diff --git a/include/xo/reactor/Reactor.hpp b/include/xo/reactor/Reactor.hpp
index 2b265b0b..229b7421 100644
--- a/include/xo/reactor/Reactor.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/reactor/Reactor.hpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ namespace xo {
              * otherwise dispatch up to n events.
              * n = 0 is a noop
              */
-            void run_n(int32_t n);
+            std::uint64_t run_n(int32_t n);
 
             /* borrow calling thread to run indefinitely.
              * suitable implementation for dedicated reactor threads
diff --git a/src/reactor/Reactor.cpp b/src/reactor/Reactor.cpp
index 199ec562..d0803d14 100644
--- a/src/reactor/Reactor.cpp
+++ b/src/reactor/Reactor.cpp
@@ -17,18 +17,22 @@ namespace xo {
             Subsystem::initialize_all();
         }
 
-        void
+        std::uint64_t
         Reactor::run_n(int32_t n)
         {
+            std::uint64_t retval = 0;
+
             if (n == -1) {
                 for (;;) {
-                    this->run_one();
+                    retval += this->run_one();
                 }
             } else {
                 for (int32_t i=0; i<n; ++i) {
-                    this->run_one();
+                    retval += this->run_one();
                 }
             }
+
+            return retval;
         } /*run_n*/
     } /*namespace reactor*/
 } /*namespace xo*/
diff --git a/utest/PollingReactor.test.cpp b/utest/PollingReactor.test.cpp
index 97d679cb..106acaf6 100644
--- a/utest/PollingReactor.test.cpp
+++ b/utest/PollingReactor.test.cpp
@@ -155,10 +155,7 @@ namespace xo {
 
                 /* pick random #of elements to remove (from front of queue) */
                 {
-
-
-                    for (std::size_t j = 0; j < n_deq_attempted; ++j)
-                        n_deq_done += reactor->run_one();
+                    n_deq_done += reactor->run_n(n_deq_attempted);
 
                     n_work_attempted += n_deq_attempted;
                     n_work_done += n_deq_done;