diff --git a/collects/racket/port.rkt b/collects/racket/port.rkt
index c41950dc18..4cd56321a1 100644
--- a/collects/racket/port.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/port.rkt
@@ -545,6 +545,10 @@
                                  ((list-ref c 0))
                                  (send-result #t))))))
               commits))))
+    (define (close-it)
+      (close)
+      ;; to ensure that progress evts are ready:
+      (close-input-port peeked-r))
     (make-input-port
      name
      ;; Read
@@ -559,7 +563,7 @@
              (peek-it s skip unless-evt)
              (fast-peek s skip fast-peek-k))))
        peek-it)
-     close
+     close-it
      (lambda ()
        (set! progress-requested? #t)
        (port-progress-evt peeked-r))
@@ -1006,7 +1010,9 @@
                   eof)
               (let ([n (peek-bytes-avail!* str skip progress-evt port 0 count)])
                 (if (eq? n 0)
-                    (wrap-evt port (lambda (x) 0))
+                    (if (and progress-evt (sync/timeout 0 progress-evt))
+                        #f
+                        (wrap-evt port (lambda (x) 0)))
                     n)))))
       (define (try-again)
         (wrap-evt
@@ -1110,7 +1116,8 @@
   ;; go is the main reading function, either called directly for
   ;; a poll, or called in a thread for a non-poll read
   (define (go nack ch poll?)
-    ;; FIXME - what if the input port is closed?
+    ;; Beware that the input port might become closed at any time.
+    ;; For the most part, progress evts should take care of that.
     (let try-again ([pos 0] [bstr orig-bstr] [progress-evt #f])
       (let* ([progress-evt 
               ;; if no progress event is given, get one to ensure that
@@ -1119,7 +1126,7 @@
              [v (and 
                  ;; to implement weak support for reusing the buffer in `read-bytes!-evt',
                  ;; need to check nack after getting progress-evt:
-                 (not (sync/timeout 0 nack)) 
+                 (not (sync/timeout 0 nack))
                  ;; try to get bytes:
                  ((if poll? peek-bytes-avail!* peek-bytes-avail!)
                   bstr (+ pos (or peek-offset 0)) progress-evt input-port pos))])
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/reference/custom-ports.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/reference/custom-ports.scrbl
index 4e44f53e02..7a6c041710 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/reference/custom-ports.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/reference/custom-ports.scrbl
@@ -164,13 +164,15 @@ The arguments implement the port as follows:
 
      ]
 
-    The results and conventions for @racket[peek] are
-    mostly the same as for @racket[read-in]. The main difference is in
-    the handling of the progress event, if it is not @racket[#f].  If
-    the given progress event becomes ready, the
-    @racket[peek] must abort any skip attempts and not peek
-    any values. In particular, @racket[peek] must not peek
-    any values if the progress event is initially ready.
+    The results and conventions for @racket[peek] are mostly the same
+    as for @racket[read-in]. The main difference is in the handling of
+    the progress event, if it is not @racket[#f].  If the given
+    progress event becomes ready, the @racket[peek] must abort any
+    skip attempts and not peek any values. In particular,
+    @racket[peek] must not peek any values if the progress event is
+    initially ready. If the port has been closed, the progress event
+    should be ready, in which case @racket[peek] should complete
+    (instead of failing because the port is closed).
     
     Unlike @racket[read-in], @racket[peek] should produce
     @racket[#f] (or an event whose value is @racket[#f]) if no bytes
@@ -219,7 +221,8 @@ The arguments implement the port as follows:
   @item{@racket[get-progress-evt] --- either @racket[#f] (the
     default), or a procedure that takes no arguments and returns an
     event. The event must become ready only after data is next read
-    from the port or the port is closed. After the event becomes
+    from the port or the port is closed. If the port is already closed,
+    the event must be ready. After the event becomes
     ready, it must remain so. See the description of @racket[read-in]
     for information about the allowed results of this function when
     @racket[read-in] returns a pipe input port. See also
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/reference/string-input.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/reference/string-input.scrbl
index 2b8ec8ca7b..c7853890e0 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/reference/string-input.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/reference/string-input.scrbl
@@ -250,7 +250,9 @@ end-of-file, at least one byte (or special) past the skipped bytes, or
 until a non-@racket[#f] @racket[progress] becomes ready. Furthermore,
 if @racket[progress] is ready before bytes are peeked, no bytes are
 peeked or skipped, and @racket[progress] may cut short the skipping
-process if it becomes available during the peek attempt.
+process if it becomes available during the peek attempt. Furthermore,
+@racket[progress] is checked even before determining whether the port
+is still open.
 
