diff --git a/pool.go b/pool.go
index 8a99e3ad..bca4d196 100644
--- a/pool.go
+++ b/pool.go
@@ -115,12 +115,7 @@ func newConnPool(dial func() (*conn, error), opt *options) *connPool {
 }
 
 func (p *connPool) new() (*conn, error) {
-	select {
-	case _, ok := <-p.rl.C:
-		if !ok {
-			return nil, errClosed
-		}
-	default:
+	if !p.rl.Check() {
 		return nil, errRateLimited
 	}
 	return p.dial()
@@ -263,7 +258,7 @@ func (p *connPool) Close() error {
 		return nil
 	}
 	p.closed = true
-	close(p.rl.C)
+	p.rl.Close()
 	var retErr error
 	for {
 		e := p.conns.Front()
diff --git a/rate_limit.go b/rate_limit.go
index 2534ddc4..a046648c 100644
--- a/rate_limit.go
+++ b/rate_limit.go
@@ -1,33 +1,52 @@
 package redis
 
 import (
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 )
 
 type rateLimiter struct {
-	C chan struct{}
+	v int64
+
+	_closed int64
 }
 
-func newRateLimiter(limit time.Duration, chanSize int) *rateLimiter {
+func newRateLimiter(limit time.Duration, bucketSize int) *rateLimiter {
 	rl := &rateLimiter{
-		C: make(chan struct{}, chanSize),
+		v: int64(bucketSize),
 	}
-	for i := 0; i < chanSize; i++ {
-		rl.C <- struct{}{}
-	}
-	go rl.loop(limit)
+	go rl.loop(limit, int64(bucketSize))
 	return rl
 }
 
-func (rl *rateLimiter) loop(limit time.Duration) {
-	defer func() {
-		recover()
-	}()
+func (rl *rateLimiter) loop(limit time.Duration, bucketSize int64) {
 	for {
-		select {
-		case rl.C <- struct{}{}:
-		default:
+		if rl.closed() {
+			break
+		}
+		if v := atomic.LoadInt64(&rl.v); v < bucketSize {
+			atomic.AddInt64(&rl.v, 1)
 		}
 		time.Sleep(limit)
 	}
 }
+
+func (rl *rateLimiter) Check() bool {
+	for {
+		if v := atomic.LoadInt64(&rl.v); v > 0 {
+			if atomic.CompareAndSwapInt64(&rl.v, v, v-1) {
+				return true
+			}
+		}
+		return false
+	}
+}
+
+func (rl *rateLimiter) Close() error {
+	atomic.StoreInt64(&rl._closed, 1)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (rl *rateLimiter) closed() bool {
+	return atomic.LoadInt64(&rl._closed) == 1
+}
diff --git a/redis_test.go b/redis_test.go
index b1d58037..877be34e 100644
--- a/redis_test.go
+++ b/redis_test.go
@@ -2833,14 +2833,16 @@ func (t *RedisTest) transactionalIncr(c *C) ([]redis.Cmder, error) {
 }
 
 func (t *RedisTest) TestWatchUnwatch(c *C) {
-	const N = 10000
+	var n = 10000
+	if testing.Short() {
+		n = 1000
+	}
 
 	set := t.client.Set("key", "0")
 	c.Assert(set.Err(), IsNil)
-	c.Assert(set.Val(), Equals, "OK")
 
 	wg := &sync.WaitGroup{}
-	for i := 0; i < N; i++ {
+	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
 		wg.Add(1)
 		go func() {
 			defer wg.Done()
@@ -2858,19 +2860,22 @@ func (t *RedisTest) TestWatchUnwatch(c *C) {
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
 
-	get := t.client.Get("key")
-	c.Assert(get.Err(), IsNil)
-	c.Assert(get.Val(), Equals, strconv.FormatInt(N, 10))
+	val, err := t.client.Get("key").Int64()
+	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+	c.Assert(val, Equals, int64(n))
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 func (t *RedisTest) TestRaceEcho(c *C) {
-	const N = 10000
+	var n = 10000
+	if testing.Short() {
+		n = 1000
+	}
 
 	wg := &sync.WaitGroup{}
-	wg.Add(N)
-	for i := 0; i < N; i++ {
+	wg.Add(n)
+	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
 		go func(i int) {
 			msg := "echo" + strconv.Itoa(i)
 			echo := t.client.Echo(msg)
@@ -2883,14 +2888,16 @@ func (t *RedisTest) TestRaceEcho(c *C) {
 }
 
 func (t *RedisTest) TestRaceIncr(c *C) {
-	const N = 10000
-	key := "TestIncrFromGoroutines"
+	var n = 10000
+	if testing.Short() {
+		n = 1000
+	}
 
 	wg := &sync.WaitGroup{}
-	wg.Add(N)
-	for i := int64(0); i < N; i++ {
+	wg.Add(n)
+	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
 		go func() {
-			incr := t.client.Incr(key)
+			incr := t.client.Incr("TestRaceIncr")
 			if err := incr.Err(); err != nil {
 				panic(err)
 			}
@@ -2899,9 +2906,9 @@ func (t *RedisTest) TestRaceIncr(c *C) {
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
 
-	get := t.client.Get(key)
-	c.Assert(get.Err(), IsNil)
-	c.Assert(get.Val(), Equals, strconv.Itoa(N))
+	val, err := t.client.Get("TestRaceIncr").Result()
+	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+	c.Assert(val, Equals, strconv.Itoa(n))
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------