diff --git a/gst/gstsystemclock.c b/gst/gstsystemclock.c
index bc4fe2b05d..b65c0d877b 100644
--- a/gst/gstsystemclock.c
+++ b/gst/gstsystemclock.c
@@ -374,6 +374,7 @@ gst_system_clock_async_thread (GstClock * clock)
     /* if it was unscheduled, just move on to the next entry */
     if (entry->status == GST_CLOCK_UNSCHEDULED) {
       GST_CAT_DEBUG (GST_CAT_CLOCK, "entry %p was unscheduled", entry);
+      gst_system_clock_clear_async_wakeups_unlocked (sysclock);
       goto next_entry;
     }
 
@@ -407,6 +408,7 @@ gst_system_clock_async_thread (GstClock * clock)
           gst_system_clock_clear_async_wakeups_unlocked (sysclock);
         }
         if (entry->type == GST_CLOCK_ENTRY_PERIODIC) {
+          GST_CAT_DEBUG (GST_CAT_CLOCK, "updating periodic entry %p", entry);
           /* adjust time now */
           entry->time = requested + entry->interval;
           /* and resort the list now */
@@ -426,6 +428,13 @@ gst_system_clock_async_thread (GstClock * clock)
         GST_CAT_DEBUG (GST_CAT_CLOCK, "async entry %p needs restart", entry);
         /* clear async wakeups, if any */
         gst_system_clock_clear_async_wakeups_unlocked (sysclock);
+
+        if (clock->entries->data != entry) {
+          /* if the new head is not this entry, we set the entry back to the OK
+           * state. This is needed so that the _unschedule() code can see if an
+           * entry is currently being waited on (when its state is BUSY). */
+          entry->status = GST_CLOCK_OK;
+        }
         continue;
       default:
         GST_CAT_DEBUG (GST_CAT_CLOCK,
diff --git a/tests/check/gst/gstsystemclock.c b/tests/check/gst/gstsystemclock.c
index 52406e0591..53cb5779b1 100644
--- a/tests/check/gst/gstsystemclock.c
+++ b/tests/check/gst/gstsystemclock.c
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_single_shot)
   GST_DEBUG ("waiting id %p", id);
   result = gst_clock_id_wait_async (id, ok_callback, NULL);
   fail_unless (result == GST_CLOCK_OK, "Waiting did not return OK");
+
   GST_DEBUG ("waiting id %p", id2);
   result = gst_clock_id_wait_async (id2, error_callback, NULL);
   fail_unless (result == GST_CLOCK_OK, "Waiting did not return OK");
@@ -177,9 +178,11 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_single_shot)
   gst_clock_id_unschedule (id2);
   GST_DEBUG ("canceled id %p", id2);
   gst_clock_id_unref (id2);
-  g_usleep (TIME_UNIT / (2 * 1000));
 
-  gst_clock_id_unschedule (id);
+  /* wait for the entry to time out */
+  g_usleep (TIME_UNIT / 1000 * 5);
+  fail_unless (((GstClockEntry *) id)->status == GST_CLOCK_OK,
+      "Waiting did not finish");
   gst_clock_id_unref (id);
 
   gst_object_unref (clock);