diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index 9db5c8819..fdf908b9f 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -228,8 +228,13 @@ secscan_notification_queue = WorkQueue(app.config['SECSCAN_NOTIFICATION_QUEUE_NA
                                        has_namespace=False,
                                        metric_queue=metric_queue)
 
+# Note: We set `has_namespace` to `False` here, as we explicitly want this queue to not be emptied
+# when a namespace is marked for deletion.
+namespace_gc_queue = WorkQueue(app.config['NAMESPACE_GC_QUEUE_NAME'], tf, has_namespace=False,
+                               metric_queue=metric_queue)
+
 all_queues = [image_replication_queue, dockerfile_build_queue, notification_queue,
-              secscan_notification_queue, chunk_cleanup_queue]
+              secscan_notification_queue, chunk_cleanup_queue, namespace_gc_queue]
 
 secscan_api = SecurityScannerAPI(app, app.config, storage)
 tuf_metadata_api = TUFMetadataAPI(app, app.config)
diff --git a/conf/init/service/batch/namespacegcworker/log/run b/conf/init/service/batch/namespacegcworker/log/run
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..6e43109a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/init/service/batch/namespacegcworker/log/run
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# Start the logger
+exec logger -i -t namespacegcworker
diff --git a/conf/init/service/batch/namespacegcworker/run b/conf/init/service/batch/namespacegcworker/run
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..04b41a0fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/init/service/batch/namespacegcworker/run
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#! /bin/bash
+
+echo 'Starting Namespace GC worker'
+
+QUAYPATH=${QUAYPATH:-"."}
+cd ${QUAYDIR:-"/"}
+PYTHONPATH=$QUAYPATH venv/bin/python -m workers.namespacegcworker 2>&1
+
+echo 'Namespace GC exited'
diff --git a/config.py b/config.py
index aa77413b4..e912b8ab1 100644
--- a/config.py
+++ b/config.py
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ class DefaultConfig(ImmutableConfig):
   REPLICATION_QUEUE_NAME = 'imagestoragereplication'
   SECSCAN_NOTIFICATION_QUEUE_NAME = 'security_notification'
   CHUNK_CLEANUP_QUEUE_NAME = 'chunk_cleanup'
+  NAMESPACE_GC_QUEUE_NAME = 'namespacegc'
 
   # Super user config. Note: This MUST BE an empty list for the default config.
   SUPER_USERS = []
diff --git a/data/database.py b/data/database.py
index fd19aa9db..fa8fa88f8 100644
--- a/data/database.py
+++ b/data/database.py
@@ -470,13 +470,21 @@ class User(BaseModel):
                                  RepositoryNotification, OAuthAuthorizationCode,
                                  RepositoryActionCount, TagManifestLabel, Tag,
                                  ManifestLabel, BlobUploading, TeamSync,
-                                 RepositorySearchScore} | beta_classes
+                                 RepositorySearchScore, DeletedNamespace} | beta_classes
       delete_instance_filtered(self, User, delete_nullable, skip_transitive_deletes)
 
 
 Namespace = User.alias()
 
