diff --git a/lib/client.js b/lib/client.js
index 5f18b63..2a8972b 100644
--- a/lib/client.js
+++ b/lib/client.js
@@ -66,10 +66,18 @@ p.connect = function() {
     con.password(md5password);
   });
 
-  con.on('readyForQuery', function() {
-    self.readyForQuery = true;
-    this.activeQuery = null;
-    self.pulseQueryQueue();
+  con.once('readyForQuery', function() {
+    //hook up query handling events to connection
+    //after the connection initially becomes ready for queries
+    var ready = function() {
+      self.readyForQuery = true;
+      this.activeQuery = null;
+      self.pulseQueryQueue();
+    };
+
+    con.on('readyForQuery', ready);
+    ready();
+
   });
 
   con.on('error', function(error) {