--- a/src/event/ngx_event_timer.c
+++ b/src/event/ngx_event_timer.c
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ int ngx_event_timer_init(ngx_cycle_t *cy
     }
 
     ngx_event_timer_rbtree = &ngx_event_timer_sentinel;
-    ngx_event_timer_sentinel.left = &ngx_event_timer_sentinel;
 
 #if 0
+    ngx_event_timer_sentinel.left = &ngx_event_timer_sentinel;
     ngx_event_timer_sentinel.right = &ngx_event_timer_sentinel;
     ngx_event_timer_sentinel.parent = &ngx_event_timer_sentinel;
 #endif
@@ -41,19 +41,18 @@ ngx_msec_t ngx_event_find_timer(void)
 {
     ngx_rbtree_t  *node;
 
+    if (ngx_event_timer_rbtree == &ngx_event_timer_sentinel) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     node = ngx_rbtree_min(ngx_event_timer_rbtree, &ngx_event_timer_sentinel);
 
-    if (node == &ngx_event_timer_sentinel) {
-        return 0;
-
-    } else {
-        return (ngx_msec_t)
+    return (ngx_msec_t)
          (node->key * NGX_TIMER_RESOLUTION -
                ngx_elapsed_msec / NGX_TIMER_RESOLUTION * NGX_TIMER_RESOLUTION);
 #if 0
                          (node->key * NGX_TIMER_RESOLUTION - ngx_elapsed_msec);
 #endif
-    }
 }
 
 
@@ -63,13 +62,14 @@ void ngx_event_expire_timers(ngx_msec_t 
     ngx_rbtree_t  *node;
 
     for ( ;; ) {
+
+        if (ngx_event_timer_rbtree == &ngx_event_timer_sentinel) {
+            break;
+        }
+
         node = ngx_rbtree_min(ngx_event_timer_rbtree,
                               &ngx_event_timer_sentinel);
 
-        if (node == &ngx_event_timer_sentinel) {
-            break;
-        }
-
         if ((ngx_msec_t) node->key <= (ngx_msec_t)
                          (ngx_old_elapsed_msec + timer) / NGX_TIMER_RESOLUTION)
         {