diff --git a/worker/worker.go b/worker/worker.go
index f4d926e..a81f4ab 100644
--- a/worker/worker.go
+++ b/worker/worker.go
@@ -183,7 +183,11 @@ func (worker *Worker) Ready() (err error) {
 // Most of time, this should be evaluated in goroutine.
 func (worker *Worker) Work() {
 	if ! worker.ready {
-		panic( "worker: Work() called before Ready()")
+		// didn't run Ready beforehand, so we'll have to do it:
+		err := worker.Ready()
+		if err != nil {
+			panic( err )
+		}
 	}
 
 	defer func() {
diff --git a/worker/worker_test.go b/worker/worker_test.go
index 7fa8f0b..9960591 100644
--- a/worker/worker_test.go
+++ b/worker/worker_test.go
@@ -77,6 +77,33 @@ func TestWork(t *testing.T) {
 	wg.Wait()
 }
 
+
 func TestWorkerClose(t *testing.T) {
 	worker.Close()
 }
+
+func TestWorkWithoutReady(t * testing.T){
+	other_worker := New(Unlimited)
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+
+	if err := other_worker.AddServer(Network, "127.0.0.1:4730"); err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	if err := other_worker.AddFunc("foobar", foobar, 0); err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+
+	other_worker.JobHandler = func( j Job ) error {
+		if( ! other_worker.ready ){
+			t.Error("Worker not ready as expected");
+		}
+		wg.Done()
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	go other_worker.Work();
+
+	wg.Add(1)
+	worker.Echo([]byte("Hello"))
+	wg.Wait();
+}