diff --git a/include/spdk/thread.h b/include/spdk/thread.h
index a29d807df..505016d9c 100644
--- a/include/spdk/thread.h
+++ b/include/spdk/thread.h
@@ -417,6 +417,26 @@ struct spdk_poller *spdk_poller_register(spdk_poller_fn fn,
  */
 void spdk_poller_unregister(struct spdk_poller **ppoller);
 
+/**
+ * Pause a poller on the current thread.
+ *
+ * The poller is not run until it is resumed with spdk_poller_resume().  It is
+ * perfectly fine to pause an already paused poller.
+ *
+ * \param poller The poller to pause.
+ */
+void spdk_poller_pause(struct spdk_poller *poller);
+
+/**
+ * Resume a poller on the current thread.
+ *
+ * Resumes a poller paused with spdk_poller_pause().  It is perfectly fine to
+ * resume an unpaused poller.
+ *
+ * \param poller The poller to resume.
+ */
+void spdk_poller_resume(struct spdk_poller *poller);
+
 /**
  * Register the opaque io_device context as an I/O device.
  *
diff --git a/lib/thread/thread.c b/lib/thread/thread.c
index a7ae97255..6de618f05 100644
--- a/lib/thread/thread.c
+++ b/lib/thread/thread.c
@@ -88,6 +88,16 @@ enum spdk_poller_state {
 
 	/* The poller was unregistered during the execution of its fn. */
 	SPDK_POLLER_STATE_UNREGISTERED,
+
+	/* The poller is in the process of being paused.  It will be paused
+	 * during the next time it's supposed to be executed.
+	 */
+	SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSING,
+
+	/* The poller is registered but currently paused.  It's on the
+	 * paused_pollers list.
+	 */
+	SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSED,
 };
 
 struct spdk_poller {
@@ -127,6 +137,13 @@ struct spdk_thread {
 	 */
 	TAILQ_HEAD(timer_pollers_head, spdk_poller)	timer_pollers;
 
+	/*
+	 * Contains paused pollers.  Pollers on this queue are waiting until
+	 * they are resumed (in which case they're put onto the active/timer
+	 * queues) or unregistered.
+	 */
+	TAILQ_HEAD(paused_pollers_head, spdk_poller)	paused_pollers;
+
 	struct spdk_ring		*messages;
 
 	SLIST_HEAD(, spdk_msg)		msg_cache;
@@ -202,7 +219,7 @@ _free_thread(struct spdk_thread *thread)
 	}
 
 	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(poller, &thread->active_pollers, tailq, ptmp) {
-		if (poller->state == SPDK_POLLER_STATE_WAITING) {
+		if (poller->state != SPDK_POLLER_STATE_UNREGISTERED) {
 			SPDK_WARNLOG("poller %p still registered at thread exit\n",
 				     poller);
 		}
@@ -213,7 +230,7 @@ _free_thread(struct spdk_thread *thread)
 
 
 	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(poller, &thread->timer_pollers, tailq, ptmp) {
-		if (poller->state == SPDK_POLLER_STATE_WAITING) {
+		if (poller->state != SPDK_POLLER_STATE_UNREGISTERED) {
 			SPDK_WARNLOG("poller %p still registered at thread exit\n",
 				     poller);
 		}
@@ -222,6 +239,12 @@ _free_thread(struct spdk_thread *thread)
 		free(poller);
 	}
 
+	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(poller, &thread->paused_pollers, tailq, ptmp) {
+		SPDK_WARNLOG("poller %p still registered at thread exit\n", poller);
+		TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->paused_pollers, poller, tailq);
+		free(poller);
+	}
+
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&g_devlist_mutex);
 	assert(g_thread_count > 0);
 	g_thread_count--;
@@ -267,6 +290,7 @@ spdk_thread_create(const char *name, struct spdk_cpuset *cpumask)
 	TAILQ_INIT(&thread->io_channels);
 	TAILQ_INIT(&thread->active_pollers);
 	TAILQ_INIT(&thread->timer_pollers);
+	TAILQ_INIT(&thread->paused_pollers);
 	SLIST_INIT(&thread->msg_cache);
 	thread->msg_cache_count = 0;
 
