers.swap_remove(index);
 
                 // Update the state accordingly while the lock is held.
-                State::unpark_one(&self.state);
+                State::unpark_one(&self.state, 0);
 
-                return;
+                return true;
             }
         }
+
+        false
     }
 
     /// Returns `true` if `worker_id` is contained in the sleep set.
@@ -151,8 +155,8 @@ impl State {
         State(cell.load(ordering))
     }
 
-    fn unpark_one(cell: &AtomicUsize) {
-        cell.fetch_add(1 | (1 << UNPARK_SHIFT), SeqCst);
+    fn unpark_one(cell: &AtomicUsize, num_searching: usize) {
+        cell.fetch_add(num_searching | (1 << UNPARK_SHIFT), SeqCst);
     }
 
     fn inc_num_searching(cell: &AtomicUsize, ordering: Ordering) {
diff --git a/tokio/src/runtime/thread_pool/worker.rs b/tokio/src/runtime/thread_pool/worker.rs
index f4ddb654a15..a6ec55c7443 100644
--- a/tokio/src/runtime/thread_pool/worker.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/runtime/thread_pool/worker.rs
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ impl Context {
         core.park = Some(park);
 
         // If there are tasks available to steal, notify a worker
-        if core.run_queue.is_stealable() {
+        if !core.is_searching && core.run_queue.is_stealable() {
             self.worker.shared.notify_parked();
         }
 
@@ -620,8 +620,7 @@ impl Core {
         // If a task is in the lifo slot, then we must unpark regardless of
         // being notified
         if self.lifo_slot.is_some() {
-            worker.shared.idle.unpark_worker_by_id(worker.index);
-            self.is_searching = true;
+            self.is_searching = !worker.shared.idle.unpark_worker_by_id(worker.index);
             return true;
         }