diff --git a/lib/sidekiq/cli.rb b/lib/sidekiq/cli.rb
index ffa18ba0..4cc516f4 100644
--- a/lib/sidekiq/cli.rb
+++ b/lib/sidekiq/cli.rb
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-$sidekiq_signals = []
+$self_read, $self_write = IO.pipe
 
 # Signal handlers should do as little as humanly possible
 # and defer all work to a non-trap context.  We'll have
 # the main thread poll for signals and handle them there.
 %w(INT TERM USR1 USR2 TTIN).each do |sig|
   trap sig do
-    $sidekiq_signals << sig
+    $self_write.puts(sig)
   end
 end
 
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ module Sidekiq
         end
         launcher.run
 
-        while true
-          handle_signals
-          sleep 1
+        while readable_io = IO.select([$self_read])
+          signal = readable_io.first[0].gets.strip
+          handle_signal(signal)
         end
       rescue Interrupt
         logger.info 'Shutting down'
@@ -82,40 +82,38 @@ module Sidekiq
       end
     end
 
-    def handle_signals
-      while sig = $sidekiq_signals.shift
-        Sidekiq.logger.debug "Got #{sig} signal"
-        case sig
-        when 'INT'
-          if Sidekiq.options[:profile]
-            result = RubyProf.stop
-            printer = RubyProf::GraphHtmlPrinter.new(result)
-            File.open("profile.html", 'w') do |f|
-              printer.print(f, :min_percent => 1)
-            end
+    def handle_signal(sig)
+      Sidekiq.logger.debug "Got #{sig} signal"
+      case sig
+      when 'INT'
+        if Sidekiq.options[:profile]
+          result = RubyProf.stop
+          printer = RubyProf::GraphHtmlPrinter.new(result)
+          File.open("profile.html", 'w') do |f|
+            printer.print(f, :min_percent => 1)
           end
-          # Handle Ctrl-C in JRuby like MRI
-          # http://jira.codehaus.org/browse/JRUBY-4637
-          raise Interrupt
-        when 'TERM'
-          # Heroku sends TERM and then waits 10 seconds for process to exit.
-          raise Interrupt
-        when 'USR1'
-          Sidekiq.logger.info "Received USR1, no longer accepting new work"
-          launcher.manager.async.stop
-        when 'USR2'
-          if Sidekiq.options[:logfile]
-            Sidekiq.logger.info "Received USR2, reopening log file"
-            Sidekiq::Logging.initialize_logger(Sidekiq.options[:logfile])
-          end
-        when 'TTIN'
-          Thread.list.each do |thread|
-            Sidekiq.logger.info "Thread TID-#{thread.object_id.to_s(36)} #{thread['label']}"
-            if thread.backtrace
-              Sidekiq.logger.info thread.backtrace.join("\n")
-            else
-              Sidekiq.logger.info "<no backtrace available>"
-            end
+        end
+        # Handle Ctrl-C in JRuby like MRI
+        # http://jira.codehaus.org/browse/JRUBY-4637
+        raise Interrupt
+      when 'TERM'
+        # Heroku sends TERM and then waits 10 seconds for process to exit.
+        raise Interrupt
+      when 'USR1'
+        Sidekiq.logger.info "Received USR1, no longer accepting new work"
+        launcher.manager.async.stop
+      when 'USR2'
+        if Sidekiq.options[:logfile]
+          Sidekiq.logger.info "Received USR2, reopening log file"
+          Sidekiq::Logging.initialize_logger(Sidekiq.options[:logfile])
+        end
+      when 'TTIN'
+        Thread.list.each do |thread|
+          Sidekiq.logger.info "Thread TID-#{thread.object_id.to_s(36)} #{thread['label']}"
+          if thread.backtrace
+            Sidekiq.logger.info thread.backtrace.join("\n")
+          else
+            Sidekiq.logger.info "<no backtrace available>"
           end
         end
       end