diff --git a/base/error.jl b/base/error.jl
index 9609293db78182..e3ded22eac3c04 100644
--- a/base/error.jl
+++ b/base/error.jl
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ end
 
 
 """
-    retry(f, [condition]; n=3; max_delay=10)
+    retry(f, [condition]; n=3; max_delay=10) -> Function
 
 Returns a lambda that retries function `f` up to `n` times in the
 event of an exception. If `condition` is a `Type` then retry only
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ retry(f::Function, t::Type; kw...) = retry(f, e->isa(e, t); kw...)
 
 
 """
-    @catch(f)
+    @catch(f) -> Function
 
 Returns a lambda that executes `f` and returns either the result of `f` or
 an `Exception` thrown by `f`.
diff --git a/base/generator.jl b/base/generator.jl
index dff08ea9d25422..c0c6f59ccfc164 100644
--- a/base/generator.jl
+++ b/base/generator.jl
@@ -20,4 +20,6 @@ function next(g::Generator, s)
     g.f(v), s2
 end
 
+generate(f, c...) = Generator(f, c...)
+
 collect(g::Generator) = map(g.f, g.iter)
diff --git a/base/iterator.jl b/base/iterator.jl
index 5e6bfab3786428..6318e01a501ee3 100644
--- a/base/iterator.jl
+++ b/base/iterator.jl
@@ -123,6 +123,25 @@ done(i::Rest, st) = done(i.itr, st)
 
 eltype{I}(::Type{Rest{I}}) = eltype(I)
 
+
+"""
+    head_and_tail(c, n) -> head, tail
+
+Returns `head`: the first `n` elements of `c`;
+and `tail`: an iterator over the remaining elements.
+"""
+function head_and_tail(c, n)
+    head = Vector{eltype(c)}(n)
+    s = start(c)
+    i = 0
+    while i < n && !done(c, s)
+        i += 1
+        head[i], s = next(c, s)
+    end
+    return resize!(head, i), rest(c, s)
+end
+
+
 # Count -- infinite counting
 
 immutable Count{S<:Number}
diff --git a/base/mapiterator.jl b/base/mapiterator.jl
index 75bde41ed6c85f..3b4f2fc4d79c61 100644
--- a/base/mapiterator.jl
+++ b/base/mapiterator.jl
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ end
 
 Apply f to each element of c using at most 100 asynchronous tasks.
 For multiple collection arguments, apply f elementwise.
-The iterator returns results as the become available.
+Results are returned by the iterator as they become available.
 Note: `collect(StreamMapIterator(f, c...; ntasks=1))` is equivalent to
 `map(f, c...)`.
 """
@@ -144,3 +144,24 @@ function next(itr::StreamMapIterator, state::StreamMapState)
 
     return (r, state)
 end
+
+
+
+"""
+    asyncgenerate(f, c...) -> iterator
+
+Apply `@async f` to each element of `c`.
+For multiple collection arguments, apply f elementwise.
+Results are returned by the iterator as they become available.
+"""
+asyncgenerate(f, c...) = StreamMapIterator(f, c...)
+
+
+
+"""
+    asyncmap(f, c...) -> collection
+
+Transform collection `c` by applying `@async f` to each element.
+For multiple collection arguments, apply f elementwise.
+"""
+asyncmap(f, c...) = collect(asyncgenerate(f, c...))
diff --git a/base/multi.jl b/base/multi.jl
index d3bd2b4ddeca73..fb21671c792174 100644
--- a/base/multi.jl
+++ b/base/multi.jl
@@ -1514,101 +1514,16 @@ macro everywhere(ex)
     end
 end
 
+#FIXME delete?
 function pmap_static(f, lsts...)
     np = nprocs()
     n = length(lsts[1])
     Any[ remotecall(f, PGRP.workers[(i-1)%np+1].id, map(L->L[i], lsts)...) for i = 1:n ]
 end
 
+#FIXME delete?
 pmap(f) = f()
 
