diff --git a/include/uv.h b/include/uv.h
index c3c68cbb5f..2777e16ef9 100644
--- a/include/uv.h
+++ b/include/uv.h
@@ -654,6 +654,31 @@ UV_EXTERN int uv_is_readable(const uv_stream_t* handle);
 UV_EXTERN int uv_is_writable(const uv_stream_t* handle);
 
 
+/*
+ * Enable or disable blocking mode for a stream.
+ *
+ * When blocking mode is enabled all writes complete synchronously. The
+ * interface remains unchanged otherwise, e.g. completion or failure of the
+ * operation will still be reported through a callback which is made
+ * asychronously.
+ *
+ * Relying too much on this API is not recommended. It is likely to change
+ * significantly in the future.
+ *
+ * On windows this currently works only for uv_pipe_t instances. On unix it
+ * works for tcp, pipe and tty instances. Be aware that changing the blocking
+ * mode on unix sets or clears the O_NONBLOCK bit. If you are sharing a handle
+ * with another process, the other process is affected by the change too,
+ * which can lead to unexpected results.
+ *
+ * Also libuv currently makes no ordering guarantee when the blocking mode
+ * is changed after write requests have already been submitted. Therefore it is
+ * recommended to set the blocking mode immediately after opening or creating
+ * the stream.
+ */
+UV_EXTERN int uv_stream_set_blocking(uv_stream_t* handle, int blocking);
+
+
 /*
  * Used to determine whether a stream is closing or closed.
  *
diff --git a/src/unix/stream.c b/src/unix/stream.c
index ad70eadacb..54bbc15b29 100644
--- a/src/unix/stream.c
+++ b/src/unix/stream.c
@@ -1409,3 +1409,8 @@ void uv__stream_close(uv_stream_t* handle) {
 
   assert(!uv__io_active(&handle->io_watcher, UV__POLLIN | UV__POLLOUT));
 }
+
+
+int uv_stream_set_blocking(uv_stream_t* handle, int blocking) {
+  assert(0 && "implement me");
+}
diff --git a/src/win/internal.h b/src/win/internal.h
index 9920f704ab..56c43e7859 100644
--- a/src/win/internal.h
+++ b/src/win/internal.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@
 #define UV_HANDLE_SYNC_BYPASS_IOCP              0x00040000
 #define UV_HANDLE_ZERO_READ                     0x00080000
 #define UV_HANDLE_EMULATE_IOCP                  0x00100000
+#define UV_HANDLE_BLOCKING_WRITES               0x00200000
 
 /* Only used by uv_tcp_t handles. */
 #define UV_HANDLE_IPV6                          0x01000000
diff --git a/src/win/pipe.c b/src/win/pipe.c
index 0fb70eae32..8946ccc29a 100644
--- a/src/win/pipe.c
+++ b/src/win/pipe.c
@@ -1112,6 +1112,7 @@ static int uv_pipe_write_impl(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_write_t* req,
       if (handle->ipc_header_write_req.type != UV_WRITE) {
         ipc_header_req = (uv_write_t*)&handle->ipc_header_write_req;
       } else {
+        /* TODO: track this malloc and free after request completes */
         ipc_header_req = (uv_write_t*)malloc(sizeof(uv_write_t));
         if (!ipc_header_req) {
           uv_fatal_error(ERROR_OUTOFMEMORY, "malloc");
@@ -1128,6 +1129,13 @@ static int uv_pipe_write_impl(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_write_t* req,
     /* Write the header or the whole frame. */
     memset(&ipc_header_req->overlapped, 0, sizeof(ipc_header_req->overlapped));
 
+    /* Using overlapped IO, but wait for completion before returning.
+       This write is blocking because ipc_frame is on stack. */
+    ipc_header_req->overlapped.hEvent = CreateEvent(NULL, 1, 0, NULL);
+    if (!ipc_header_req->overlapped.hEvent) {
+      uv_fatal_error(GetLastError(), "CreateEvent");
+    }
+
     result = WriteFile(handle->handle,
                         &ipc_frame,
                         ipc_frame.header.flags & UV_IPC_TCP_SERVER ?
@@ -1136,18 +1144,22 @@ static int uv_pipe_write_impl(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_write_t* req,
                         &ipc_header_req->overlapped);
     if (!result && GetLastError() != ERROR_IO_PENDING) {
       uv__set_sys_error(loop, GetLastError());
+      CloseHandle(ipc_header_req->overlapped.hEvent);
       return -1;
     }
 