 
+class DeletedNamespace(BaseModel):
+  namespace = QuayUserField(index=True, allows_robots=False, unique=True)
+  marked = DateTimeField(default=datetime.now)
+  original_username = CharField(index=True)
+  original_email = CharField(index=True)
+  queue_id = CharField(null=True, index=True)
+
+
 class UserPromptTypes(object):
   CONFIRM_USERNAME = 'confirm_username'
   ENTER_NAME = 'enter_name'
diff --git a/data/migrations/versions/b4c2d45bc132_add_deleted_namespace_table.py b/data/migrations/versions/b4c2d45bc132_add_deleted_namespace_table.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e5f137877
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/migrations/versions/b4c2d45bc132_add_deleted_namespace_table.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+"""Add deleted namespace table
+
+Revision ID: b4c2d45bc132
+Revises: 152edccba18c
+Create Date: 2018-02-27 11:43:02.329941
+
+"""
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision = 'b4c2d45bc132'
+down_revision = '152edccba18c'
+
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+
+def upgrade(tables):
+    # ### commands auto generated by Alembic - please adjust! ###
+    op.create_table('deletednamespace',
+    sa.Column('id', sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('namespace_id', sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('marked', sa.DateTime(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('original_username', sa.String(length=255), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('original_email', sa.String(length=255), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('queue_id', sa.String(length=255), nullable=True),
+    sa.ForeignKeyConstraint(['namespace_id'], ['user.id'], name=op.f('fk_deletednamespace_namespace_id_user')),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('id', name=op.f('pk_deletednamespace'))
+    )
+    op.create_index('deletednamespace_namespace_id', 'deletednamespace', ['namespace_id'], unique=True)
+    op.create_index('deletednamespace_original_email', 'deletednamespace', ['original_email'], unique=False)
+    op.create_index('deletednamespace_original_username', 'deletednamespace', ['original_username'], unique=False)
+    op.create_index('deletednamespace_queue_id', 'deletednamespace', ['queue_id'], unique=False)
+    # ### end Alembic commands ###
+
+
+def downgrade(tables):
+    # ### commands auto generated by Alembic - please adjust! ###
+    op.drop_table('deletednamespace')
+    # ### end Alembic commands ###
diff --git a/data/model/test/test_user.py b/data/model/test/test_user.py
index 2f4f82995..ce0649322 100644
--- a/data/model/test/test_user.py
+++ b/data/model/test/test_user.py
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@ import pytest
 
 from mock import patch
 
-from data.database import EmailConfirmation
+from data.database import EmailConfirmation, User, DeletedNamespace
 from data.model.user import create_user_noverify, validate_reset_code, get_active_users
+from data.model.user import mark_namespace_for_deletion, delete_namespace_via_marker
 from util.timedeltastring import convert_to_timedelta
+from data.queue import WorkQueue
 from test.fixtures import *
 
 def test_create_user_with_expiration(initialized_db):
@@ -38,3 +40,46 @@ def test_get_active_users(disabled, initialized_db):
   for user in users:
     if not disabled:
       assert user.enabled
+
+def test_mark_namespace_for_deletion(initialized_db):
+  def create_transaction(db):
+    return db.transaction()
+
+  # Create a user and then mark it for deletion.
+  user = create_user_noverify('foobar', 'foo@example.com', email_required=False)
+
+  # Mark the user for deletion.
+  queue = WorkQueue('testgcnamespace', create_transaction)
+  mark_namespace_for_deletion(user, [], queue)
+
+  # Ensure the older user is still in the DB.
+  assert User.get(id=user.id).username != 'foobar'
+
+  # Ensure we can create a user with the same namespace again.
+  new_user = create_user_noverify('foobar', 'foo@example.com', email_required=False)
+  assert new_user.id != user.id
+
+  # Ensure the older user is still in the DB.
+  assert User.get(id=user.id).username != 'foobar'
+
+
+def test_delete_namespace_via_marker(initialized_db):
+  def create_transaction(db):
+    return db.transaction()
+
+  # Create a user and then mark it for deletion.
+  user = create_user_noverify('foobar', 'foo@example.com', email_required=False)
+
+  # Mark the user for deletion.
+  queue = WorkQueue('testgcnamespace', create_transaction)
+  marker_id = mark_namespace_for_deletion(user, [], queue)
+
+  # Delete the user.
+  delete_namespace_via_marker(marker_id, [])
+
+  # Ensure the user was actually deleted.
+  with pytest.raises(User.DoesNotExist):
+    User.get(id=user.id)
+
+  with pytest.raises(DeletedNamespace.DoesNotExist):
+    DeletedNamespace.get(id=marker_id)
diff --git a/data/model/user.py b/data/model/user.py
index 763e7305e..0c86b5a7b 100644
--- a/data/model/user.py
+++ b/data/model/user.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from data.database import (User, LoginService, FederatedLogin, RepositoryPermiss
                            EmailConfirmation, Role, db_for_update, random_string_generator,
                            UserRegion, ImageStorageLocation,
                            ServiceKeyApproval, OAuthApplication, RepositoryBuildTrigger,
-                           UserPromptKind, UserPrompt, UserPromptTypes)
+                           UserPromptKind, UserPrompt, UserPromptTypes, DeletedNamespace)
 from data.model import (DataModelException, InvalidPasswordException, InvalidRobotException,
                         InvalidUsernameException, InvalidEmailAddressException,
                         TooManyLoginAttemptsException, db_transaction,
@@ -835,7 +835,14 @@ def get_solely_admined_organizations(user_obj):
   return solely_admined
 