@@ -444,6 +468,16 @@ _spdk_poller_insert_timer(struct spdk_thread *thread, struct spdk_poller *poller
 	TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&thread->timer_pollers, poller, tailq);
 }
 
+static void
+_spdk_thread_insert_poller(struct spdk_thread *thread, struct spdk_poller *poller)
+{
+	if (poller->period_ticks) {
+		_spdk_poller_insert_timer(thread, poller, spdk_get_ticks());
+	} else {
+		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&thread->active_pollers, poller, tailq);
+	}
+}
+
 int
 spdk_thread_poll(struct spdk_thread *thread, uint32_t max_msgs, uint64_t now)
 {
@@ -476,6 +510,11 @@ spdk_thread_poll(struct spdk_thread *thread, uint32_t max_msgs, uint64_t now)
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->active_pollers, poller, tailq);
 			free(poller);
 			continue;
+		} else if (poller->state == SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSING) {
+			TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->active_pollers, poller, tailq);
+			TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&thread->paused_pollers, poller, tailq);
+			poller->state = SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSED;
+			continue;
 		}
 
 		poller->state = SPDK_POLLER_STATE_RUNNING;
@@ -485,10 +524,10 @@ spdk_thread_poll(struct spdk_thread *thread, uint32_t max_msgs, uint64_t now)
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->active_pollers, poller, tailq);
 			free(poller);
 			continue;
+		} else if (poller->state != SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSED) {
+			poller->state = SPDK_POLLER_STATE_WAITING;
 		}
 
-		poller->state = SPDK_POLLER_STATE_WAITING;
-
 #ifdef DEBUG
 		if (poller_rc == -1) {
 			SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_THREAD, "Poller %p returned -1\n", poller);
@@ -512,6 +551,11 @@ spdk_thread_poll(struct spdk_thread *thread, uint32_t max_msgs, uint64_t now)
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->timer_pollers, poller, tailq);
 			free(poller);
 			continue;
+		} else if (poller->state == SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSING) {
+			TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->timer_pollers, poller, tailq);
+			TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&thread->paused_pollers, poller, tailq);
+			poller->state = SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSED;
+			continue;
 		}
 
 		if (now < poller->next_run_tick) {
@@ -530,7 +574,7 @@ spdk_thread_poll(struct spdk_thread *thread, uint32_t max_msgs, uint64_t now)
 		if (poller->state == SPDK_POLLER_STATE_UNREGISTERED) {
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->timer_pollers, poller, tailq);
 			free(poller);
-		} else {
+		} else if (poller->state != SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSED) {
 			poller->state = SPDK_POLLER_STATE_WAITING;
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->timer_pollers, poller, tailq);
 			_spdk_poller_insert_timer(thread, poller, now);
@@ -574,8 +618,8 @@ spdk_thread_has_active_pollers(struct spdk_thread *thread)
 	return !TAILQ_EMPTY(&thread->active_pollers);
 }
 
-bool
-spdk_thread_has_pollers(struct spdk_thread *thread)
+static bool
+_spdk_thread_has_unpaused_pollers(struct spdk_thread *thread)
 {
 	if (TAILQ_EMPTY(&thread->active_pollers) &&
 	    TAILQ_EMPTY(&thread->timer_pollers)) {
@@ -585,11 +629,22 @@ spdk_thread_has_pollers(struct spdk_thread *thread)
 	return true;
 }
 
+bool
+spdk_thread_has_pollers(struct spdk_thread *thread)
+{
+	if (!_spdk_thread_has_unpaused_pollers(thread) &&
+	    TAILQ_EMPTY(&thread->paused_pollers)) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	return true;
+}
+
 bool
 spdk_thread_is_idle(struct spdk_thread *thread)
 {
 	if (spdk_ring_count(thread->messages) ||
-	    spdk_thread_has_pollers(thread)) {
+	    _spdk_thread_has_unpaused_pollers(thread)) {
 		return false;
 	}
 
@@ -723,11 +778,7 @@ spdk_poller_register(spdk_poller_fn fn,
 		poller->period_ticks = 0;
 	}
 