-    if (result) {
-      /* Request completed immediately. */
-      ipc_header_req->queued_bytes = 0;
-    } else {
-      /* Request queued by the kernel. */
-      ipc_header_req->queued_bytes = ipc_frame.header.flags & UV_IPC_TCP_SERVER ?
-        sizeof(ipc_frame) : sizeof(ipc_frame.header);
-      handle->write_queue_size += ipc_header_req->queued_bytes;
+    if (!result) {
+      /* Request not completed immediately. Wait for it.*/
+      if (WaitForSingleObject(ipc_header_req->overlapped.hEvent, INFINITE) !=
+          WAIT_OBJECT_0) {
+        uv__set_sys_error(loop, GetLastError());
+        CloseHandle(ipc_header_req->overlapped.hEvent);
+        return -1;
+      }
     }
+    ipc_header_req->queued_bytes = 0;
+    CloseHandle(ipc_header_req->overlapped.hEvent);
+    ipc_header_req->overlapped.hEvent = NULL;
 
     REGISTER_HANDLE_REQ(loop, handle, ipc_header_req);
     handle->reqs_pending++;
@@ -1159,7 +1171,29 @@ static int uv_pipe_write_impl(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_write_t* req,
     }
   }
 
-  if (handle->flags & UV_HANDLE_NON_OVERLAPPED_PIPE) {
+  if ((handle->flags &
+      (UV_HANDLE_BLOCKING_WRITES | UV_HANDLE_NON_OVERLAPPED_PIPE)) ==
+      (UV_HANDLE_BLOCKING_WRITES | UV_HANDLE_NON_OVERLAPPED_PIPE)) {
+    DWORD bytes;
+    result = WriteFile(handle->handle,
+                       bufs[0].base,
+                       bufs[0].len,
+                       &bytes,
+                       NULL);
+
+    if (!result) {
+      return uv__set_sys_error(loop, GetLastError());
+    } else {
+      /* Request completed immediately. */
+      req->queued_bytes = 0;
+    }
+
+    REGISTER_HANDLE_REQ(loop, handle, req);
+    handle->reqs_pending++;
+    handle->write_reqs_pending++;
+    POST_COMPLETION_FOR_REQ(loop, req);
+    return 0;
+  } else if (handle->flags & UV_HANDLE_NON_OVERLAPPED_PIPE) {
     req->write_buffer = bufs[0];
     uv_insert_non_overlapped_write_req(handle, req);
     if (handle->write_reqs_pending == 0) {
@@ -1169,6 +1203,44 @@ static int uv_pipe_write_impl(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_write_t* req,
     /* Request queued by the kernel. */
     req->queued_bytes = uv_count_bufs(bufs, bufcnt);
     handle->write_queue_size += req->queued_bytes;
+  } else if (handle->flags & UV_HANDLE_BLOCKING_WRITES) {
+    /* Using overlapped IO, but wait for completion before returning */
+    req->overlapped.hEvent = CreateEvent(NULL, 1, 0, NULL);
+    if (!req->overlapped.hEvent) {
+      uv_fatal_error(GetLastError(), "CreateEvent");
+    }
+
+    result = WriteFile(handle->handle,
+                       bufs[0].base,
+                       bufs[0].len,
+                       NULL,
+                       &req->overlapped);
+
+    if (!result && GetLastError() != ERROR_IO_PENDING) {
+      uv__set_sys_error(loop, GetLastError());
+      CloseHandle(req->overlapped.hEvent);
+      return -1;
+    }
+
+    if (result) {
+      /* Request completed immediately. */
+      req->queued_bytes = 0;
+    } else {
+      /* Request queued by the kernel. */
+      if (WaitForSingleObject(ipc_header_req->overlapped.hEvent, INFINITE) !=
+          WAIT_OBJECT_0) {
+        uv__set_sys_error(loop, GetLastError());
+        CloseHandle(ipc_header_req->overlapped.hEvent);
+        return -1;
+      }
+    }
+    CloseHandle(req->overlapped.hEvent);
+
+    REGISTER_HANDLE_REQ(loop, handle, req);
+    handle->reqs_pending++;
+    handle->write_reqs_pending++;
+    POST_COMPLETION_FOR_REQ(loop, req);
+    return 0;
   } else {
     result = WriteFile(handle->handle,
                        bufs[0].base,
diff --git a/src/win/stream.c b/src/win/stream.c
index edc5407cf5..26485851e9 100644
--- a/src/win/stream.c
+++ b/src/win/stream.c
@@ -196,3 +196,13 @@ int uv_is_readable(const uv_stream_t* handle) {
 int uv_is_writable(const uv_stream_t* handle) {
   return !!(handle->flags & UV_HANDLE_WRITABLE);
 }
+
+
+int uv_stream_set_blocking(uv_stream_t* handle, int blocking) {
+  if (blocking != 0)
+    handle->flags |= UV_HANDLE_BLOCKING_WRITES;
+  else
+    handle->flags &= ~UV_HANDLE_BLOCKING_WRITES;
+
+  return 0;
+}