 
-def delete_user(user, queues, force=False):
+def mark_namespace_for_deletion(user, queues, namespace_gc_queue, force=False):
+  """ Marks a namespace (as referenced by the given user) for deletion. A queue item will be added
+      to delete the namespace's repositories and storage, while the namespace itself will be
+      renamed, disabled, and delinked from other tables.
+  """
+  if not user.enabled:
+    return None
+
   if not force and not user.organization:
     # Ensure that the user is not the sole admin for any organizations. If so, then the user
     # cannot be deleted before those organizations are deleted or reassigned.
@@ -854,10 +861,66 @@ def delete_user(user, queues, force=False):
   for queue in queues:
     queue.delete_namespaced_items(user.username)
 
+  # Delete non-repository related items. This operation is very quick, so we can do so here.
+  _delete_user_linked_data(user)
+
+  with db_transaction():
+    original_username = user.username
+    user = db_for_update(User.select().where(User.id == user.id)).get()
+
+    # Mark the namespace as deleted and ready for GC.
+    try:
+      marker = DeletedNamespace.create(namespace=user,
+                                       original_username=original_username,
+                                       original_email=user.email)
+    except IntegrityError:
+      return
+    
+    # Disable the namespace itself, and replace its various unique fields with UUIDs.
+    user.enabled = False
+    user.username = str(uuid4())
+    user.email = str(uuid4())
+    user.save()
+
+  # Add a queueitem to delete the namespace.
+  marker.queue_id = namespace_gc_queue.put([str(user.id)], json.dumps({
+    'marker_id': marker.id,
+    'original_username': original_username,
+  }))
+  marker.save()
+  return marker.id
+
+
+def delete_namespace_via_marker(marker_id, queues):
+  """ Deletes a namespace referenced by the given DeletedNamespace marker ID. """
+  try:
+    marker = DeletedNamespace.get(id=marker_id)
+  except DeletedNamespace.DoesNotExist:
+    return
+
+  delete_user(marker.namespace, queues)
+
+
+def delete_user(user, queues):
+  """ Deletes a user/organization/robot. Should *not* be called by any user-facing API. Instead,
+      mark_namespace_for_deletion should be used, and the queue should call this method.
+  """
+  # Delete all queue items for the user.
+  for queue in queues:
+    queue.delete_namespaced_items(user.username)
+
   # Delete any repositories under the user's namespace.
   for repo in list(Repository.select().where(Repository.namespace_user == user)):
     repository.purge_repository(user.username, repo.name)
 
+  # Delete non-repository related items.
+  _delete_user_linked_data(user)
+
+  # Delete the user itself.
+  user.delete_instance(recursive=True, delete_nullable=True)
+
+
+def _delete_user_linked_data(user):
   if user.organization:
     # Delete the organization's teams.
     for team in Team.select().where(Team.organization == user):
@@ -879,9 +942,6 @@ def delete_user(user, queues, force=False):
   # falling and only occurs if a superuser is being deleted.
   ServiceKeyApproval.update(approver=None).where(ServiceKeyApproval.approver == user).execute()
 
-  # Delete the user itself.
-  user.delete_instance(recursive=True, delete_nullable=True)
-
 
 def get_pull_credentials(robotname):
   try:
diff --git a/endpoints/api/organization.py b/endpoints/api/organization.py
index 93cf5ed85..c449bd843 100644
--- a/endpoints/api/organization.py
+++ b/endpoints/api/organization.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from flask import request
 
 import features
 
-from app import billing as stripe, avatar, all_queues, authentication
+from app import billing as stripe, avatar, all_queues, authentication, namespace_gc_queue
 from endpoints.api import (resource, nickname, ApiResource, validate_json_request, request_error,
                            related_user_resource, internal_only, require_user_admin, log_action,
                            show_if, path_param, require_scope, require_fresh_login)
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ class Organization(ApiResource):
       except model.InvalidOrganizationException:
         raise NotFound()
 
