diff --git a/lib/z_k/threadpool.rb b/lib/z_k/threadpool.rb
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/lib/z_k/threadpool.rb
+++ b/lib/z_k/threadpool.rb
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ module ZK
       callable ||= blk
 
       # XXX(slyphon): do we care if the threadpool is not running?
-      raise Exceptions::ThreadpoolIsNotRunningException unless running?
+#       raise Exceptions::ThreadpoolIsNotRunningException unless running?
       raise ArgumentError, "Argument to Threadpool#defer must respond_to?(:call)" unless callable.respond_to?(:call)
 
       @threadqueue << callable
diff --git a/spec/z_k/threadpool_spec.rb b/spec/z_k/threadpool_spec.rb
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/spec/z_k/threadpool_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/z_k/threadpool_spec.rb
@@ -37,11 +37,10 @@ describe ZK::Threadpool do
       lambda { @threadpool.defer(bad_obj) }.should raise_error(ArgumentError)
     end
 
-    it %[should barf if the threadpool is not running] do
+    it %[should not barf if the threadpool is not running] do
       @threadpool.shutdown
-      lambda { @threadpool.defer { "hai!" } }.should raise_error(ZK::Exceptions::ThreadpoolIsNotRunningException)
+      lambda { @threadpool.defer { "hai!" } }.should_not raise_error
     end
-
   end
 
   describe :on_exception do
don't puke if Threadpool#defer is called and the threadpool isn't running.