diff --git a/eventlet/coros.py b/eventlet/coros.py
index 8b89281..cd05163 100644
--- a/eventlet/coros.py
+++ b/eventlet/coros.py
@@ -33,6 +33,13 @@ from eventlet import channel
 from eventlet import pools
 from eventlet import greenlib
 
+
+try:
+    set
+except NameError:  # python 2.3 compatibility
+    from sets import Set as set
+
+
 class Cancelled(RuntimeError):
     pass
 
@@ -245,27 +252,48 @@ class CoroutinePool(pools.Pool):
     foo 4
     """
     
+    def __init__(self, min_size=0, max_size=4):
+        self._greenlets = set()
+        super(CoroutinePool, self).__init__(min_size, max_size)
+    
     def _main_loop(self, sender):
+        """ Private, infinite loop run by a pooled coroutine. """
         while True:
             recvd = sender.wait()
             sender.reset()
             (evt, func, args, kw) = recvd
-            try:
-                result = func(*args, **kw)
-                if evt is not None:
-                    evt.send(result)
-            except api.GreenletExit, e:
-                # we're printing this out to see if it ever happens
-                # in practice
-                print "GreenletExit raised in coroutine pool", e
-                if evt is not None:
-                    evt.send(e)  # sent as a return value, not an exception
-            except Exception, e:
-                traceback.print_exc()
-                if evt is not None:
-                    evt.send(exc=e)
+            self._safe_apply(evt, func, args, kw)
             api.get_hub().runloop.cancel_timers(api.getcurrent())
             self.put(sender)
+            
+    def _safe_apply(self, evt, func, args, kw):
+        """ Private method that runs the function, catches exceptions, and
+        passes back the return value in the event."""
+        try:
+            result = func(*args, **kw)
+            if evt is not None:
+                evt.send(result)
+        except api.GreenletExit, e:
+            # we're printing this out to see if it ever happens
+            # in practice
+            print "GreenletExit raised in coroutine pool", e
+            if evt is not None:
+                evt.send(e)  # sent as a return value, not an exception
+        except Exception, e:
+            traceback.print_exc()
+            if evt is not None:
+                evt.send(exc=e)
+                
+    def _execute(self, evt, func, args, kw):
+        """ Private implementation of the execute methods.
+        """
+        # if reentering an empty pool, don't try to wait on a coroutine freeing 
+        # itself -- instead, just execute in the current coroutine
+        if self.free() == 0 and api.getcurrent() in self._greenlets:
+            self._safe_apply(evt, func, args, kw)
+        else:
+            sender = self.get()
+            sender.send((evt, func, args, kw))
 
     def create(self):
         """Private implementation of eventlet.pools.Pool
@@ -275,9 +303,9 @@ class CoroutinePool(pools.Pool):
         new coroutine, to be executed.
         """
         sender = event()
-        api.spawn(self._main_loop, sender)
+        self._greenlets.add(api.spawn(self._main_loop, sender))
         return sender
-
+        
     def execute(self, func, *args, **kw):
         """Execute func in one of the coroutines maintained
         by the pool, when one is free.
@@ -291,9 +319,8 @@ class CoroutinePool(pools.Pool):
         >>> evt.wait()
         ('foo', 1)
         """
-        sender = self.get()
         receiver = event()
-        sender.send((receiver, func, args, kw))
+        self._execute(receiver, func, args, kw)
         return receiver
 
     def execute_async(self, func, *args, **kw):
@@ -310,8 +337,7 @@ class CoroutinePool(pools.Pool):
         >>> api.sleep(0)
         foo 1
         """
-        sender = self.get()
-        sender.send((None, func, args, kw))
+        self._execute(None, func, args, kw)
 
 
 class pipe(object):
diff --git a/eventlet/coros_test.py b/eventlet/coros_test.py
index 7a28d3e..30e6cfc 100644
--- a/eventlet/coros_test.py
+++ b/eventlet/coros_test.py
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ class TestCoroutinePool(tests.TestCase):
     mode = 'static'
     def setUp(self):
         # raise an exception if we're waiting forever
-        self._cancel_timeout = api.exc_after(1, RuntimeError())
+        self._cancel_timeout = api.exc_after(1, api.TimeoutError)
 
     def tearDown(self):
         self._cancel_timeout.cancel()
@@ -161,6 +161,24 @@ class TestCoroutinePool(tests.TestCase):
         t = worker.wait()
         api.sleep(0)
         self.assertEquals(t.cancelled, True)
+        
+    def test_reentrant(self):
+        pool = coros.CoroutinePool(0,1)
+        def reenter():
+            waiter = pool.execute(lambda a: a, 'reenter')
+            self.assertEqual('reenter', waiter.wait())
+
+        outer_waiter = pool.execute(reenter)
+        outer_waiter.wait()
+
+        evt = coros.event()
+        def reenter_async():
+            pool.execute_async(lambda a: a, 'reenter')
+            evt.send('done')
+        
+        pool.execute_async(reenter_async)
+        evt.wait()
+        
 
 class IncrActor(coros.Actor):
     def received(self, message):
@@ -229,10 +247,10 @@ class TestActor(tests.TestCase):
             if message == 'fail':
                 raise RuntimeError()
             else:
-                print "appending"
                 msgs.append(message)
                 
         self.actor.received = received
+        self.actor.excepted = lambda x: None
 
         self.actor.cast('fail')
         api.sleep(0)