diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_Linux/Poller.cpp b/libraries/AP_HAL_Linux/Poller.cpp
index bd4aa908f0..22b52eadc9 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_Linux/Poller.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_Linux/Poller.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include <inttypes.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <sys/epoll.h>
+#include <sys/eventfd.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/uio.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
@@ -29,12 +30,43 @@ extern const AP_HAL::HAL &hal;
 
 namespace Linux {
 
+void WakeupPollable::on_can_read()
+{
+    ssize_t r;
+    uint64_t val;
+
+    do {
+        r = read(_fd, &val, sizeof(val));
+    } while (!(r == -1 && errno == EAGAIN));
+}
+
 Poller::Poller()
 {
     _epfd = epoll_create1(EPOLL_CLOEXEC);
     if (_epfd == -1) {
         fprintf(stderr, "Failed to create epoll: %m\n");
+        return;
     }
+
+    _wakeup._fd = eventfd(0, EFD_NONBLOCK | EFD_CLOEXEC);
+    if (_wakeup._fd == -1) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to create wakeup fd: %m\n");
+        goto fail_eventfd;
+    }
+
+    if (!register_pollable(&_wakeup, EPOLLIN)) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to add wakeup fd\n");
+        goto fail_register;
+    }
+
+    return;
+
+fail_register:
+    close(_wakeup._fd);
+    _wakeup._fd = -1;
+fail_eventfd:
+    close(_epfd);
+    _epfd = -1;
 }
 
 bool Poller::register_pollable(Pollable *p, uint32_t events)
@@ -99,6 +131,20 @@ int Poller::poll() const
     return r;
 }
 
+void Poller::wakeup() const
+{
+    ssize_t r;
+    uint64_t val = 1;
+
+    do {
+        r = write(_wakeup.get_fd(), &val, sizeof(val));
+    } while (r == -1 && errno == EINTR);
+
+    if (r == -1) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to wakeup poller: %m\n");
+    }
+}
+
 Pollable::~Pollable()
 {
     /*
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_Linux/Poller.h b/libraries/AP_HAL_Linux/Poller.h
index a06ddf22f4..0dc096be40 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_Linux/Poller.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_Linux/Poller.h
@@ -60,11 +60,23 @@ protected:
     int _fd = -1;
 };
 
+/*
+ * Internal class to be used inside Poller in order to keep track of requests
+ * to wake it up
+ */
+class WakeupPollable : public Pollable {
+    friend class Poller;
+public:
+    void on_can_read() override;
+};
+
 class Poller {
 public:
     Poller();
 
     ~Poller() {
+        unregister_pollable(&_wakeup);
+
         if (_epfd >= 0) {
             close(_epfd);
         }
@@ -99,9 +111,17 @@ public:
      */
     int poll() const;
 
+    /*
+     * Wake up the thread sleeping on a poll() call if it is in fact
+     * sleeping. Otherwise a nop event is generated and handled. This is
+     * usually called from a thread different from the one calling poll().
+     */
+    void wakeup() const;
+
 private:
 
     int _epfd = -1;
+    WakeupPollable _wakeup{};
 };
 
 }