-# dynamic scheduling by creating a local task to feed work to each processor
-# as it finishes.
-# example unbalanced workload:
-# rsym(n) = (a=rand(n,n);a*a')
-# L = {rsym(200),rsym(1000),rsym(200),rsym(1000),rsym(200),rsym(1000),rsym(200),rsym(1000)};
-# pmap(eig, L);
-function pmap(f, lsts...; err_retry=true, err_stop=false, pids = workers())
-    len = length(lsts)
-
-    results = Dict{Int,Any}()
-
-    busy_workers = fill(false, length(pids))
-    busy_workers_ntfy = Condition()
-
-    retryqueue = []
-    task_in_err = false
-    is_task_in_error() = task_in_err
-    set_task_in_error() = (task_in_err = true)
-
-    nextidx = 0
-    getnextidx() = (nextidx += 1)
-
-    states = [start(lsts[idx]) for idx in 1:len]
-    function getnext_tasklet()
-        if is_task_in_error() && err_stop
-            return nothing
-        elseif !any(idx->done(lsts[idx],states[idx]), 1:len)
-            nxts = [next(lsts[idx],states[idx]) for idx in 1:len]
-            for idx in 1:len; states[idx] = nxts[idx][2]; end
-            nxtvals = [x[1] for x in nxts]
-            return (getnextidx(), nxtvals)
-        elseif !isempty(retryqueue)
-            return shift!(retryqueue)
-        elseif err_retry
-            # Handles the condition where we have finished processing the requested lsts as well
-            # as any retryqueue entries, but there are still some jobs active that may result
-            # in an error and have to be retried.
-            while any(busy_workers)
-                wait(busy_workers_ntfy)
-                if !isempty(retryqueue)
-                    return shift!(retryqueue)
-                end
-            end
-            return nothing
-        else
-            return nothing
-        end
-    end
-
-    @sync begin
-        for (pididx, wpid) in enumerate(pids)
-            @async begin
-                tasklet = getnext_tasklet()
-                while (tasklet !== nothing)
-                    (idx, fvals) = tasklet
-                    busy_workers[pididx] = true
-                    try
-                        results[idx] = remotecall_fetch(f, wpid, fvals...)
-                    catch ex
-                        if err_retry
-                            push!(retryqueue, (idx,fvals, ex))
-                        else
-                            results[idx] = ex
-                        end
-                        set_task_in_error()
-
-                        busy_workers[pididx] = false
-                        notify(busy_workers_ntfy; all=true)
-
-                        break # remove this worker from accepting any more tasks
-                    end
-
-                    busy_workers[pididx] = false
-                    notify(busy_workers_ntfy; all=true)
-
-                    tasklet = getnext_tasklet()
-                end
-            end
-        end
-    end
-
-    for failure in retryqueue
-        results[failure[1]] = failure[3]
-    end
-    [results[x] for x in 1:nextidx]
-end
-
 # Statically split range [1,N] into equal sized chunks for np processors
 function splitrange(N::Int, np::Int)
     each = div(N,np)
diff --git a/base/pmap.jl b/base/pmap.jl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..40bc2056a010ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/base/pmap.jl
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+# This file is a part of Julia. License is MIT: http://julialang.org/license
+
+
+"""
+    pgenerate([::WorkerPool,] f, c...) -> iterator
+
+Apply `f` to each element of `c` in parallel using available workers and tasks.
+For multiple collection arguments, apply f elementwise.
+Results are returned by the iterator as they become available.
+"""
+function pgenerate(p::WorkerPool, f, c)
+    if length(p) == 0
+        return asyncgenerate(f, c)
+    end
+    batches = batchsplit(c, min_batch_count = length(p) * 3)
+    return flatten(asyncgenerate(remote(p, b -> asyncmap(f, b)), batches))
+end
+
+pgenerate(p::WorkerPool, f, c1, c...) = pgenerate(p, a->f(a...), zip(c1, c...))
+
+pgenerate(f, c) = pgenerate(default_worker_pool(), f, c...)
+pgenerate(f, c1, c...) = pgenerate(a->f(a...), zip(c1, c...))
+
+
+
+"""
+    pmap([::WorkerPool,] f, c...)
+
+Transform collection `c` by applying `f` to each element using available
+workers and tasks.
+For multiple collection arguments, apply f elementwise.
+"""
+pmap(p::WorkerPool, f, c...) = collect(pgenerate(p, f, c...))
+pmap(f, c...) = pmap(p, f, c...)
+
+function pmap(f, c...; err_retry=nothing, err_stop=nothing, pids=nothing)
+
+    if err_retry != nothing
+        depwarn("`err_retry` is deprecated, use `pmap(retry(f), c...)`.", :pmap)
+        if err_retry == true
+            f = retry(f)
+        end
+    end
+
+    if err_stop != nothing
+        depwarn("`err_stop` is deprecated, use `pmap(@catch(f), c...).", :pmap)
+        if err_stop == false
+            f = @catch(f)
+        end
+    end
+
+    if pids == nothing
+        p = default_worker_pool()
+    else
+        depwarn("`pids` is deprecated, use `pmap(::WorkerPool, f, c...).", :pmap)
+        p = WorkerPool(pids)
+    end
+
+    return pmap(p, f, c...)
+end
+
+
+
+"""
+    batchsplit(c; min_batch_count=0, max_batch_size=100)
+
+Split a collection into at least `min_batch_count` batches.
+
+Equivalent to `split(c, batch_size)` when `length(c) >> max_batch_size`.
+"""
+function batchsplit(c; min_batch_count=1, max_batch_size=100)
+
+    # FIXME Use @require per https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/pull/15495
+    @assert min_batch_count > 0
+    @assert max_batch_size > 1
+
+    # Split collection into batches, then peek at the first few batches...
+    batches = split(c, max_batch_size)
+    head, tail = head_and_tail(batches, min_batch_count)
+
+    # If there are not enough batches, use a smaller batch size...
+    if length(head) < min_batch_count
+        head = vcat(head...)
+        batch_size = max(1, div(length(head), min_batch_count))
+        return split(head, batch_size)
+    end
+
+    return flatten((head, tail))
+end
diff --git a/base/sysimg.jl b/base/sysimg.jl
index 8ad07fae6b7820..d66a6564c7bceb 100644
--- a/base/sysimg.jl
+++ b/base/sysimg.jl
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ importall .Serializer
 include("channels.jl")
 include("multi.jl")
 include("workerpool.jl")
+include("pmap.jl")
 include("managers.jl")
 include("mapiterator.jl")
 
