diff --git a/src/tm-threads.c b/src/tm-threads.c
index d9c5160784..21b40bad6e 100644
--- a/src/tm-threads.c
+++ b/src/tm-threads.c
@@ -447,6 +447,17 @@ static void *TmThreadsSlotVar(void *td)
         /* input a packet */
         p = tv->tmqh_in(tv);
 
+        /* if we didn't get a packet see if we need to do some housekeeping */
+        if (unlikely(p == NULL)) {
+            if (tv->flow_queue && SC_ATOMIC_GET(tv->flow_queue->non_empty) == true) {
+                p = PacketGetFromQueueOrAlloc();
+                if (p != NULL) {
+                    p->flags |= PKT_PSEUDO_STREAM_END;
+                    PKT_SET_SRC(p, PKT_SRC_CAPTURE_TIMEOUT);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         if (p != NULL) {
             /* run the thread module(s) */
             r = TmThreadsSlotVarRun(tv, p, s);
diff --git a/src/tm-threads.h b/src/tm-threads.h
index 76e13d9795..91cf9bbb47 100644
--- a/src/tm-threads.h
+++ b/src/tm-threads.h
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ static inline void TmThreadsSlotProcessPktFail(ThreadVars *tv, TmSlot *s, Packet
  *         manager.
  *  \param s pipeline to run on these packets.
  */
-static inline void TmThreadsHandleInjectedPackets(ThreadVars *tv)
+static inline bool TmThreadsHandleInjectedPackets(ThreadVars *tv)
 {
     PacketQueue *pq = tv->stream_pq_local;
     if (pq && pq->len > 0) {
@@ -176,6 +176,9 @@ static inline void TmThreadsHandleInjectedPackets(ThreadVars *tv)
             }
             tv->tmqh_out(tv, extra_p);
         }
+        return true;
+    } else {
+        return false;
     }
 }
 
@@ -221,18 +224,34 @@ static inline void TmThreadsCaptureInjectPacket(ThreadVars *tv, Packet *p)
     }
 }
 
+/** \brief handle capture timeout
+ *  When a capture method times out we check for house keeping
+ *  tasks in the capture thread.
+ *
+ *  \param p packet. Capture method may have taken a packet from
+ *           the pool prior to the timing out call. We will then
+ *           use that packet. Otherwise we can get our own.
+ */
 static inline void TmThreadsCaptureHandleTimeout(ThreadVars *tv, Packet *p)
 {
     if (TmThreadsCheckFlag(tv, THV_CAPTURE_INJECT_PKT)) {
-        TmThreadsCaptureInjectPacket(tv, p);
-    } else {
-        TmThreadsHandleInjectedPackets(tv);
+        TmThreadsCaptureInjectPacket(tv, p); /* consumes 'p' */
+        return;
 
-        /* packet could have been passed to us that we won't use
-         * return it to the pool. */
-        if (p != NULL)
-            tv->tmqh_out(tv, p);
+    } else {
+        if (TmThreadsHandleInjectedPackets(tv) == false) {
+            /* see if we have to do some house keeping */
+            if (tv->flow_queue && SC_ATOMIC_GET(tv->flow_queue->non_empty) == true) {
+                TmThreadsCaptureInjectPacket(tv, p); /* consumes 'p' */
+                return;
+            }
+        }
     }
+
+    /* packet could have been passed to us that we won't use
+     * return it to the pool. */
+    if (p != NULL)
+        tv->tmqh_out(tv, p);
 }
 
 void TmThreadsListThreads(void);