diff --git a/kvrocks.conf b/kvrocks.conf
index fa36d96a2a6..e5460187f72 100644
--- a/kvrocks.conf
+++ b/kvrocks.conf
@@ -863,5 +863,12 @@ rocksdb.write_options.memtable_insert_hint_per_batch no
 # Default: yes
 rocksdb.rate_limiter_auto_tuned yes
 
+# Enable this option will schedule the deletion of obsolete files in a background thread 
+# on iterator destruction. It can reduce the latency if there are many files to be removed.
+# see https://github.com/facebook/rocksdb/wiki/IO#avoid-blocking-io 
+#
+# Default: yes
+# rocksdb.avoid_unnecessary_blocking_io yes
+
 ################################ NAMESPACE #####################################
 # namespace.test change.me
diff --git a/src/config/config.cc b/src/config/config.cc
index f9cf8cf6812..c71103b73d8 100644
--- a/src/config/config.cc
+++ b/src/config/config.cc
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ Config::Config() {
        new YesNoField(&rocks_db.level_compaction_dynamic_level_bytes, false)},
       {"rocksdb.max_background_jobs", false, new IntField(&rocks_db.max_background_jobs, 4, 0, 32)},
       {"rocksdb.rate_limiter_auto_tuned", true, new YesNoField(&rocks_db.rate_limiter_auto_tuned, true)},
+      {"rocksdb.avoid_unnecessary_blocking_io", true, new YesNoField(&rocks_db.avoid_unnecessary_blocking_io, true)},
 
       /* rocksdb write options */
       {"rocksdb.write_options.sync", true, new YesNoField(&rocks_db.write_options.sync, false)},
diff --git a/src/config/config.h b/src/config/config.h
index d3dc1442931..244f1469b19 100644
--- a/src/config/config.h
+++ b/src/config/config.h
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ struct Config {
     bool level_compaction_dynamic_level_bytes;
     int max_background_jobs;
     bool rate_limiter_auto_tuned;
+    bool avoid_unnecessary_blocking_io = true;
 
     struct WriteOptions {
       bool sync;
diff --git a/src/storage/storage.cc b/src/storage/storage.cc
index 9c5d03af312..77d0ab27801 100644
--- a/src/storage/storage.cc
+++ b/src/storage/storage.cc
@@ -186,6 +186,9 @@ rocksdb::Options Storage::InitRocksDBOptions() {
   options.level_compaction_dynamic_level_bytes = config_->rocks_db.level_compaction_dynamic_level_bytes;
   options.max_background_jobs = config_->rocks_db.max_background_jobs;
 
+  // avoid blocking io on iteration
+  // see https://github.com/facebook/rocksdb/wiki/IO#avoid-blocking-io
+  options.avoid_unnecessary_blocking_io = config_->rocks_db.avoid_unnecessary_blocking_io;
   return options;
 }