diff --git a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/embedded/EmbeddedChannel.java b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/embedded/EmbeddedChannel.java
index 894d03b8b7..06494f8250 100644
--- a/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/embedded/EmbeddedChannel.java
+++ b/transport/src/main/java/io/netty/channel/embedded/EmbeddedChannel.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import io.netty.channel.ChannelPromise;
 import io.netty.channel.DefaultChannelConfig;
 import io.netty.channel.DefaultChannelPipeline;
 import io.netty.channel.EventLoop;
+import io.netty.channel.RecvByteBufAllocator;
 import io.netty.util.ReferenceCountUtil;
 import io.netty.util.internal.ObjectUtil;
 import io.netty.util.internal.PlatformDependent;
@@ -701,7 +702,12 @@ public class EmbeddedChannel extends AbstractChannel {
 
     @Override
     protected AbstractUnsafe newUnsafe() {
-        return new DefaultUnsafe();
+        return new EmbeddedUnsafe();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Unsafe unsafe() {
+        return ((EmbeddedUnsafe) super.unsafe()).wrapped;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -734,7 +740,97 @@ public class EmbeddedChannel extends AbstractChannel {
         inboundMessages().add(msg);
     }
 
-    private class DefaultUnsafe extends AbstractUnsafe {
+    private final class EmbeddedUnsafe extends AbstractUnsafe {
+
+        // Delegates to the EmbeddedUnsafe instance but ensures runPendingTasks() is called after each operation
+        // that may change the state of the Channel and may schedule tasks for later execution.
+        final Unsafe wrapped = new Unsafe() {
+            @Override
+            public RecvByteBufAllocator.Handle recvBufAllocHandle() {
+                return EmbeddedUnsafe.this.recvBufAllocHandle();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public SocketAddress localAddress() {
+                return EmbeddedUnsafe.this.localAddress();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public SocketAddress remoteAddress() {
+                return EmbeddedUnsafe.this.remoteAddress();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public void register(EventLoop eventLoop, ChannelPromise promise) {
+                EmbeddedUnsafe.this.register(eventLoop, promise);
+                runPendingTasks();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public void bind(SocketAddress localAddress, ChannelPromise promise) {
+                EmbeddedUnsafe.this.bind(localAddress, promise);
+                runPendingTasks();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public void connect(SocketAddress remoteAddress, SocketAddress localAddress, ChannelPromise promise) {
+                EmbeddedUnsafe.this.connect(remoteAddress, localAddress, promise);
+                runPendingTasks();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public void disconnect(ChannelPromise promise) {
+                EmbeddedUnsafe.this.disconnect(promise);
+                runPendingTasks();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public void close(ChannelPromise promise) {
+                EmbeddedUnsafe.this.close(promise);
+                runPendingTasks();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public void closeForcibly() {
+                EmbeddedUnsafe.this.closeForcibly();
+                runPendingTasks();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public void deregister(ChannelPromise promise) {
+                EmbeddedUnsafe.this.deregister(promise);
+                runPendingTasks();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public void beginRead() {
+                EmbeddedUnsafe.this.beginRead();
+                runPendingTasks();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public void write(Object msg, ChannelPromise promise) {
+                EmbeddedUnsafe.this.write(msg, promise);
+                runPendingTasks();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public void flush() {
+                EmbeddedUnsafe.this.flush();
+                runPendingTasks();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public ChannelPromise voidPromise() {
+                return EmbeddedUnsafe.this.voidPromise();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public ChannelOutboundBuffer outboundBuffer() {
+                return EmbeddedUnsafe.this.outboundBuffer();
+            }
+        };
+
         @Override
         public void connect(SocketAddress remoteAddress, SocketAddress localAddress, ChannelPromise promise) {
             safeSetSuccess(promise);
@@ -742,7 +838,7 @@ public class EmbeddedChannel extends AbstractChannel {
     }
 
     private final class EmbeddedChannelPipeline extends DefaultChannelPipeline {
-        public EmbeddedChannelPipeline(EmbeddedChannel channel) {
+        EmbeddedChannelPipeline(EmbeddedChannel channel) {
             super(channel);
         }
 
diff --git a/transport/src/test/java/io/netty/channel/embedded/EmbeddedChannelTest.java b/transport/src/test/java/io/netty/channel/embedded/EmbeddedChannelTest.java
index 3917f8ba58..a5dae45afa 100644
--- a/transport/src/test/java/io/netty/channel/embedded/EmbeddedChannelTest.java
+++ b/transport/src/test/java/io/netty/channel/embedded/EmbeddedChannelTest.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import java.util.ArrayDeque;
 import java.util.Queue;
 import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 
@@ -563,6 +564,25 @@ public class EmbeddedChannelTest {
         }
     }
 
+    @Test(timeout = 5000)
+    public void testChannelInactiveFired() throws InterruptedException {
+        final AtomicBoolean inactive = new AtomicBoolean();
+        EmbeddedChannel channel = new EmbeddedChannel(new ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter() {
+            @Override
+            public void exceptionCaught(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, Throwable cause) throws Exception {
+                ctx.close();
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public void channelInactive(ChannelHandlerContext ctx) throws Exception {
+                inactive.set(true);
+            }
+        });
+        channel.pipeline().fireExceptionCaught(new IllegalStateException());
+
+        assertTrue(inactive.get());
+    }
+
     private static void release(ByteBuf... buffers) {
         for (ByteBuf buffer : buffers) {
             if (buffer.refCnt() > 0) {