diff --git a/prompt_toolkit/eventloop/posix.py b/prompt_toolkit/eventloop/posix.py
index f2db862ba..0262f4d6d 100644
--- a/prompt_toolkit/eventloop/posix.py
+++ b/prompt_toolkit/eventloop/posix.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 from .inputhook import InputHookContext
 from .posix_utils import PosixStdinReader
 from .utils import TimeIt
-from .select import select_fds
+from .select import AutoSelector, Selector, fd_to_int
 
 __all__ = (
     'PosixEventLoop',
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ class PosixEventLoop(EventLoop):
     """
     Event loop for posix systems (Linux, Mac os X).
     """
-    def __init__(self, inputhook=None):
+    def __init__(self, inputhook=None, selector=AutoSelector):
         assert inputhook is None or callable(inputhook)
+        assert issubclass(selector, Selector)
 
         self.running = False
         self.closed = False
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ def __init__(self, inputhook=None):
 
         self._calls_from_executor = []
         self._read_fds = {} # Maps fd to handler.
+        self.selector = selector()
 
         # Create a pipe for inter thread communication.
         self._schedule_pipe = os.pipe()
@@ -188,8 +190,7 @@ def _ready_for_reading(self, timeout=None):
         """
         Return the file descriptors that are ready for reading.
         """
-        read_fds = list(self._read_fds.keys())
-        fds = select_fds(read_fds, timeout)
+        fds = self.selector.select(timeout)
         return fds
 
     def received_winch(self):
@@ -267,13 +268,19 @@ def close(self):
 
     def add_reader(self, fd, callback):
         " Add read file descriptor to the event loop. "
+        fd = fd_to_int(fd)
         self._read_fds[fd] = callback
+        self.selector.register(fd)
 
     def remove_reader(self, fd):
         " Remove read file descriptor from the event loop. "
+        fd = fd_to_int(fd)
+
         if fd in self._read_fds:
             del self._read_fds[fd]
 
+        self.selector.unregister(fd)
+
 
 class call_on_sigwinch(object):
     """
diff --git a/prompt_toolkit/eventloop/select.py b/prompt_toolkit/eventloop/select.py
index ae4fde492..f678f84c5 100644
--- a/prompt_toolkit/eventloop/select.py
+++ b/prompt_toolkit/eventloop/select.py
@@ -1,105 +1,216 @@
+"""
+Selectors for the Posix event loop.
+"""
 from __future__ import unicode_literals, absolute_import
 import sys
-import select
+import abc
 import errno
+import select
+import six
 
 __all__ = (
-    'select_fds',
+    'AutoSelector',
+    'PollSelector',
+    'SelectSelector',
+    'Selector',
+    'fd_to_int',
 )
 
-def _fd_to_int(fd):
+def fd_to_int(fd):
+    assert isinstance(fd, int) or hasattr(fd, 'fileno')
+
     if isinstance(fd, int):
         return fd
     else:
         return fd.fileno()
 
 
-def select_fds(read_fds, timeout):
-    """
-    Wait for a list of file descriptors (`read_fds`) to become ready for
-    reading. This chooses the most appropriate select-tool for use in
-    prompt-toolkit.
+class Selector(six.with_metaclass(abc.ABCMeta, object)):
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def register(self, fd):
+        assert isinstance(fd, int)
 
-    Note: This is an internal API that shouldn't be used for external projects.
-    """
-    # Map to ensure that we return the objects that were passed in originally.
-    # Whether they are a fd integer or an object that has a fileno().
-    # (The 'poll' implementation for instance, returns always integers.)
-    fd_map = dict((_fd_to_int(fd), fd) for fd in read_fds)
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def unregister(self, fd):
+        assert isinstance(fd, int)
 
-    # Use of the 'select' module, that was introduced in Python3.4. We don't
-    # use it before 3.5 however, because this is the point where this module
-    # retries interrupted system calls.
-    if sys.version_info >= (3, 5):
-        try:
-            result = _python3_selectors(read_fds, timeout)
-        except PermissionError:
-            # We had a situation (in pypager) where epoll raised a
-            # PermissionError when a local file descriptor was registered,
-            # however poll and select worked fine. So, in that case, just try
-            # using select below.
-            result = None
-    else:
-        result = None
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def select(self, timeout):
+        pass
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def close(self):
+        pass
+
+
+class AutoSelector(Selector):
+    def __init__(self):
+        self._fds = []
+
+        self._select_selector = SelectSelector()
+        self._selectors = [self._select_selector]
+
+        # When 'select.poll' exists, create a PollSelector.
+        if hasattr(select, 'poll'):
+            self._poll_selector = PollSelector()
+            self._selectors.append(self._poll_selector)
+        else:
+            self._poll_selector = None
+
+        # Use of the 'select' module, that was introduced in Python3.4. We don't
+        # use it before 3.5 however, because this is the point where this module
+        # retries interrupted system calls.
+        if sys.version_info >= (3, 5):
+            self._py3_selector = Python3Selector()
+            self._selectors.append(self._py3_selector)
+        else:
+            self._py3_selector = None
+
+    def register(self, fd):
+        assert isinstance(fd, int)
+
+        self._fds.append(fd)
+
+        for sel in self._selectors:
+            sel.register(fd)
+
+    def unregister(self, fd):
+        assert isinstance(fd, int)
+
+        self._fds.remove(fd)
+
+        for sel in self._selectors:
+            sel.unregister(fd)
+
+    def select(self, timeout):
+        # Try Python 3 selector first.
+        if self._py3_selector:
+            try:
+                return self._py3_selector.select(timeout)
+            except PermissionError:
+                # We had a situation (in pypager) where epoll raised a
+                # PermissionError when a local file descriptor was registered,
+                # however poll and select worked fine. So, in that case, just
+                # try using select below.
+                pass
 