-	if (poller->period_ticks) {
-		_spdk_poller_insert_timer(thread, poller, spdk_get_ticks());
-	} else {
-		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&thread->active_pollers, poller, tailq);
-	}
+	_spdk_thread_insert_poller(thread, poller);
 
 	return poller;
 }
@@ -751,12 +802,87 @@ spdk_poller_unregister(struct spdk_poller **ppoller)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	/* If the poller was paused, put it on the active_pollers list so that
+	 * its unregistration can be processed by spdk_thread_poll().
+	 */
+	if (poller->state == SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSED) {
+		TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->paused_pollers, poller, tailq);
+		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&thread->active_pollers, poller, tailq);
+		poller->period_ticks = 0;
+	}
+
 	/* Simply set the state to unregistered. The poller will get cleaned up
 	 * in a subsequent call to spdk_thread_poll().
 	 */
 	poller->state = SPDK_POLLER_STATE_UNREGISTERED;
 }
 
+void
+spdk_poller_pause(struct spdk_poller *poller)
+{
+	struct spdk_thread *thread;
+
+	if (poller->state == SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSED ||
+	    poller->state == SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSING) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	thread = spdk_get_thread();
+	if (!thread) {
+		assert(false);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/* If a poller is paused from within itself, we can immediately move it
+	 * on the paused_pollers list.  Otherwise we just set its state to
+	 * SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSING and let spdk_thread_poll() move it.  It
+	 * allows a poller to be paused from another one's context without
+	 * breaking the TAILQ_FOREACH_REVERSE_SAFE iteration.
+	 */
+	if (poller->state != SPDK_POLLER_STATE_RUNNING) {
+		poller->state = SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSING;
+	} else {
+		if (poller->period_ticks > 0) {
+			TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->timer_pollers, poller, tailq);
+		} else {
+			TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->active_pollers, poller, tailq);
+		}
+
+		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&thread->paused_pollers, poller, tailq);
+		poller->state = SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSED;
+	}
+}
+
+void
+spdk_poller_resume(struct spdk_poller *poller)
+{
+	struct spdk_thread *thread;
+
+	if (poller->state != SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSED &&
+	    poller->state != SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSING) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	thread = spdk_get_thread();
+	if (!thread) {
+		assert(false);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/* If a poller is paused it has to be removed from the paused pollers
+	 * list and put on the active / timer list depending on its
+	 * period_ticks.  If a poller is still in the process of being paused,
+	 * we just need to flip its state back to waiting, as it's already on
+	 * the appropriate list.
+	 */
+	if (poller->state == SPDK_POLLER_STATE_PAUSED) {
+		TAILQ_REMOVE(&thread->paused_pollers, poller, tailq);
+		_spdk_thread_insert_poller(thread, poller);
+	}
+
+	poller->state = SPDK_POLLER_STATE_WAITING;
+}
+
 struct call_thread {
 	struct spdk_thread *cur_thread;
 	spdk_msg_fn fn;
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/thread/thread.c/thread_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/thread/thread.c/thread_ut.c
index 8c593c494..9da4c42d1 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/thread/thread.c/thread_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/thread/thread.c/thread_ut.c
@@ -179,6 +179,169 @@ thread_poller(void)
 	free_threads();
 }
 
