diff --git a/rq/queue.py b/rq/queue.py
index a9385236..734d4f55 100644
--- a/rq/queue.py
+++ b/rq/queue.py
@@ -116,7 +116,9 @@ class Queue(object):
         try:
             job = Job.fetch(job_id)
         except NoSuchJobError as e:
-            return None
+            # Silently pass on jobs that don't exist (anymore),
+            # and continue by reinvoking itself recursively
+            return self.dequeue()
         except UnpickleError as e:
             # Attach queue information on the exception for improved error
             # reporting
@@ -143,11 +145,13 @@ class Queue(object):
         try:
             job = Job.fetch(job_id)
         except NoSuchJobError:
-            # Silently pass on jobs that don't exist (anymore)
-            return None
+            # Silently pass on jobs that don't exist (anymore),
+            # and continue by reinvoking the same function recursively
+            return cls.dequeue_any(queues, blocking)
         except UnpickleError as e:
             # Attach queue information on the exception for improved error
             # reporting
+            e.job_id = job_id
             e.queue = queue
             raise e
         job.origin = queue
diff --git a/rq/worker.py b/rq/worker.py
index 7c6911c8..bf3671f4 100644
--- a/rq/worker.py
+++ b/rq/worker.py
@@ -259,9 +259,7 @@ class Worker(object):
                     self.log.debug('Data follows:')
                     self.log.debug(e.raw_data)
                     self.log.debug('End of unreadable data.')
-
-                    fq = self.failure_queue
-                    fq._push(e.raw_data)
+                    self.failure_queue.push_job_id(e.job_id)
                     continue
 
                 if job is None:
@@ -286,6 +284,13 @@ class Worker(object):
                 self.perform_job(job)
             except Exception as e:
                 self.log.exception(e)
+
+                # Store the exception information...
+                job.exc_info = e
+                job.save()
+
+                # ...and put the job on the failure queue
+                self.failure_queue.push_job_id(job.id)
                 sys.exit(1)
             sys.exit(0)
         else:
diff --git a/tests/test_queue.py b/tests/test_queue.py
index a1866dc0..0fb0b6ee 100644
--- a/tests/test_queue.py
+++ b/tests/test_queue.py
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 from tests import RQTestCase
 from tests import testjob
-from pickle import dumps
 from rq import Queue
-from rq.exceptions import UnpickleError
 
 
 class TestQueue(RQTestCase):
@@ -67,7 +65,6 @@ class TestQueue(RQTestCase):
         # ...and assert the queue count when down
         self.assertEquals(q.count, 0)
 
-
     def test_dequeue(self):
         """Dequeueing jobs from queues."""
         # Set up
@@ -92,10 +89,14 @@ class TestQueue(RQTestCase):
         q = Queue()
         uuid = '49f205ab-8ea3-47dd-a1b5-bfa186870fc8'
         q.push_job_id(uuid)
+        q.push_job_id(uuid)
+        result = q.enqueue(testjob, 'Nick', foo='bar')
+        q.push_job_id(uuid)
 
         # Dequeue simply ignores the missing job and returns None
-        self.assertEquals(q.count, 1)
-        self.assertEquals(q.dequeue(), None)
+        self.assertEquals(q.count, 4)
+        self.assertEquals(q.dequeue().id, result.id)
+        self.assertIsNone(q.dequeue())
         self.assertEquals(q.count, 0)
 
     def test_dequeue_any(self):
diff --git a/tests/test_worker.py b/tests/test_worker.py
index b2ddacba..2be9fe13 100644
--- a/tests/test_worker.py
+++ b/tests/test_worker.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class TestWorker(RQTestCase):
         self.assertEquals(w.work(burst=True), True, 'Expected at least some work done.')
 
     def test_work_is_unreadable(self):
-        """Worker ignores unreadable job."""
+        """Unreadable jobs are put on the failure queue."""
         q = Queue()
         failure_q = Queue('failure')
 
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class TestWorker(RQTestCase):
 
         # We use the low-level internal function to enqueue any data (bypassing
         # validity checks)
-        q.push_job_id(invalid_data)
+        q.push_job_id(job.id)
 
         self.assertEquals(q.count, 1)
 
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class TestWorker(RQTestCase):
         self.assertEquals(failure_q.count, 1)
 
     def test_work_fails(self):
-        """Worker processes failing job."""
+        """Failing jobs are put on the failure queue."""
         q = Queue()
         failure_q = Queue('failure')
 
@@ -59,12 +59,11 @@ class TestWorker(RQTestCase):
         self.assertEquals(q.count, 0)
 
         q.enqueue(failing_job)
-
         self.assertEquals(q.count, 1)
+
         w = Worker([q])
         w.work(burst=True)  # should silently pass
         self.assertEquals(q.count, 0)
-
         self.assertEquals(failure_q.count, 1)