diff --git a/nsq/async.py b/nsq/async.py
index 613bd7c..1585625 100644
--- a/nsq/async.py
+++ b/nsq/async.py
@@ -391,6 +391,11 @@ def _on_data(self, data, **kwargs):
             self.trigger('error', conn=self, error=nsq.Error(data))
 
     def _on_message_requeue(self, message, backoff=True, time_ms=-1, **kwargs):
+        if backoff:
+            self.trigger('backoff', conn=self)
+        else:
+            self.trigger('continue', conn=self)
+
         self.in_flight -= 1
         try:
             time_ms = self.requeue_delay * message.attempts * 1000 if time_ms < 0 else time_ms
@@ -400,12 +405,9 @@ def _on_message_requeue(self, message, backoff=True, time_ms=-1, **kwargs):
             self.trigger('error', conn=self, error=nsq.SendError(
                 'failed to send REQ %s @ %d' % (message.id, time_ms), e))
 
-        if backoff:
-            self.trigger('backoff', conn=self)
-        else:
-            self.trigger('continue', conn=self)
-
     def _on_message_finish(self, message, **kwargs):
+        self.trigger('resume', conn=self)
+
         self.in_flight -= 1
         try:
             self.send(nsq.finish(message.id))
@@ -414,8 +416,6 @@ def _on_message_finish(self, message, **kwargs):
             self.trigger('error', conn=self,
                          error=nsq.SendError('failed to send FIN %s' % message.id, e))
 
-        self.trigger('resume', conn=self)
-
     def _on_message_touch(self, message, **kwargs):
         try:
             self.send(nsq.touch(message.id))
diff --git a/tests/test_backoff.py b/tests/test_backoff.py
index f2f8f24..00235c4 100644
--- a/tests/test_backoff.py
+++ b/tests/test_backoff.py
@@ -84,10 +84,14 @@ def test_backoff_easy():
 
     expected_args = [
         'SUB test test\n',
-        'RDY 1\n', 'RDY 5\n',
-        'FIN 1234\n', 'REQ 1234 0\n',
-        'RDY 0\n', 'RDY 1\n',
-        'FIN 1234\n', 'RDY 5\n'
+        'RDY 1\n',
+        'RDY 5\n',
+        'FIN 1234\n',
+        'RDY 0\n',
+        'REQ 1234 0\n',
+        'RDY 1\n',
+        'RDY 5\n',
+        'FIN 1234\n'
     ]
     assert conn.stream.write.call_args_list == [((arg,),) for arg in expected_args]
 
@@ -124,15 +128,21 @@ def test_backoff_out_of_order():
 
     expected_args = [
         'SUB test test\n',
-        'RDY 1\n', 'RDY 2\n',
-        'FIN 1234\n', 'REQ 1234 0\n',
-        'RDY 0\n', 'FIN 1234\n', 'RDY 2\n'
+        'RDY 1\n',
+        'RDY 2\n',
+        'FIN 1234\n',
+        'RDY 0\n',
+        'REQ 1234 0\n',
+        'FIN 1234\n',
+        'RDY 2\n',
     ]
     assert conn1.stream.write.call_args_list == [((arg,),) for arg in expected_args]
 
     expected_args = [
         'SUB test test\n',
-        'RDY 1\n', 'RDY 0\n', 'RDY 2\n'
+        'RDY 1\n',
+        'RDY 0\n',
+        'RDY 2\n'
     ]
     assert conn2.stream.write.call_args_list == [((arg,),) for arg in expected_args]
 
@@ -189,14 +199,14 @@ def test_backoff_requeue_recovery():
         'RDY 1\n',
         'RDY 2\n',
         'FIN 1234\n',
-        'REQ 1234 0\n',
         'RDY 0\n',
-        'RDY 1\n',
         'REQ 1234 0\n',
+        'RDY 1\n',
         'RDY 0\n',
+        'REQ 1234 0\n',
         'RDY 1\n',
-        'FIN 1234\n',
         'RDY 2\n',
+        'FIN 1234\n'
     ]
     assert conn.stream.write.call_args_list == [((arg,),) for arg in expected_args]
 
@@ -218,14 +228,14 @@ def test_backoff_hard():
             msg.trigger('requeue', message=msg)
             num_fails += 1
 
-            expected_args.append('REQ 1234 0\n')
             expected_args.append('RDY 0\n')
+            expected_args.append('REQ 1234 0\n')
         else:
             msg.trigger('finish', message=msg)
             num_fails -= 1
 
