diff --git a/src/cached.rs b/src/cached.rs
index 96d9795..6f36d5c 100644
--- a/src/cached.rs
+++ b/src/cached.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-use crate::runtime::{yield_now, Arc, Mutex};
-use crate::BatchFn;
+use crate::runtime::{Arc, Mutex};
+use crate::{yield_fn, BatchFn, WaitForWorkFn};
 use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 use std::fmt::Debug;
 use std::hash::{BuildHasher, Hash};
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ where
 {
     state: Arc<Mutex<State<K, V, C>>>,
     load_fn: Arc<Mutex<F>>,
-    yield_count: usize,
+    wait_for_work_fn: Arc<dyn WaitForWorkFn>,
     max_batch_size: usize,
 }
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ where
             state: self.state.clone(),
             max_batch_size: self.max_batch_size,
             load_fn: self.load_fn.clone(),
-            yield_count: self.yield_count,
+            wait_for_work_fn: self.wait_for_work_fn.clone(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ where
             state: Arc::new(Mutex::new(State::with_cache(cache))),
             load_fn: Arc::new(Mutex::new(load_fn)),
             max_batch_size: 200,
-            yield_count: 10,
+            wait_for_work_fn: Arc::new(yield_fn(10)),
         }
     }
 
@@ -127,10 +127,17 @@ where
     }
 
     pub fn with_yield_count(mut self, yield_count: usize) -> Self {
-        self.yield_count = yield_count;
+        self.wait_for_work_fn = Arc::new(yield_fn(yield_count));
         self
     }
 
+    /// Replaces the yielding for work behavior with an arbitrary future. Rather than yielding
+    /// the runtime repeatedly this will generate and `.await` a future of your choice.
+    /// ***This is incompatible with*** [`Self::with_yield_count()`].
+    pub fn with_custom_wait_for_work(mut self, wait_for_work_fn: impl WaitForWorkFn) {
+        self.wait_for_work_fn = Arc::new(wait_for_work_fn);
+    }
+
     pub fn max_batch_size(&self) -> usize {
         self.max_batch_size
     }
@@ -141,7 +148,7 @@ where
             return Ok((*v).clone());
         }
 
-        if state.pending.get(&key).is_none() {
+        if !state.pending.contains(&key) {
             state.pending.insert(key.clone());
             if state.pending.len() >= self.max_batch_size {
                 let keys = state.pending.drain().collect::<Vec<K>>();
@@ -159,12 +166,7 @@ where
         }
         drop(state);
 
-        // yield for other load to append request
-        let mut i = 0;
-        while i < self.yield_count {
-            yield_now().await;
-            i += 1;
-        }
+        (self.wait_for_work_fn)().await;
 
         let mut state = self.state.lock().await;
         if let Some(v) = state.completed.get(&key) {
@@ -200,7 +202,7 @@ where
                 ret.insert(key, v);
                 continue;
             }
-            if state.pending.get(&key).is_none() {
+            if !state.pending.contains(&key) {
                 state.pending.insert(key.clone());
                 if state.pending.len() >= self.max_batch_size {
                     let keys = state.pending.drain().collect::<Vec<K>>();
@@ -216,12 +218,7 @@ where
         }
         drop(state);
 
-        // yield for other load to append request
-        let mut i = 0;
-        while i < self.yield_count {
-            yield_now().await;
-            i += 1;
-        }
+        (self.wait_for_work_fn)().await;
 
         if !rest.is_empty() {
             let mut state = self.state.lock().await;
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index e27423c..63a784d 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -4,3 +4,27 @@ pub mod non_cached;
 mod runtime;
 
 pub use batch_fn::BatchFn;
+
+use std::{future::Future, pin::Pin};
+
+/// A trait alias. Read as "a function which returns a pinned box containing a future"
+pub trait WaitForWorkFn:
+    Fn() -> Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = ()> + Send + Sync>> + Send + Sync + 'static
+{
+}
+
+impl<T> WaitForWorkFn for T where
+    T: Fn() -> Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = ()> + Send + Sync>> + Send + Sync + 'static
+{
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn yield_fn(count: usize) -> impl WaitForWorkFn {
+    move || {
+        Box::pin(async move {
+            // yield for other load to append request
+            for _ in 0..count {
+                runtime::yield_now().await;
+            }
+        })
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/non_cached.rs b/src/non_cached.rs
index 6d332ca..c8fda33 100644
--- a/src/non_cached.rs
+++ b/src/non_cached.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-use crate::runtime::{yield_now, Arc, Mutex};
-use crate::BatchFn;
+use crate::runtime::{Arc, Mutex};
+use crate::{yield_fn, BatchFn, WaitForWorkFn};
 use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 use std::fmt::Debug;
 use std::hash::Hash;
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ where
 {
     state: Arc<Mutex<State<K, V>>>,
     load_fn: Arc<Mutex<F>>,
-    yield_count: usize,
+    wait_for_work_fn: Arc<dyn WaitForWorkFn>,
     max_batch_size: usize,
 }
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ where
             state: self.state.clone(),
             load_fn: self.load_fn.clone(),
             max_batch_size: self.max_batch_size,
-            yield_count: self.yield_count,
+            wait_for_work_fn: self.wait_for_work_fn.clone(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ where
             state: Arc::new(Mutex::new(State::new())),
             load_fn: Arc::new(Mutex::new(load_fn)),
             max_batch_size: 200,
-            yield_count: 10,
+            wait_for_work_fn: Arc::new(yield_fn(10)),
         }
     }
 
@@ -78,10 +78,17 @@ where
     }
 
     pub fn with_yield_count(mut self, yield_count: usize) -> Self {
-        self.yield_count = yield_count;
+        self.wait_for_work_fn = Arc::new(yield_fn(yield_count));
         self
     }
 
+    /// Replaces the yielding for work behavior with an arbitrary future. Rather than yielding
+    /// the runtime repeatedly this will generate and `.await` a future of your choice.
+    /// ***This is incompatible with*** [`Self::with_yield_count()`].
+    pub fn with_custom_wait_for_work(mut self, wait_for_work_fn: impl WaitForWorkFn) {
+        self.wait_for_work_fn = Arc::new(wait_for_work_fn);
+    }
+
     pub fn max_batch_size(&self) -> usize {
         self.max_batch_size
     }
@@ -122,16 +129,11 @@ where
         }
         drop(state);
 
-        // yield for other load to append request
-        let mut i = 0;
-        while i < self.yield_count {
-            yield_now().await;
-            i += 1;
-        }
+        (self.wait_for_work_fn)().await;
 
         let mut state = self.state.lock().await;
 
-        if state.completed.get(&request_id).is_none() {
+        if !state.completed.contains_key(&request_id) {
             let batch = state.pending.drain().collect::<HashMap<usize, K>>();
             if !batch.is_empty() {
                 let keys: Vec<K> = batch
@@ -208,12 +210,7 @@ where
 
         drop(state);
 
-        // yield for other load to append request
-        let mut i = 0;
-        while i < self.yield_count {
-            yield_now().await;
-            i += 1;
-        }
+        (self.wait_for_work_fn)().await;
 
         let mut state = self.state.lock().await;