diff --git a/src/pulsecore/core-util.c b/src/pulsecore/core-util.c
index 1e40ba0a6..710c9dc49 100644
--- a/src/pulsecore/core-util.c
+++ b/src/pulsecore/core-util.c
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@ static pa_strlist *recorded_env = NULL;
 
 #ifdef OS_IS_WIN32
 
+#include "poll.h"
+
 /* Returns the directory of the current DLL, with '/bin/' removed if it is the last component */
 char *pa_win32_get_toplevel(HANDLE handle) {
     static char *toplevel = NULL;
@@ -368,13 +370,26 @@ ssize_t pa_read(int fd, void *buf, size_t count, int *type) {
 #ifdef OS_IS_WIN32
 
     if (!type || *type == 0) {
+        int err;
         ssize_t r;
 
+retry:
         if ((r = recv(fd, buf, count, 0)) >= 0)
             return r;
 
-        if (WSAGetLastError() != WSAENOTSOCK) {
-            errno = WSAGetLastError();
+        err = WSAGetLastError();
+        if (err != WSAENOTSOCK) {
+            /* transparently handle non-blocking sockets, by waiting
+             * for readiness */
+            if (err == WSAEWOULDBLOCK) {
+                struct pollfd pfd;
+                pfd.fd = fd;
+                pfd.events = POLLIN;
+                if (pa_poll(&pfd, 1, -1) >= 0) {
+                    goto retry;
+                }
+            }
+            errno = err;
             return r;
         }
 
@@ -400,7 +415,9 @@ ssize_t pa_write(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count, int *type) {
 
     if (!type || *type == 0) {
         ssize_t r;
+        int err;
 
+retry:
         for (;;) {
             if ((r = send(fd, buf, count, MSG_NOSIGNAL)) < 0) {
 
@@ -414,8 +431,19 @@ ssize_t pa_write(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count, int *type) {
         }
 
 #ifdef OS_IS_WIN32
-        if (WSAGetLastError() != WSAENOTSOCK) {
-            errno = WSAGetLastError();
+        err = WSAGetLastError();
+        if (err != WSAENOTSOCK) {
+            /* transparently handle non-blocking sockets, by waiting
+             * for readiness */
+            if (err == WSAEWOULDBLOCK) {
+                struct pollfd pfd;
+                pfd.fd = fd;
+                pfd.events = POLLOUT;
+                if (pa_poll(&pfd, 1, -1) >= 0) {
+                    goto retry;
+                }
+            }
+            errno = err;
             return r;
         }
 #else