-      model.user.delete_user(org, all_queues)
+      model.user.mark_namespace_for_deletion(org, all_queues, namespace_gc_queue)
       return '', 204
 
     raise Unauthorized()
diff --git a/endpoints/api/superuser.py b/endpoints/api/superuser.py
index f5d0a9e81..151ffb961 100644
--- a/endpoints/api/superuser.py
+++ b/endpoints/api/superuser.py
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ class SuperUserManagement(ApiResource):
       if superusers.is_superuser(username):
         raise InvalidRequest('Cannot delete a superuser')
 
-      pre_oci_model.delete_user(username)
+      pre_oci_model.mark_user_for_deletion(username)
       return '', 204
 
     raise Unauthorized()
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ class SuperUserOrganizationManagement(ApiResource):
   def delete(self, name):
     """ Deletes the specified organization. """
     if SuperUserPermission().can():
-      pre_oci_model.delete_organization(name)
+      pre_oci_model.mark_organization_for_deletion(name)
       return '', 204
 
     raise Unauthorized()
diff --git a/endpoints/api/superuser_models_interface.py b/endpoints/api/superuser_models_interface.py
index ec83c7c48..48bd9f716 100644
--- a/endpoints/api/superuser_models_interface.py
+++ b/endpoints/api/superuser_models_interface.py
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ class SuperuserDataInterface(object):
     """
 
   @abstractmethod
-  def delete_user(self, username):
+  def mark_user_for_deletion(self, username):
     """
     Returns None
     """
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ class SuperuserDataInterface(object):
     """
 
   @abstractmethod
-  def delete_organization(self, name):
+  def mark_organization_for_deletion(self, name):
     """
     Returns None
     """
diff --git a/endpoints/api/superuser_models_pre_oci.py b/endpoints/api/superuser_models_pre_oci.py
index 4e44aea78..daa97f83f 100644
--- a/endpoints/api/superuser_models_pre_oci.py
+++ b/endpoints/api/superuser_models_pre_oci.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import features
 
 from flask import request
 
-from app import all_queues, userfiles
+from app import all_queues, userfiles, namespace_gc_queue
 from auth.permissions import ReadRepositoryPermission, ModifyRepositoryPermission, AdministerRepositoryPermission
 from data import model, database
 from endpoints.api.build import get_job_config, _get_build_status
@@ -141,9 +141,9 @@ class PreOCIModel(SuperuserDataInterface):
 
     return Organization(org.username, org.email)
 
-  def delete_organization(self, name):
+  def mark_organization_for_deletion(self, name):
     org = model.organization.get_organization(name)
-    model.user.delete_user(org, all_queues)
+    model.user.mark_namespace_for_deletion(org, all_queues, namespace_gc_queue, force=True)
 
   def take_ownership(self, namespace, authed_user):
     entity = model.user.get_user_or_org(namespace)
@@ -172,9 +172,9 @@ class PreOCIModel(SuperuserDataInterface):
     user = model.user.get_nonrobot_user(username)
     model.user.change_password(user, password)
 
-  def delete_user(self, username):
+  def mark_user_for_deletion(self, username):
     user = model.user.get_nonrobot_user(username)
-    model.user.delete_user(user, all_queues, force=True)
+    model.user.mark_namespace_for_deletion(user, all_queues, namespace_gc_queue, force=True)
 
   def create_reset_password_email_code(self, email):
     code = model.user.create_reset_password_email_code(email)
diff --git a/endpoints/api/user.py b/endpoints/api/user.py
index 6b900a387..7f86df918 100644
--- a/endpoints/api/user.py
+++ b/endpoints/api/user.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from peewee import IntegrityError
 import features
 
 from app import (app, billing as stripe, authentication, avatar, user_analytics, all_queues,
-                 oauth_login)
+                 oauth_login, namespace_gc_queue)
 
 from auth import scopes
 from auth.auth_context import get_authenticated_user
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ class User(ApiResource):
     if app.config['AUTHENTICATION_TYPE'] != 'Database':
       abort(404)
 
