diff --git a/cassandra/io/libevreactor.py b/cassandra/io/libevreactor.py
index 6b7376e3..5aa52f9e 100644
--- a/cassandra/io/libevreactor.py
+++ b/cassandra/io/libevreactor.py
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ class LibevConnection(Connection):
         self._callbacks = {}
         self._push_watchers = defaultdict(set)
         self.deque = deque()
+        self._deque_lock = Lock()
 
         self._socket = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
         if self.ssl_options:
@@ -149,10 +150,11 @@ class LibevConnection(Connection):
             self.is_closed = True
 
         log.debug("Closing connection (%s) to %s", id(self), self.host)
-        if self._read_watcher:
-            self._read_watcher.stop()
-        if self._write_watcher:
-            self._write_watcher.stop()
+        with _loop_lock:
+            if self._read_watcher:
+                self._read_watcher.stop()
+            if self._write_watcher:
+                self._write_watcher.stop()
         self._socket.close()
         with _loop_lock:
             _loop_notifier.send()
@@ -194,28 +196,49 @@ class LibevConnection(Connection):
                          id(self), self.host, exc_info=True)
 
     def handle_write(self, watcher, revents):
-        try:
-            next_msg = self.deque.popleft()
-        except IndexError:
-            self._write_watcher.stop()
+        if revents & libev.EV_ERROR:
+            self.defunct(Exception("lbev reported an error"))
             return
 
-        try:
-            sent = self._socket.send(next_msg)
-        except socket.error as err:
-            if (err.args[0] in NONBLOCKING):
-                self.deque.appendleft(next_msg)
+        while True:
+            try:
+                with self._deque_lock:
+                    next_msg = self.deque.popleft()
+            except IndexError:
+                with self._deque_lock:
+                    if not self.deque:
+                        with _loop_lock:
+                            if self._write_watcher.is_active():
+                                self._write_watcher.stop()
+                return
+
+            try:
+                sent = self._socket.send(next_msg)
+            except socket.error as err:
+                if (err.args[0] in NONBLOCKING):
+                    with self._deque_lock:
+                        self.deque.appendleft(next_msg)
+                    _loop_notifier.send()
+                else:
+                    self.defunct(err)
+                return
             else:
-                self.defunct(err)
-            return
-        else:
-            if sent < len(next_msg):
-                self.deque.appendleft(next_msg[sent:])
-
-            if not self.deque:
-                self._write_watcher.stop()
+                if sent < len(next_msg):
+                    with self._deque_lock:
+                        self.deque.appendleft(next_msg[sent:])
+                    _loop_notifier.send()
+                elif not self.deque:
+                    with self._deque_lock:
+                        if not self.deque:
+                            with _loop_lock:
+                                if self._write_watcher.is_active():
+                                    self._write_watcher.stop()
+                    return
 
     def handle_read(self, watcher, revents):
+        if revents & libev.EV_ERROR:
+            self.defunct(Exception("lbev reported an error"))
+            return
         try:
             while True:
                 buf = self._socket.recv(self.in_buffer_size)
@@ -280,13 +303,13 @@ class LibevConnection(Connection):
         else:
             chunks = [data]
 
-        with self.lock:
+        with self._deque_lock:
             self.deque.extend(chunks)
 
+        with _loop_lock:
             if not self._write_watcher.is_active():
-                with _loop_lock:
-                    self._write_watcher.start()
-                    _loop_notifier.send()
+                self._write_watcher.start()
+            _loop_notifier.send()
 
     def send_msg(self, msg, cb, wait_for_id=False):
         if self.is_defunct: