diff --git a/kernel/async.c b/kernel/async.c
index bd0c168..32d8dc9 100644
--- a/kernel/async.c
+++ b/kernel/async.c
@@ -86,6 +86,13 @@ static async_cookie_t  __lowest_in_progress(struct list_head *running)
 {
 	struct async_entry *entry;
 
+	if (!running) { /* just check the entry count */
+		if (atomic_read(&entry_count))
+			return 0; /* smaller than any cookie */
+		else
+			return next_cookie;
+	}
+
 	if (!list_empty(running)) {
 		entry = list_first_entry(running,