diff --git a/lib/timers.js b/lib/timers.js
index c5592bf0a20..97e5830e6e6 100644
--- a/lib/timers.js
+++ b/lib/timers.js
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ var Timer = process.binding('timer_wrap').Timer;
 var L = require('_linklist');
 var assert = require('assert').ok;
 
+// Timeout values > TIMEOUT_MAX are set to 1.
+var TIMEOUT_MAX = 2147483647; // 2^31-1
+
 var debug;
 if (process.env.NODE_DEBUG && /timer/.test(process.env.NODE_DEBUG)) {
   debug = function() { require('util').error.apply(this, arguments); };
@@ -162,43 +165,35 @@ exports.active = function(item) {
 exports.setTimeout = function(callback, after) {
   var timer;
 
-  if (after <= 0) {
-    // Use the slow case for after == 0
-    timer = new Timer();
-    timer._callback = callback;
-
-    if (arguments.length <= 2) {
-      timer._onTimeout = function() {
-        this._callback();
-        this.close();
-      }
-    } else {
-      var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 2);
-      timer._onTimeout = function() {
-        this._callback.apply(timer, args);
-        this.close();
-      }
-    }
-
-    timer.ontimeout = timer._onTimeout;
-    timer.start(0, 0);
-  } else {
-    timer = { _idleTimeout: after };
-    timer._idlePrev = timer;
-    timer._idleNext = timer;
-
-    if (arguments.length <= 2) {
-      timer._onTimeout = callback;
-    } else {
-      var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 2);
-      timer._onTimeout = function() {
-        callback.apply(timer, args);
-      }
-    }
-
-    exports.active(timer);
+  after = ~~after;
+  if (after < 1 || after > TIMEOUT_MAX) {
+    after = 1; // schedule on next tick, follows browser behaviour
   }
 
+  timer = { _idleTimeout: after };
+  timer._idlePrev = timer;
+  timer._idleNext = timer;
+
+  if (arguments.length <= 2) {
+    timer._onTimeout = callback;
+  } else {
+    /*
+     * Sometimes setTimeout is called with arguments, EG
+     *
+     *   setTimeout(callback, 2000, "hello", "world")
+     *
+     * If that's the case we need to call the callback with
+     * those args. The overhead of an extra closure is not
+     * desired in the normal case.
+     */
+    var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 2);
+    timer._onTimeout = function() {
+      callback.apply(timer, args);
+    }
+  }
+
+  exports.active(timer);
+
   return timer;
 };
 
@@ -218,12 +213,17 @@ exports.clearTimeout = function(timer) {
 exports.setInterval = function(callback, repeat) {
   var timer = new Timer();
 
+  repeat = ~~repeat;
+  if (repeat < 1 || repeat > TIMEOUT_MAX) {
+    repeat = 1; // schedule on next tick, follows browser behaviour
+  }
+
   var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 2);
   timer.ontimeout = function() {
     callback.apply(timer, args);
   }
 
-  timer.start(repeat, repeat ? repeat : 1);
+  timer.start(repeat, repeat);
   return timer;
 };
 
diff --git a/test/simple/test-timers.js b/test/simple/test-timers.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..51e251e1738
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/simple/test-timers.js
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+// Copyright Joyent, Inc. and other Node contributors.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+// copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+// "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+// without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+// distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit
+// persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the
+// following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+// in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+// OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+// MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN
+// NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
+// DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR
+// OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE
+// USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+var common = require('../common');
+var assert = require('assert');
+
+var inputs = [
+  undefined,
+  null,
+  true,
+  false,
+  '',
+  [],
+  {},
+  NaN,
+  +Infinity,
+  -Infinity,
+  (1.0 / 0.0),      // sanity check
+  parseFloat('x'),  // NaN
+  -10,
+  -1,
+  -0.5,
+  -0.0,
+  0,
+  0.0,
+  0.5,
+  1,
+  1.0,
+  10,
+  2147483648 // browser behaviour: timeouts > 2^31-1 run on next tick
+];
+
+var timeouts = [];
+var intervals = [];
+
+inputs.forEach(function(value, index) {
+  setTimeout(function() {
+    timeouts[index] = true;
+  }, value);
+
+  var handle = setInterval(function() {
+    clearInterval(handle); // disarm timer or we'll never finish
+    intervals[index] = true;
+  }, value);
+});
+
+process.on('exit', function() {
+  // assert that all timers have run
+  inputs.forEach(function(value, index) {
+    assert.equal(true, timeouts[index]);
+    assert.equal(true, intervals[index]);
+  });
+});