diff --git a/crontab/_crontab.py b/crontab/_crontab.py
index 29e9286..5266fad 100644
--- a/crontab/_crontab.py
+++ b/crontab/_crontab.py
@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@ _increments = [
     _month_incr,
     lambda *a: DAY,
     _year_incr,
+    lambda dt,x: dt.replace(minute=0),
+    lambda dt,x: dt.replace(hour=0),
+    lambda dt,x: dt.replace(day=1) if x > DAY else dt,
+    lambda dt,x: dt.replace(month=1) if x > DAY else dt,
+    lambda dt,x: dt,
 ]
 
 # find the previously scheduled time
@@ -116,6 +121,14 @@ def _year_decr(dt, m):
         return -(YEAR + DAY)
     return -YEAR
 
+def _day_decr_reset(dt, x):
+    if x >= -DAY:
+        return dt
+    cur = dt.month
+    while dt.month == cur:
+        dt += DAY
+    return dt - DAY
+
 _decrements = [
     lambda *a: -MINUTE,
     lambda *a: -HOUR,
@@ -123,6 +136,11 @@ _decrements = [
     _month_decr,
     lambda *a: -DAY,
     _year_decr,
+    lambda dt,x: dt.replace(minute=59),
+    lambda dt,x: dt.replace(hour=23),
+    _day_decr_reset,
+    lambda dt,x: dt.replace(month=12)if x < -DAY else dt,
+    lambda dt,x: dt,
 ]
 
 Matcher = namedtuple('Matcher', 'minute, hour, day, month, weekday, year')
@@ -287,7 +305,7 @@ class CronTab(object):
             attr = attr() % 7
         return self.matchers[index](attr, dt)
 
-    def next(self, now=None, increments=_increments):
+    def next(self, now=None, increments=_increments, delta=True):
         '''
         How long to wait in seconds before this crontab entry can next be
         executed.
@@ -306,17 +324,20 @@ class CronTab(object):
         to_test = 0
         while to_test < 6:
             incr = increments[to_test]
+            ch = False
+            inc = None
             while not self._test_match(to_test, future):
-                future += incr(future, self.matchers)
+                inc = incr(future, self.matchers)
+                future += inc
+                ch = True
                 if _test():
                     return None
-            # check for backtrack conditions
-            if to_test >= 3:
-                for tt in xrange(2, to_test):
-                    if not self._test_match(tt, future):
-                        # rely on the increment below to get us back to 2
-                        to_test = 1
-                        break
+            if ch:
+                for i in xrange(0, to_test-1):
+                    future = increments[6+i](future, inc)
+                to_test = 0
+                continue
+
             to_test += 1
 
         # verify the match
@@ -327,7 +348,17 @@ class CronTab(object):
             "crontab: %r\n" \
             "now: %r", ' '.join(m.input for m in self.matchers), now)
         delay = future - now
+        if not delta:
+            delay = future - datetime.datetime(1970, 1, 1)
         return delay.days * 86400 + delay.seconds + delay.microseconds / 1000000.
 
-    def previous(self, now=None):
-        return self.next(now, _decrements)
+    def previous(self, now=None, delta=True):
+        return self.next(now, _decrements, delta)
+
+    def test(self, entry):
+        if isinstance(entry, _number_types):
+            entry = datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(entry)
+        for index in xrange(6):
+            if not self._test_match(index, entry):
+                return False
+        return True
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index d037796..4fd7506 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ with open('README') as f:
 
 setup(
     name='crontab',
-    version='.15',
+    version='.16',
     description='Parse and use crontab schedules in Python',
     author='Josiah Carlson',
     author_email='josiah.carlson@gmail.com',
diff --git a/tests/test_crontab.py b/tests/test_crontab.py
index 887e2aa..24ed5a5 100644
--- a/tests/test_crontab.py
+++ b/tests/test_crontab.py
@@ -25,6 +25,26 @@ class TestCrontab(unittest.TestCase):
         delay = ct.next(now)
         assert delay is None, (crontab, delay, now, now+datetime.timedelta(seconds=delay))
 
+    def test_closest(self):
+        ce = CronTab("*/15 10-15 * * 1-5")
+        t945 = datetime.datetime(2013, 1, 1, 9, 45) # tuesday
+        t1245 = datetime.datetime(2013, 1, 1, 12, 45) # tuesday
+        s1245 = datetime.datetime(2013, 1, 5, 12, 45) # saturday
+
+        assert not ce.test(t945)
+        assert not ce.test(s1245)
+        assert ce.test(t1245)
+
+        n = datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(ce.next(t945, delta=False))
+        assert n == datetime.datetime(2013, 1, 1, 10, 0), n
+        p = datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(ce.previous(t945, delta=False))
+        assert p == datetime.datetime(2012, 12, 31, 15, 30)
+
+        n = datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(ce.next(s1245, delta=False))
+        assert n == datetime.datetime(2013, 1, 7, 10, 0)
+        p = datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(ce.previous(s1245, delta=False))
+        assert p == datetime.datetime(2013, 1, 4, 15, 45)
+
     def test_normal(self):
         self._run_test('* * * * *', 60)
         self._run_test('0 * * * *', 3600)