diff --git a/include/FreeRTOS.h b/include/FreeRTOS.h
index e7d779a7102..8cf658c4141 100644
--- a/include/FreeRTOS.h
+++ b/include/FreeRTOS.h
@@ -175,6 +175,10 @@
     #define INCLUDE_vTaskSuspend    0
 #endif
 
+#ifndef configUSE_WORKQUEUE
+    #define configUSE_WORKQUEUE    1
+#endif
+
 #ifdef INCLUDE_xTaskDelayUntil
     #ifdef INCLUDE_vTaskDelayUntil
 
diff --git a/include/workqueue.h b/include/workqueue.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7f1041c7bde
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/workqueue.h
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+
+#ifndef WORKQUEUE_H
+#define WORKQUEUE_H
+
+
+#include "FreeRTOS.h"
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include "task.h"
+
+/*-----------------------------------------------------------
+* MACROS AND DEFINITIONS
+*----------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+#if configUSE_WORKQUEUE == 1
+
+    #ifndef configWORK_TASK_QUEUE_LENGTH
+        #error If configUSE_WORKQUEUE is set to 1 then configWORK_TASK_QUEUE_LENGTH must also be defined.
+    #endif
+
+    // TODO: use a default stack size or print a warning instead?
+    #ifndef configWORK_TASK_STACK_SIZE
+        #define configWORK_TASK_STACK_SIZE    ( configMINIMAL_STACK_SIZE*2 )
+    #endif
+
+    #ifndef configWORK_TASK_PRIORITY
+        #define configWORK_TASK_PRIORITY    ( tskIDLE_PRIORITY+1 )
+    #endif
+
+typedef void (*WorkerFunction_t)(void* pvParam);
+
+extern BaseType_t xWorkerQueueSendFromISR(WorkerFunction_t xFunctionToCall, void* pvParam, BaseType_t * pxHigherPriorityTaskWoken);
+extern BaseType_t xWorkerQueueSend(WorkerFunction_t xFunctionToCall, void* pvParam, TickType_t xTicksToWait);
+
+
+/*
+ * Functions beyond this part are not part of the public API and are intended
+ * for use by the kernel only.
+ */
+BaseType_t xWorkerCreateWorkerTask( void ) PRIVILEGED_FUNCTION;
+
+#endif /* configUSE_WORKQUEUE */
+
+#endif
diff --git a/workqueue.c b/workqueue.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0772adf70fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workqueue.c
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+#include "workqueue.h"
+#include "FreeRTOS.h"
+#include "queue.h"
+
+#if ( configUSE_WORKQUEUE == 1 )
+
+#ifndef configWORK_TASK_NAME
+    #define configWORK_TASK_NAME    "WORKER"
+#endif
+
+
+/* The definition of "work tasks" that can be put on the work queue. */
+typedef struct
+{
+  WorkerFunction_t pxCallbackFunction;
+  void* pvParam;
+} CallbackParameters_t;
+
+
+/*
+ * The worker task. This task performs low-priority or lengthy operations that
+ * are defered to it by application software. Other tasks communicate with the
+ * worker task via the xWorkerQueueSend and xWorkerQueueSendFromISR calls. */
+static portTASK_FUNCTION_PROTO( prvWorkerTask, pvParameters ) PRIVILEGED_FUNCTION;
+
+
+/* the actual queue which holds the tasks that have to be performed. */
+PRIVILEGED_DATA static QueueHandle_t xWorkQueue = NULL;
+
+/* the handle to the worker task, in case it will be needed later. */
+PRIVILEGED_DATA static TaskHandle_t xWorkTaskHandle = NULL;
+
+
+/* creates the actual worker task and the associated work queue. */
+BaseType_t xWorkerCreateWorkerTask(void)
+{
+  BaseType_t xReturn = pdFAIL;
+
+  #if ( configSUPPORT_STATIC_ALLOCATION == 1 )
+    // TODO: implement static allocation too.
+  #else
+
+      /* create the queue which the work tasks are posted to. If queue creation fails, abort and don't start the worker task. */
+      xWorkQueue = xQueueCreate(configWORK_TASK_QUEUE_LENGTH, sizeof(CallbackParameters_t));
+      if(xWorkQueue == NULL)
+      {
+        return pdFAIL;
+      }
+
+      /* if the queue creation is successful, create the worker task. If this fails for some reason, the queue is also not needed
+       * anymore and should be deleted. */
+      xReturn = xTaskCreate(prvWorkerTask,
+                            configWORK_TASK_NAME,
+                            configWORK_TASK_STACK_SIZE,
+                            NULL,
+                            configWORK_TASK_PRIORITY,
+                            &xWorkTaskHandle);
+      if(xReturn != pdPASS)
+      {
+        vQueueDelete(xWorkQueue);
+        xWorkQueue = NULL;
+        return pdFAIL;
+      }
+
+  #endif
+
+  return pdPASS;
+}
+
+
+
+BaseType_t xWorkerQueueSend(WorkerFunction_t xFunctionToCall, void* pvParam, TickType_t xTicksToWait)
+{
+  CallbackParameters_t xCallback;
+  xCallback.pxCallbackFunction = xFunctionToCall;
+  xCallback.pvParam = pvParam;
+  return xQueueSendToBack(xWorkQueue, &xCallback, xTicksToWait);
+}
+
+
+
+BaseType_t xWorkerQueueSendFromISR(WorkerFunction_t xFunctionToCall, void* pvParam, BaseType_t * pxHigherPriorityTaskWoken)
+{
+  CallbackParameters_t xCallback;
+  xCallback.pxCallbackFunction = xFunctionToCall;
+  xCallback.pvParam = pvParam;
+  return xQueueSendToBackFromISR(xWorkQueue, &xCallback, pxHigherPriorityTaskWoken);
+}
+
+
+
+static portTASK_FUNCTION( prvWorkerTask, pvParameters )
+{
+  /* parameter is unused. avoid compiler warning. */
+  (void)pvParameters;
+
+  for( ; ; )
+  {
+    /* wait on the work queue until actual work tasks are sent to it.
+     * as long as the queue is empty, there is nothing to do and the worker
+     * task should stay blocked such that no CPU cycles are wasted to it. */
+    CallbackParameters_t xCallback;
+    if(xQueueReceive(xWorkQueue, &xCallback, portMAX_DELAY))
+    {
+
+      /* at least one work task has been sent to the queue. We should determine the
+       * callback function and its parameter, check the callback function for validity and
+       * then actually call it. */
+      WorkerFunction_t pxCallbackFunction = xCallback.pxCallbackFunction;
+      void* pvParam = xCallback.pvParam;
+      if(pxCallbackFunction != NULL)
+      {
+        pxCallbackFunction(pvParam);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+#endif
+