diff --git a/python/devsup/util.py b/python/devsup/util.py
index 0d85424..effb83f 100644
--- a/python/devsup/util.py
+++ b/python/devsup/util.py
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 
 from __future__ import print_function
 import threading, traceback
+try:
+    import Queue as queue
+except ImportError:
+    import queue
 
 class StoppableThread(threading.Thread):
     """A thread which can be requested to stop.
@@ -20,7 +24,7 @@ class StoppableThread(threading.Thread):
     ...             time.sleep(0.01)
     >>> T = TestThread()
     >>> T.start()
-    >>> T.E.wait()
+    >>> T.E.wait(1.0)
     True
     >>> T.cur is T
     True
@@ -61,83 +65,72 @@ class Worker(threading.Thread):
     >>> w = Worker()
     >>> w.start()
     >>> w.add(E.set)
+    True
     >>> E.wait(1.0)
     True
     >>> w.join()
     """
+    StopWorker = object()
+
     def __init__(self, max=0):
         super(Worker, self).__init__()
-        self.__stop = None
+        self._Q = queue.Queue(maxsize=max)
+        self.__stop = False
         self.__lock = threading.Lock()
-        self.__update = threading.Condition(self.__lock)
-        self.maxQ, self._Q = max, []
 
 
     def join(self, flush=True):
-        self.__update.acquire()
-        try:
-            if self.__stop is not None:
-                raise RuntimeError("Someone else is already trying to stop me")
-
-            self.__stop = threading.Event()
-            self.__update.notify()
-
-            self.__update.release()
-            try:
-                self.__stop.wait()
-            finally:
-                self.__update.acquire()
-
-            self.__stop = None
-            
-            if flush:
-                self._Q = []
-
-        finally:
-            self.__update.release()
+        """Stop accepting new jobs and join the worker thread
+        
+        Blocks until currently queued work is complete.
+        """
+        with self.__lock:
+            self.__stop = True
+        self._Q.put((self.StopWorker,None,None))
+        super(Worker, self).join()
 
     def __len__(self):
-        with self.__lock:
-            return len(self._Q)
+        return self._Q.qsize()
 
-    def add(self, func, args=(), kws={}):
+    def add(self, func, args=(), kws={}, block=True):
+        """Attempt to send a job to the worker.
+        
+        :returns: True if the job was queued. False if the queue is full,
+          or has been joined.
+        
+        When ``block=True`` then this method will only return
+        False if the Worker has been joined.
+        """
         with self.__lock:
-            if self.__stop is not None:
-                return
-            elif self.maxQ>0 and len(self._Q)>=self.maxQ:
-                raise RuntimeError('Worker queue full')
-
-            self._Q.append((func,args,kws))
-            self.__update.notify()
+            if self.__stop is True:
+                return False
+        try:
+            self._Q.put((func,args,kws), block)
+            return True
+        except queue.Full:
+            return False
 
     def run(self):
-        self.__update.acquire()
+        Q = self._Q
+        block = True
         try:
-
             while True:
+                F, A, K = Q.get(block)
 
-                while self.__stop is None and len(self._Q)==0:
-                    self.__update.wait()
+                if F is self.StopWorker:
+                    block = False
+                    Q.task_done()
+                    continue
 
-                if self.__stop is not None:
-                    break
-
-                F, A, K = self._Q.pop(0)
-
-                self.__update.release()
                 try:
-                    F(*A,**K)
+                    F(*A, **K)
                 except:
                     print('Error running',F,A,K)
                     traceback.print_exc()
                 finally:
-                    self.__update.acquire()
-
-            self.__stop.set()
-        except:
-            traceback.print_exc()
-        finally:
-            self.__update.release()
+                    Q.task_done()
+        except queue.Empty:
+            pass # We are done now
 
 if __name__=='__main__':
     import doctest