diff --git a/docs/crio.conf.5.md b/docs/crio.conf.5.md
index 32cac7a4..8e65fe28 100644
--- a/docs/crio.conf.5.md
+++ b/docs/crio.conf.5.md
@@ -78,12 +78,18 @@ Example:
 **conmon_env**=[]
   Environment variable list for conmon process (default: ["PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin",])
 
+**container_status_queue_size**=""
+	Number of container status events that could be buffered in the job queue.
+
 **log_size_max**=""
   Maximum sized allowed for the container log file (default: -1)
   Negative numbers indicate that no size limit is imposed.
   If it is positive, it must be >= 8192 (to match/exceed conmon read buffer).
   The file is truncated and re-opened so the limit is never exceeded.
 
+**num_status_workers**=""
+  Number of goroutines spawned to update container status asynchronously.
+
 **pids_limit**=""
   Maximum number of processes allowed in a container (default: 1024)
 
diff --git a/libkpod/config.go b/libkpod/config.go
index 687b4b38..3be1e7b8 100644
--- a/libkpod/config.go
+++ b/libkpod/config.go
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@ const (
 	// DefaultLogSizeMax is the default value for the maximum log size
 	// allowed for a container. Negative values mean that no limit is imposed.
 	DefaultLogSizeMax = -1
+
+	// DefaultNumStatusWorkers is the default value for number of goroutines
+	// spawned for updating container status.
+	DefaultNumStatusWorkers = 10
+
+	// DefaultContainerStatusQueueSize is the default value for the queue size
+	// for container status update jobs.
+	DefaultContainerStatusQueueSize = 100
 )
 
 // This structure is necessary to fake the TOML tables when parsing,
@@ -165,6 +173,14 @@ type RuntimeConfig struct {
 	// ContainerExitsDir is the directory in which container exit files are
 	// written to by conmon.
 	ContainerExitsDir string `toml:"container_exits_dir"`
+
+	// NumStatusWorkers is the number of goroutines spawned to update container status
+	// asynchronously.
+	NumStatusWorkers uint `toml:"num_status_workers"`
+
+	// ContainerStatusQueueSize is the number of container status events that could
+	// be buffered in the job queue.
+	ContainerStatusQueueSize uint `toml:"container_status_queue_size"`
 }
 
 // ImageConfig represents the "crio.image" TOML config table.
@@ -284,14 +300,16 @@ func DefaultConfig() *Config {
 			ConmonEnv: []string{
 				"PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin",
 			},
-			SELinux:           selinux.GetEnabled(),
-			SeccompProfile:    seccompProfilePath,
-			ApparmorProfile:   apparmorProfileName,
-			CgroupManager:     cgroupManager,
-			PidsLimit:         DefaultPidsLimit,
-			ContainerExitsDir: containerExitsDir,
-			HooksDirPath:      DefaultHooksDirPath,
-			LogSizeMax:        DefaultLogSizeMax,
+			SELinux:                  selinux.GetEnabled(),
+			SeccompProfile:           seccompProfilePath,
+			ApparmorProfile:          apparmorProfileName,
+			CgroupManager:            cgroupManager,
+			PidsLimit:                DefaultPidsLimit,
+			ContainerExitsDir:        containerExitsDir,
+			HooksDirPath:             DefaultHooksDirPath,
+			LogSizeMax:               DefaultLogSizeMax,
+			NumStatusWorkers:         DefaultNumStatusWorkers,
+			ContainerStatusQueueSize: DefaultContainerStatusQueueSize,
 		},
 		ImageConfig: ImageConfig{
 			DefaultTransport:    defaultTransport,
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 709209b3..cdba69d5 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -195,6 +195,14 @@ func New(config *Config) (*Server, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if config.ContainerStatusQueueSize == 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("container_status_queue_size should be atleast 1")
+	}
+
+	if config.NumStatusWorkers == 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("num_status_workers should be atleast 1")
+	}
+
 	netPlugin, err := ocicni.InitCNI(config.NetworkDir, config.PluginDir)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -374,6 +382,11 @@ func (s *Server) StartExitMonitor() {
 	}
 	defer watcher.Close()
 
+	containerStoppedJobs := make(chan string, s.config.ContainerStatusQueueSize)
+	for w := 1; w <= int(s.config.NumStatusWorkers); w++ {
+		go s.startStatusUpdateWorker(w, containerStoppedJobs)
+	}
+
 	done := make(chan struct{})
 	go func() {
 		for {
@@ -383,28 +396,7 @@ func (s *Server) StartExitMonitor() {
 				if event.Op&fsnotify.Create == fsnotify.Create {
 					containerID := filepath.Base(event.Name)
 					logrus.Debugf("container or sandbox exited: %v", containerID)
-					c := s.GetContainer(containerID)
-					if c != nil {
-						logrus.Debugf("container exited and found: %v", containerID)
-						err := s.Runtime().UpdateStatus(c)
-						if err != nil {
-							logrus.Warnf("Failed to update container status %s: %v", c, err)
-						} else {
-							s.ContainerStateToDisk(c)
-						}
-					} else {
-						sb := s.GetSandbox(containerID)
-						if sb != nil {
-							c := sb.InfraContainer()
-							logrus.Debugf("sandbox exited and found: %v", containerID)
-							err := s.Runtime().UpdateStatus(c)
-							if err != nil {
-								logrus.Warnf("Failed to update sandbox infra container status %s: %v", c, err)
-							} else {
-								s.ContainerStateToDisk(c)
-							}
-						}
-					}
+					containerStoppedJobs <- containerID
 				}
 			case err := <-watcher.Errors:
 				logrus.Debugf("watch error: %v", err)
@@ -423,3 +415,32 @@ func (s *Server) StartExitMonitor() {
 	}
 	<-done
 }
+
+// startStatusUpdateWorker accepts jobs in the form of container IDs whose
+// status is updated by the function.
+func (s *Server) startStatusUpdateWorker(workerID int, containerJobs <-chan string) {
+	for containerID := range containerJobs {
+		logrus.Debugf("StatusUpdateWorker %v processing %v", workerID, containerID)
+
+		// Find the container from ID. It could either be a regular container
+		// or a sandbox infra container.
+		c := s.GetContainer(containerID)
+		if c != nil {
+			logrus.Debugf("container exited and found: %v", containerID)
+		} else {
+			sb := s.GetSandbox(containerID)
+			if sb == nil {
+				return
+			}
+			c = sb.InfraContainer()
+			logrus.Debugf("sandbox exited and found: %v", containerID)
+		}
+
+		// Update the status of the container and save state to disk.
+		if err := s.Runtime().UpdateStatus(c); err != nil {
+			logrus.Warnf("Failed to update container status %s: %v", c, err)
+		} else {
+			s.ContainerStateToDisk(c)
+		}
+	}
+}