diff --git a/base/workerpool.jl b/base/workerpool.jl
index 1a8f486789b544..d88d840df7c4dc 100644
--- a/base/workerpool.jl
+++ b/base/workerpool.jl
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 # This file is a part of Julia. License is MIT: http://julialang.org/license
 
-
 type WorkerPool
     channel::RemoteChannel{Channel{Int}}
+    count::Int
 
     # Create a shared queue of available workers...
-    WorkerPool() = new(RemoteChannel(()->Channel{Int}(typemax(Int))))
+    WorkerPool() = new(RemoteChannel(()->Channel{Int}(typemax(Int))), 0)
 end
 
 
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ Create a WorkerPool from a vector of worker ids.
 """
 function WorkerPool(workers::Vector{Int})
 
-    # Create a shared queue of available workers...
     pool = WorkerPool()
 
     # Add workers to the pool...
@@ -28,12 +27,12 @@ function WorkerPool(workers::Vector{Int})
 end
 
 
-put!(pool::WorkerPool, w::Int) = put!(pool.channel, w)
-put!(pool::WorkerPool, w::Worker) = put!(pool.channel, w.id)
+put!(pool::WorkerPool, w::Int) = (pool.count += 1; put!(pool.channel, w))
+put!(pool::WorkerPool, w::Worker) = put!(pool, w.id)
 
-isready(pool::WorkerPool) = isready(pool.channel)
+length(pool::WorkerPool) = pool.count
 
-take!(pool::WorkerPool) = take!(pool.channel)
+isready(pool::WorkerPool) = isready(pool.channel)
 
 
 """
@@ -42,11 +41,11 @@ take!(pool::WorkerPool) = take!(pool.channel)
 Call `f(args...)` on one of the workers in `pool`.
 """
 function remotecall_fetch(f, pool::WorkerPool, args...)
-    worker = take!(pool)
+    worker = take!(pool.channel)
     try
         remotecall_fetch(f, worker, args...)
     finally
-        put!(pool, worker)
+        put!(pool.channel, worker)
     end
 end
 
@@ -70,9 +69,10 @@ end
 
 
 """
-    remote(f)
+    remote([::WorkerPool,] f) -> Function
 
 Returns a lambda that executes function `f` on an available worker
 using `remotecall_fetch`.
 """
 remote(f) = (args...)->remotecall_fetch(f, default_worker_pool(), args...)
+remote(p::WorkerPool, f) = (args...)->remotecall_fetch(f, p, args...)
diff --git a/test/parallel_exec.jl b/test/parallel_exec.jl
index c72893cdf34e54..dd3a9ba358a250 100644
--- a/test/parallel_exec.jl
+++ b/test/parallel_exec.jl
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ testcpt()
 @test_throws ArgumentError timedwait(()->false, 0.1, pollint=-0.5)
 
 # specify pids for pmap
-@test sort(workers()[1:2]) == sort(unique(pmap(x->(sleep(0.1);myid()), 1:10, pids = workers()[1:2])))
+@test sort(workers()[1:2]) == sort(unique(pmap(Base.WorkerPool(workers()[1:2]), x->(sleep(0.1);myid()), 1:10)))
 
 # Testing buffered  and unbuffered reads
 # This large array should write directly to the socket