 The result of @racket[peek-bytes-avail!] is @racket[0] only in the
 case that @racket[progress] becomes ready before bytes are peeked.}
@@ -331,9 +333,9 @@ like @racket[peek-bytes-avail!].}
                                 (current-input-port)])
          progress-evt?]{
 
-Returns a @tech{synchronizable event} that becomes ready after any subsequent read from
-@racket[in], or after @racket[in] is closed. After the event becomes
-ready, it remains ready.}
+Returns a @tech{synchronizable event} that becomes ready after any
+subsequent read from @racket[in] or after @racket[in] is
+closed. After the event becomes ready, it remains ready.}
 
 
 @defproc[(port-provides-progress-evts? [in input-port?]) boolean]{
diff --git a/collects/tests/racket/port.rktl b/collects/tests/racket/port.rktl
index 4577b9e067..94e37bbe43 100644
--- a/collects/tests/racket/port.rktl
+++ b/collects/tests/racket/port.rktl
@@ -73,6 +73,13 @@
   (test #t byte-ready? r)
   (test #f char-ready? r))
 
+;; Progress evts for a closed port should start out ready:
+(let ()
+  (define-values (i o) (make-pipe))
+  (close-input-port i)
+  (test #t evt? (sync/timeout 0 (port-progress-evt i)))
+  (test 0 peek-bytes-avail! (make-bytes 10) 0 (port-progress-evt i) i))
+
 ;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 ;; Based on the Racket manual...
 
diff --git a/collects/tests/racket/portlib.rktl b/collects/tests/racket/portlib.rktl
index e37766a77a..e56b376210 100644
--- a/collects/tests/racket/portlib.rktl
+++ b/collects/tests/racket/portlib.rktl
@@ -312,6 +312,14 @@
    #f
    void))
 
+(let ([p (make-input-port/read-to-peek 
+          'example
+          (lambda (bytes) (bytes-set! bytes 0 0) 1)
+          #f
+          void)])
+  (close-input-port p)
+  (test #t evt? (sync/timeout 0 (port-progress-evt p))))
+
 (let ([p (make-list-port #\h #\e #\l #\l #\o)])
   (test (char->integer #\h) peek-byte p)
   (test (char->integer #\e) peek-byte p 1)
diff --git a/src/racket/src/port.c b/src/racket/src/port.c
index 5977e707c1..68d052af3b 100644
--- a/src/racket/src/port.c
+++ b/src/racket/src/port.c
@@ -2153,6 +2153,13 @@ intptr_t scheme_get_byte_string_unless(const char *who,
     if (ip->input_lock)
       scheme_wait_input_allowed(ip, only_avail);
 
+    /* check progress evt before checking for closed: */
+    if (unless_evt 
+        && SAME_TYPE(SCHEME_TYPE(unless_evt), scheme_progress_evt_type)
+        && SCHEME_SEMAP(SCHEME_PTR2_VAL(unless_evt))
+        && scheme_try_plain_sema(SCHEME_PTR2_VAL(unless_evt)))
+      return 0;
+
     CHECK_PORT_CLOSED(who, "input", port, ip->closed);
 
     if (only_avail == -1) {
@@ -2904,6 +2911,11 @@ Scheme_Object *scheme_progress_evt_via_get(Scheme_Input_Port *port)
 
   sema = scheme_make_sema(0);
 
+  if (port->closed) {
+    scheme_post_sema_all(sema);
+    return sema;
+  }
+
   port->progress_evt = sema;
   port->slow = 1;