-            expected_args.append('FIN 1234\n')
             expected_args.append('RDY 0\n')
+            expected_args.append('FIN 1234\n')
 
         assert r.backoff_block is True
         assert r.backoff_timer.get_interval() > 0
@@ -246,19 +256,19 @@ def test_backoff_hard():
         msg = _send_message(conn)
 
         msg.trigger('finish', message=msg)
+        expected_args.append('RDY 0\n')
         expected_args.append('FIN 1234\n')
         timeout_args, timeout_kwargs = mock_ioloop.add_timeout.call_args
         if timeout_args[0] != last_timeout_time:
             timeout_args[1]()
             last_timeout_time = timeout_args[0]
-        expected_args.append('RDY 0\n')
         expected_args.append('RDY 1\n')
 
     msg = _send_message(conn)
 
     msg.trigger('finish', message=msg)
-    expected_args.append('FIN 1234\n')
     expected_args.append('RDY 5\n')
+    expected_args.append('FIN 1234\n')
 
     assert r.backoff_block is False
     assert r.backoff_timer.get_interval() == 0
@@ -295,17 +305,17 @@ def test_backoff_many_conns():
             total_fails += 1
             conn.fails += 1
 
-            conn.expected_args.append('REQ 1234 0\n')
             for c in conns:
                 c.expected_args.append('RDY 0\n')
+            conn.expected_args.append('REQ 1234 0\n')
         else:
             msg.trigger('finish', message=msg)
             total_fails -= 1
             conn.fails -= 1
 
-            conn.expected_args.append('FIN 1234\n')
             for c in conns:
                 c.expected_args.append('RDY 0\n')
+            conn.expected_args.append('FIN 1234\n')
 
         assert r.backoff_block is True
         assert r.backoff_timer.get_interval() > 0
@@ -323,7 +333,7 @@ def test_backoff_many_conns():
             fail = False
 
     while total_fails:
-        print "%r: %d fails (%d total_fails)" % (conn, c.fails, total_fails)
+        print "%r: %d fails (%d total_fails)" % (conn, conn.fails, total_fails)
 
         if not conn.fails:
             # force an idle connection
@@ -341,6 +351,13 @@ def test_backoff_many_conns():
         total_fails -= 1
         conn.fails -= 1
 
+        if total_fails > 0:
+            for c in conns:
+                c.expected_args.append('RDY 0\n')
+        else:
+            for c in conns:
+                c.expected_args.append('RDY 1\n')
+
         conn.expected_args.append('FIN 1234\n')
 
         timeout_args, timeout_kwargs = mock_ioloop.add_timeout.call_args
@@ -349,12 +366,7 @@ def test_backoff_many_conns():
             last_timeout_time = timeout_args[0]
 
         if total_fails > 0:
-            for c in conns:
-                c.expected_args.append('RDY 0\n')
             conn.expected_args.append('RDY 1\n')
-        else:
-            for c in conns:
-                c.expected_args.append('RDY 1\n')
 
     assert r.backoff_block is False
     assert r.backoff_timer.get_interval() == 0
@@ -410,17 +422,17 @@ def test_backoff_conns_disconnect():
             total_fails += 1
             conn.fails += 1
 
-            conn.expected_args.append('REQ 1234 0\n')
             for c in conns:
                 c.expected_args.append('RDY 0\n')
+            conn.expected_args.append('REQ 1234 0\n')
         else:
             msg.trigger('finish', message=msg)
             total_fails -= 1
             conn.fails -= 1
 
-            conn.expected_args.append('FIN 1234\n')
             for c in conns:
                 c.expected_args.append('RDY 0\n')
+            conn.expected_args.append('FIN 1234\n')
 
         assert r.backoff_block is True
         assert r.backoff_timer.get_interval() > 0
@@ -438,12 +450,20 @@ def test_backoff_conns_disconnect():
             fail = False
 
     while total_fails:
-        print "%r: %d fails (%d total_fails)" % (conn, c.fails, total_fails)
+        print "%r: %d fails (%d total_fails)" % (conn, conn.fails, total_fails)
 
         msg = _send_message(conn)
 
         msg.trigger('finish', message=msg)
         total_fails -= 1
+        conn.fails -= 1
+
+        if total_fails > 0:
+            for c in conns:
+                c.expected_args.append('RDY 0\n')
+        else:
+            for c in conns:
+                c.expected_args.append('RDY 1\n')
 
         conn.expected_args.append('FIN 1234\n')
 
@@ -453,12 +473,7 @@ def test_backoff_conns_disconnect():
             last_timeout_time = timeout_args[0]
 
         if total_fails > 0:
-            for c in conns:
-                c.expected_args.append('RDY 0\n')
             conn.expected_args.append('RDY 1\n')
-        else:
-            for c in conns:
-                c.expected_args.append('RDY 1\n')
 
     assert r.backoff_block is False
     assert r.backoff_timer.get_interval() == 0