+struct poller_ctx {
+	struct spdk_poller	*poller;
+	bool			run;
+};
+
+static int
+poller_run_pause(void *ctx)
+{
+	struct poller_ctx *poller_ctx = ctx;
+
+	poller_ctx->run = true;
+	spdk_poller_pause(poller_ctx->poller);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static void
+poller_msg_pause_cb(void *ctx)
+{
+	struct spdk_poller *poller = ctx;
+
+	spdk_poller_pause(poller);
+}
+
+static void
+poller_msg_resume_cb(void *ctx)
+{
+	struct spdk_poller *poller = ctx;
+
+	spdk_poller_resume(poller);
+}
+
+static void
+poller_pause(void)
+{
+	struct poller_ctx poller_ctx = {};
+	unsigned int delay[] = { 0, 1000 };
+	unsigned int i;
+
+	allocate_threads(1);
+	set_thread(0);
+
+	/* Register a poller that pauses itself */
+	poller_ctx.poller = spdk_poller_register(poller_run_pause, &poller_ctx, 0);
+	CU_ASSERT_PTR_NOT_NULL(poller_ctx.poller);
+
+	poller_ctx.run = false;
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, true);
+
+	poller_ctx.run = false;
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, false);
+
+	spdk_poller_unregister(&poller_ctx.poller);
+	CU_ASSERT_PTR_NULL(poller_ctx.poller);
+
+	/* Verify that resuming an unpaused poller doesn't do anything */
+	poller_ctx.poller = spdk_poller_register(poller_run_done, &poller_ctx.run, 0);
+	CU_ASSERT_PTR_NOT_NULL(poller_ctx.poller);
+
+	spdk_poller_resume(poller_ctx.poller);
+
+	poller_ctx.run = false;
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, true);
+
+	/* Verify that pausing the same poller twice works too */
+	spdk_poller_pause(poller_ctx.poller);
+
+	poller_ctx.run = false;
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, false);
+
+	spdk_poller_pause(poller_ctx.poller);
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, false);
+
+	spdk_poller_resume(poller_ctx.poller);
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, true);
+
+	/* Verify that a poller is run when it's resumed immediately after pausing */
+	poller_ctx.run = false;
+	spdk_poller_pause(poller_ctx.poller);
+	spdk_poller_resume(poller_ctx.poller);
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, true);
+
+	spdk_poller_unregister(&poller_ctx.poller);
+	CU_ASSERT_PTR_NULL(poller_ctx.poller);
+
+	/* Poll the thread to make sure the previous poller gets unregistered */
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(spdk_thread_has_pollers(spdk_get_thread()), false);
+
+	/* Verify that it's possible to unregister a paused poller */
+	poller_ctx.poller = spdk_poller_register(poller_run_done, &poller_ctx.run, 0);
+	CU_ASSERT_PTR_NOT_NULL(poller_ctx.poller);
+
+	poller_ctx.run = false;
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, true);
+
+	spdk_poller_pause(poller_ctx.poller);
+
+	poller_ctx.run = false;
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, false);
+
+	spdk_poller_unregister(&poller_ctx.poller);
+
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, false);
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(spdk_thread_has_pollers(spdk_get_thread()), false);
+
+	/* Register pollers with 0 and 1000us wait time and pause/resume them */
+	for (i = 0; i < SPDK_COUNTOF(delay); ++i) {
+		poller_ctx.poller = spdk_poller_register(poller_run_done, &poller_ctx.run, delay[i]);
+		CU_ASSERT_PTR_NOT_NULL(poller_ctx.poller);
+
+		spdk_delay_us(delay[i]);
+		poller_ctx.run = false;
+		poll_threads();
+		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, true);
+
+		spdk_poller_pause(poller_ctx.poller);
+
+		spdk_delay_us(delay[i]);
+		poller_ctx.run = false;
+		poll_threads();
+		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, false);
+
+		spdk_poller_resume(poller_ctx.poller);
+
+		spdk_delay_us(delay[i]);
+		poll_threads();
+		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, true);
+
+		/* Verify that the poller can be paused/resumed from spdk_thread_send_msg */
+		spdk_thread_send_msg(spdk_get_thread(), poller_msg_pause_cb, poller_ctx.poller);
+
+		spdk_delay_us(delay[i]);
+		poller_ctx.run = false;
+		poll_threads();
+		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, false);
+
+		spdk_thread_send_msg(spdk_get_thread(), poller_msg_resume_cb, poller_ctx.poller);
+
+		poll_threads();
+		if (delay[i] > 0) {
+			spdk_delay_us(delay[i]);
+			poll_threads();
+		}
+		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(poller_ctx.run, true);
+
+		spdk_poller_unregister(&poller_ctx.poller);
+		CU_ASSERT_PTR_NULL(poller_ctx.poller);
+	}
+
+	free_threads();
+}
+
 static void
 for_each_cb(void *ctx)
 {
@@ -579,6 +742,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		CU_add_test(suite, "thread_alloc", thread_alloc) == NULL ||
 		CU_add_test(suite, "thread_send_msg", thread_send_msg) == NULL ||
 		CU_add_test(suite, "thread_poller", thread_poller) == NULL ||
+		CU_add_test(suite, "poller_pause", poller_pause) == NULL ||
 		CU_add_test(suite, "thread_for_each", thread_for_each) == NULL ||
 		CU_add_test(suite, "for_each_channel_remove", for_each_channel_remove) == NULL ||
 		CU_add_test(suite, "for_each_channel_unreg", for_each_channel_unreg) == NULL ||