-    if result is None:
         try:
-            # First, try the 'select' module. This is the most universal, and
-            # powerful enough in our case.
-            result = _select(read_fds, timeout)
+            # Prefer 'select.select', if we don't have much file descriptors.
+            # This is more universal.
+            return self._select_selector.select(timeout)
         except ValueError:
             # When we have more than 1024 open file descriptors, we'll always
             # get a "ValueError: filedescriptor out of range in select()" for
-            # 'select'. In this case, retry, using 'poll' instead.
-            result = _poll(read_fds, timeout)
+            # 'select'. In this case, try, using 'poll' instead.
+            if self._poll_selector is not None:
+                return self._poll_selector.select(timeout)
+            else:
+                raise
 
-    return [fd_map[_fd_to_int(fd)] for fd in result]
+    def close(self):
+        for sel in self._selectors:
+            sel.close()
 
 
-def _python3_selectors(read_fds, timeout):
+class Python3Selector(Selector):
     """
     Use of the Python3 'selectors' module.
 
     NOTE: Only use on Python 3.5 or newer!
     """
-    import selectors  # Inline import: Python3 only!
-    sel = selectors.DefaultSelector()
+    def __init__(self):
+        assert sys.version_info >= (3, 5)
 
-    for fd in read_fds:
-        sel.register(fd, selectors.EVENT_READ, None)
+        import selectors  # Inline import: Python3 only!
+        self._sel = selectors.DefaultSelector()
 
-    events = sel.select(timeout=timeout)
-    try:
+    def register(self, fd):
+        assert isinstance(fd, int)
+        import selectors  # Inline import: Python3 only!
+        self._sel.register(fd, selectors.EVENT_READ, None)
+
+    def unregister(self, fd):
+        assert isinstance(fd, int)
+        self._sel.unregister(fd)
+
+    def select(self, timeout):
+        events = self._sel.select(timeout=timeout)
         return [key.fileobj for key, mask in events]
-    finally:
-        sel.close()
 
+    def close(self):
+        self._sel.close()
 
-def _poll(read_fds, timeout):
-    """
-    Use 'poll', to wait for any of the given `read_fds` to become ready.
-    """
-    p = select.poll()
-    for fd in read_fds:
-        p.register(fd, select.POLLIN)
 
-    tuples = p.poll(timeout)  # Returns (fd, event) tuples.
-    return [t[0] for t in tuples]
+class PollSelector(Selector):
+    def __init__(self):
+        self._poll = select.poll()
+
+    def register(self, fd):
+        assert isinstance(fd, int)
+        self._poll.register(fd, select.POLLIN)
+
+    def unregister(self, fd):
+        assert isinstance(fd, int)
+
+    def select(self, timeout):
+        tuples = self._poll.poll(timeout)  # Returns (fd, event) tuples.
+        return [t[0] for t in tuples]
+
+    def close(self):
+        pass  # XXX
 
 
-def _select(read_fds, timeout):
+class SelectSelector(Selector):
     """
     Wrapper around select.select.
 
     When the SIGWINCH signal is handled, other system calls, like select
     are aborted in Python. This wrapper will retry the system call.
     """
-    while True:
-        try:
-            return select.select(read_fds, [], [], timeout)[0]
-        except select.error as e:
-            # Retry select call when EINTR
-            if e.args and e.args[0] == errno.EINTR:
-                continue
-            else:
-                raise
+    def __init__(self):
+        self._fds = []
+
+    def register(self, fd):
+        self._fds.append(fd)
+
+    def unregister(self, fd):
+        self._fds.remove(fd)
+
+    def select(self, timeout):
+        while True:
+            try:
+                return select.select(self._fds, [], [], timeout)[0]
+            except select.error as e:
+                # Retry select call when EINTR
+                if e.args and e.args[0] == errno.EINTR:
+                    continue
+                else:
+                    raise
+
+    def close(self):
+        pass
+
+
+def select_fds(read_fds, timeout, selector=AutoSelector):
+    """
+    Wait for a list of file descriptors (`read_fds`) to become ready for
+    reading. This chooses the most appropriate select-tool for use in
+    prompt-toolkit.
+    """
+    # Map to ensure that we return the objects that were passed in originally.
+    # Whether they are a fd integer or an object that has a fileno().
+    # (The 'poll' implementation for instance, returns always integers.)
+    fd_map = dict((fd_to_int(fd), fd) for fd in read_fds)
+
+    # Wait, using selector.
+    sel = selector()
+    try:
+        for fd in read_fds:
+            sel.register(fd)
+
+        result = sel.select(timeout)
+
+        if result is not None:
+            return [fd_map[fd_to_int(fd)] for fd in result]
+    finally:
+        sel.close()