diff --git a/components/modules/rotary.c b/components/modules/rotary.c
index 7686557b0..7ca2e4f9c 100644
--- a/components/modules/rotary.c
+++ b/components/modules/rotary.c
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ static void update_self_ref(lua_State *L, DATA *d, int argnum) {
       d->self_ref = luaL_ref(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX);
     }
   } else {
-    if (d->self_ref != LUA_NOREF) {
+    if (d->self_ref != LUA_NOREF && !rotary_has_queued_event(d->handle)) {
       luaL_unref(L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, d->self_ref);
       d->self_ref = LUA_NOREF;
     }
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ static int lrotary_close( lua_State* L )
   if (d->handle) {
     callback_free(L, d, ROTARY_ALL);
 
-    if (!rotary_has_queued_task(d->handle)) {
+    if (!rotary_has_queued_event(d->handle)) {
       update_self_ref(L, d, 1);
     }
 
diff --git a/components/modules/rotary_driver.c b/components/modules/rotary_driver.c
index 702530876..934175cfb 100644
--- a/components/modules/rotary_driver.c
+++ b/components/modules/rotary_driver.c
@@ -175,15 +175,6 @@ void rotary_event_handled(rotary_driver_handle_t d)
   d->task_queued = 0;
 }
 
-bool rotary_has_queued_task(rotary_driver_handle_t d) {
-  if (!d) {
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  return d->task_queued;
-}
-
-
 // The pin numbers are actual platform GPIO numbers
 rotary_driver_handle_t rotary_setup(int phase_a, int phase_b, int press,
                                     task_handle_t tasknumber, void *arg) {
diff --git a/components/modules/rotary_driver.h b/components/modules/rotary_driver.h
index 1b04f8b79..5d805009f 100644
--- a/components/modules/rotary_driver.h
+++ b/components/modules/rotary_driver.h
@@ -25,6 +25,4 @@ int rotary_close(struct rotary_driver_handle *handle);
 
 void rotary_event_handled(struct rotary_driver_handle *handle);
 
-bool rotary_has_queued_task(struct rotary_driver_handle *handle);
-
 #endif