diff --git a/jetty-util/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/util/thread/QueuedThreadPool.java b/jetty-util/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/util/thread/QueuedThreadPool.java
index d15d2c19a55..9cacfca2f31 100755
--- a/jetty-util/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/util/thread/QueuedThreadPool.java
+++ b/jetty-util/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/util/thread/QueuedThreadPool.java
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ public class QueuedThreadPool extends ContainerLifeCycle implements SizedThreadP
         else
         {
             // Make sure there is at least one thread executing the job.
-            if (getThreads() == 0)
+            if (getQueueSize() > 0 && getIdleThreads() == 0)
                 startThreads(1);
         }
     }
@@ -781,8 +781,11 @@ public class QueuedThreadPool extends ContainerLifeCycle implements SizedThreadP
                         }
 
                         job = idleJobPoll();
-                        if (job==SHRINK)
+                        if (job == SHRINK)
+                        {
+                            LOG.warn("shrinking {}", this);
                             break;
+                        }
                     }
 
                     // run job
diff --git a/jetty-util/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/util/thread/QueuedThreadPoolTest.java b/jetty-util/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/util/thread/QueuedThreadPoolTest.java
index 0199c7f0171..45711f94acf 100644
--- a/jetty-util/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/util/thread/QueuedThreadPoolTest.java
+++ b/jetty-util/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/util/thread/QueuedThreadPoolTest.java
@@ -167,6 +167,39 @@ public class QueuedThreadPoolTest extends AbstractThreadPoolTest
         waitForIdle(tp,2);
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testExecuteNoIdleThreads() throws Exception
+    {
+        QueuedThreadPool tp= new QueuedThreadPool();
+        tp.setDetailedDump(true);
+        tp.setMinThreads(3);
+        tp.setMaxThreads(10);
+        tp.setIdleTimeout(500);
+
+        tp.start();
+
+        RunningJob job1 = new RunningJob();
+        tp.execute(job1);
+
+        RunningJob job2 = new RunningJob();
+        tp.execute(job2);
+
+        RunningJob job3 = new RunningJob();
+        tp.execute(job3);
+
+        // make sure these jobs have started running
+        assertTrue(job1._run.await(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS));
+        assertTrue(job2._run.await(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS));
+        assertTrue(job3._run.await(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS));
+
+        waitForThreads(tp, 4);
+        waitForThreads(tp, 3);
+
+        RunningJob job4 = new RunningJob();
+        tp.execute(job4);
+        assertTrue(job4._run.await(5, TimeUnit.SECONDS));
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testLifeCycleStop() throws Exception
     {