diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 6cef2c9f..3e6766d1 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ Proposed API::
     image_binding = Binding("image", exchange=media_exchange, key="image")
 
     consumer = Consumer(channel, [video_binding, image_binding])
+    consumer.consume()
+
+    while True:
+        connection.drain_events()
 
 
 
diff --git a/kombu/messaging.py b/kombu/messaging.py
index 2cc3c129..b3af942d 100644
--- a/kombu/messaging.py
+++ b/kombu/messaging.py
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ class Consumer(object):
     callbacks = None
     on_decode_error = None
     _next_tag = count(1).next # global
+    _consuming = False
 
     def __init__(self, channel, bindings, no_ack=None, auto_declare=None,
             callbacks=None):
@@ -96,7 +97,6 @@ class Consumer(object):
 
         if self.auto_declare:
             self.declare()
-            self.consume()
 
     def __enter__(self):
         return self
@@ -109,16 +109,18 @@ class Consumer(object):
             binding.declare()
 
     def consume(self):
-        H, T = self.bindings[:-1], self.bindings[-1]
-        for binding in H:
-            binding.consume(self._add_tag(binding),
-                            self._receive_callback,
-                            self.no_ack,
-                            nowait=True)
-        T.consume(self._add_tag(T),
-                  self._receive_callback,
-                  self.no_ack,
-                  nowait=False)
+        if not self._consuming:
+            H, T = self.bindings[:-1], self.bindings[-1]
+            for binding in H:
+                binding.consume(self._add_tag(binding),
+                                self._receive_callback,
+                                self.no_ack,
+                                nowait=True)
+            T.consume(self._add_tag(T),
+                    self._receive_callback,
+                    self.no_ack,
+                    nowait=False)
+            self._consuming = False
 
     def _add_tag(self, binding):
         tag = self._active_tags[binding] = str(self._next_tag())
@@ -150,7 +152,8 @@ class Consumer(object):
     def cancel(self):
         for binding, tag in self._active_tags.items():
             binding.cancel(tag)
-        self._active_tags = {}
+        self._active_tags.clear()
+        self._consuming = False
 
     def flow(self, active):
         self.channel.flow(active)