diff --git a/gst-plugin-threadshare/src/iocontext.rs b/gst-plugin-threadshare/src/iocontext.rs
index ec5e5073..41b0d607 100644
--- a/gst-plugin-threadshare/src/iocontext.rs
+++ b/gst-plugin-threadshare/src/iocontext.rs
@@ -170,20 +170,37 @@ impl IOContextRunner {
                 let elapsed = now.elapsed();
                 gst_trace!(CONTEXT_CAT, "Elapsed {:?} after handling futures", elapsed);
 
-                if elapsed < wait {
-                    gst_trace!(
-                        CONTEXT_CAT,
-                        "Waiting for {:?} before polling again",
-                        wait - elapsed
-                    );
-                    thread::sleep(wait - elapsed);
-                    gst_trace!(CONTEXT_CAT, "Slept for {:?}", now.elapsed());
-                }
+                if wait == time::Duration::from_millis(0) {
+                    let timers = timers.lock().unwrap();
+                    let wait = match timers.peek().map(|entry| entry.time) {
+                        None => None,
+                        Some(time) => Some({
+                            let tmp = time::Instant::now();
 
-                if wait > time::Duration::from_millis(0) {
-                    now += wait;
-                } else {
+                            if time < tmp {
+                                time::Duration::from_millis(0)
+                            } else {
+                                time.duration_since(tmp)
+                            }
+                        }),
+                    };
+
+                    gst_trace!(CONTEXT_CAT, "Sleeping for up to {:?}", wait);
+                    current_thread.enter(enter).turn(wait).unwrap();
+                    gst_trace!(CONTEXT_CAT, "Slept for {:?}", now.elapsed());
                     now = time::Instant::now();
+                } else {
+                    if elapsed < wait {
+                        gst_trace!(
+                            CONTEXT_CAT,
+                            "Waiting for {:?} before polling again",
+                            wait - elapsed
+                        );
+                        thread::sleep(wait - elapsed);
+                        gst_trace!(CONTEXT_CAT, "Slept for {:?}", now.elapsed());
+                    }
+
+                    now += wait;
                 }
             })
         });
@@ -409,6 +426,8 @@ pub struct Interval {
 impl Interval {
     #[allow(unused)]
     pub fn new(context: &IOContext, interval: time::Duration) -> Self {
+        use tokio_executor::park::Unpark;
+
         let (sender, receiver) = futures_mpsc::unbounded();
 
         let mut timers = context.0.timers.lock().unwrap();
@@ -419,6 +438,7 @@ impl Interval {
             sender,
         };
         timers.push(entry);
+        context.reactor_handle().unpark();
 
         Self { receiver }
     }