-    model.user.delete_user(get_authenticated_user(), all_queues)
+    model.user.mark_namespace_for_deletion(get_authenticated_user(), all_queues, namespace_gc_queue)
     return '', 204
 
 
diff --git a/initdb.py b/initdb.py
index 18317e25e..aecdddfb7 100644
--- a/initdb.py
+++ b/initdb.py
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ from data.database import (db, all_models, beta_classes, Role, TeamRole, Visibil
                            ExternalNotificationEvent, ExternalNotificationMethod, NotificationKind,
                            QuayRegion, QuayService, UserRegion, OAuthAuthorizationCode,
                            ServiceKeyApprovalType, MediaType, LabelSourceType, UserPromptKind,
-                           RepositoryKind, TagKind, BlobPlacementLocation, User)
+                           RepositoryKind, TagKind, BlobPlacementLocation, User,
+                           DeletedNamespace)
 from data import model
 from data.queue import WorkQueue
 from app import app, storage as store, tf
@@ -893,8 +894,11 @@ def populate_database(minimal=False, with_storage=False):
     model.repositoryactioncount.update_repository_score(to_count)
 
 
+WHITELISTED_EMPTY_MODELS = ['DeletedNamespace']
+
 def find_models_missing_data():
-  # As a sanity check we are going to make sure that all db tables have some data
+  # As a sanity check we are going to make sure that all db tables have some data, unless explicitly
+  # whitelisted.
   models_missing_data = set()
   for one_model in all_models:
     if one_model in beta_classes:
@@ -903,7 +907,8 @@ def find_models_missing_data():
     try:
       one_model.select().get()
     except one_model.DoesNotExist:
-      models_missing_data.add(one_model.__name__)
+      if one_model.__name__ not in WHITELISTED_EMPTY_MODELS:
+        models_missing_data.add(one_model.__name__)
 
   return models_missing_data
 
diff --git a/static/js/services/user-service.js b/static/js/services/user-service.js
index 1196bf030..af59217be 100644
--- a/static/js/services/user-service.js
+++ b/static/js/services/user-service.js
@@ -189,59 +189,21 @@ function(ApiService, CookieService, $rootScope, Config, $location, $timeout) {
     }
 
     var errorDisplay = ApiService.errorDisplay('Could not delete namespace', callback);
-    var deleteNamespaceItself = function() {
-      info.progress = 1;
-      info.progressMessage = 'Deleting namespace...';
-      var cb = function(resp) {
-        userService.load(function(currentUser) {
-          callback(true);
-          $location.path('/');
-        });
-      }
+    var cb = function(resp) {
+      userService.load(function(currentUser) {
+        callback(true);
+        $location.path('/');
+      });
+    }
 
-      if (info.user) {
-        ApiService.deleteCurrentUser().then(cb, errorDisplay)
-      } else {
-        var delParams = {
-          'orgname': info.organization.name
-        };
-        ApiService.deleteAdminedOrganization(null, delParams).then(cb, errorDisplay);
-      }
-    };
-
-    var repoIndex = 0;
-    var repositories = null;
-    var deleteAllRepos = function() {
-      if (repoIndex >= repositories.length) {
-        deleteNamespaceItself();
-        return;
-      }
-
-      var repoParams = {
-        'repository': namespace + '/' + repositories[repoIndex]['name']
+    if (info.user) {
+      ApiService.deleteCurrentUser().then(cb, errorDisplay)
+    } else {
+      var delParams = {
+        'orgname': info.organization.name
       };
-
-      info.progress = repoIndex / repositories.length;
-      info.progressMessage = 'Deleting repository ' + repoParams['repository'] + '...';
-
-      ApiService.deleteRepository(null, repoParams).then(function() {
-        repoIndex++;
-        deleteAllRepos();
-      }, errorDisplay);
-    };
-
-    // First delete each repo for the namespace, updating the info so it can show a progress bar.
-    // This is not strictly necessary (as the namespace delete call will do it as well), but it is
-    // a better user experience.
-    var params = {
-      'namespace': namespace,
-      'public': false
-    };
-
-    ApiService.listRepos(null, params).then(function(resp) {
-      repositories = resp['repositories'];
-      deleteAllRepos();
-    }, errorDisplay);
+      ApiService.deleteAdminedOrganization(null, delParams).then(cb, errorDisplay);
+    }
   };
 
   userService.currentUser = function() {
diff --git a/test/data/test.db b/test/data/test.db
index f3806a876..286e2d0fc 100644
Binary files a/test/data/test.db and b/test/data/test.db differ
diff --git a/test/test_api_usage.py b/test/test_api_usage.py
index b1f8b7476..54071de6c 100644
--- a/test/test_api_usage.py
+++ b/test/test_api_usage.py
@@ -4013,7 +4013,7 @@ class TestSuperUserCreateInitialSuperUser(ApiTestCase):
 
