diff --git a/lib/internal/child_process.js b/lib/internal/child_process.js
index abd4b16d120dc3..68dd1145d32630 100644
--- a/lib/internal/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/internal/child_process.js
@@ -645,16 +645,15 @@ function setupChannel(target, channel) {
           obj.postSend(handle, options, target);
       }
 
-      req.oncomplete = function() {
-        if (this.async === true)
+      if (req.async) {
+        req.oncomplete = function() {
           control.unref();
-        if (typeof callback === 'function')
-          callback(null);
-      };
-      if (req.async === true) {
+          if (typeof callback === 'function')
+            callback(null);
+        };
         control.ref();
-      } else {
-        process.nextTick(function() { req.oncomplete(); });
+      } else if (typeof callback === 'function') {
+        process.nextTick(callback, null);
       }
     } else {
       // Cleanup handle on error