diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/connection.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/connection.py
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/connection.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/connection.py
@@ -861,6 +861,30 @@
         return [o for o in object_list if o in ready_objects]
 
 else:
+    def _poll(fds, timeout):
+        # Note: fds might be a list of fds or Connection instances.
+        try:
+            return select.select(fds, [], [], timeout)[0]
+        except ValueError:
+            # ValueError might be raised by select() if we hit FD_SETSIZE,
+            # in which case we try to use poll().
+            # We have to keep in mind that a list of Connection objects
+            # may be passed though.
+            # Whereas select() is able to interpret and return them poll()
+            # won't (a list of integers will be returned instead).
+            # If that's the case we just give up and reraise ValueError.
+            if not hasattr(select, 'poll') \
+            or not all((isinstance(x, int) for x in fds)):
+                raise
+            if timeout is not None:
+                timeout = int(timeout) * 1000  # timeout is in milliseconds
+            pollster = select.poll()
+            for fd in fds:
+                pollster.register(fd, select.POLLIN)
+            ret = pollster.poll(timeout)
+            for fd in fds:
+                pollster.unregister(fd)
+            return [x[0] for x in ret]
 
     def wait(object_list, timeout=None):
         '''
@@ -870,12 +894,12 @@
         '''
         if timeout is not None:
             if timeout <= 0:
-                return select.select(object_list, [], [], 0)[0]
+                return _poll(object_list, 0)
             else:
                 deadline = time.time() + timeout
         while True:
             try:
-                return select.select(object_list, [], [], timeout)[0]
+                return _poll(object_list, timeout)
             except OSError as e:
                 if e.errno != errno.EINTR:
                     raise