     # Delete all users in the DB.
     for user in list(database.User.select()):
-      model.user.delete_user(user, all_queues, force=True)
+      model.user.delete_user(user, all_queues)
 
     # Create the superuser.
     self.postJsonResponse(SuperUserCreateInitialSuperUser, data=data)
diff --git a/test/test_suconfig_api.py b/test/test_suconfig_api.py
index f24b28f19..ad49b59d5 100644
--- a/test/test_suconfig_api.py
+++ b/test/test_suconfig_api.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class TestSuperUserCreateInitialSuperUser(ApiTestCase):
 
       # Delete all the users in the DB.
       for user in list(User.select()):
-        model.user.delete_user(user, all_queues, force=True)
+        model.user.delete_user(user, all_queues)
 
       # This method should now succeed.
       data = dict(username='cooluser', password='password', email='fake@example.com')
diff --git a/tools/deleteaccount.py b/tools/deleteaccount.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 5dda48ec1..000000000
--- a/tools/deleteaccount.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,52 +0,0 @@
-import logging
-import sys
-
-from app import app
-from data import model
-from data.database import Repository, User
-
-logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-
-
-def delete_summary(username):
-  found = User.get(User.username == username)
-  dependencies = found.dependencies(search_nullable=False)
-  counts = {}
-  for expression, field in dependencies:
-    use_count = field.model_class.select().where(expression).count()
-    if use_count > 0:
-      counts[field.model_class.__name__] = use_count
-
-  return counts
-
-
-def delete_username(username):
-  # First delete the repositories owned by this user
-  found = User.get(User.username == username)
-  for repository in list(Repository.select().where(Repository.namespace_user == found)):
-    print 'Deleting repository: {0}/{1}'.format(found.username, repository.name)
-    model.repository.purge_repository(found.username, repository.name)
-
-  # Now recursively delete user, which will clean up all non-nullable referencing fields
-  print 'Deleting user: {0}'.format(username)
-  found.delete_instance(recursive=True)
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-  logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
-
-  summary = delete_summary(sys.argv[1]).items()
-
-  if summary:
-    print 'Will delete:'
-    for model_name, count in summary:
-      print '{0}: {1}'.format(model_name, count)
-  else:
-    print 'Nothing references user.'
-
-  print 'Delete? [y/n]'
-  delete_yn = raw_input().lower().strip()
-  if delete_yn == 'y':
-    delete_username(sys.argv[1])
-  else:
-    print 'Aborted!'
diff --git a/util/config/schema.py b/util/config/schema.py
index ab4da0932..5bf7320ab 100644
--- a/util/config/schema.py
+++ b/util/config/schema.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ INTERNAL_ONLY_PROPERTIES = {
   'SECSCAN_NOTIFICATION_QUEUE_NAME',
   'SECURITY_SCANNER_ISSUER_NAME',
   'NOTIFICATION_QUEUE_NAME',
+  'NAMESPACE_GC_QUEUE_NAME',
 
   'FEATURE_BILLING',
   'FEATURE_SUPPORT_CHAT',
diff --git a/workers/namespacegcworker.py b/workers/namespacegcworker.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..863f2d649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workers/namespacegcworker.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import logging
+import time
+
+from app import app, namespace_gc_queue, all_queues
+from data import model
+from workers.queueworker import QueueWorker, JobException
+from util.log import logfile_path
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+POLL_PERIOD_SECONDS = 60
+
+
+class NamespaceGCWorker(QueueWorker):
+  """ Worker which cleans up namespaces enqueued to be GCed.
+  """
+  def process_queue_item(self, job_details):
+    logger.debug('Got namespace GC queue item: %s', job_details)
+    marker_id = job_details['marker_id']
+    model.user.delete_namespace_via_marker(marker_id, all_queues)
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+  logging.config.fileConfig(logfile_path(debug=False), disable_existing_loggers=False)
+
+  logger.debug('Starting namespace GC worker')
+  worker = NamespaceGCWorker(namespace_gc_queue, poll_period_seconds=POLL_PERIOD_SECONDS)
+  worker.start()