diff --git a/sys/geom/geom_io.c b/sys/geom/geom_io.c
index 85ffe335bc86..dc426376e1d5 100644
--- a/sys/geom/geom_io.c
+++ b/sys/geom/geom_io.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
 
 static struct g_bioq g_bio_run_down;
 static struct g_bioq g_bio_run_up;
+static struct g_bioq g_bio_run_task;
 static struct g_bioq g_bio_idle;
 
 static u_int pace;
@@ -101,13 +102,11 @@ g_bioq_first(struct g_bioq *bq)
 {
 	struct bio *bp;
 
-	g_bioq_lock(bq);
 	bp = TAILQ_FIRST(&bq->bio_queue);
 	if (bp != NULL) {
 		TAILQ_REMOVE(&bq->bio_queue, bp, bio_queue);
 		bq->bio_queue_length--;
 	}
-	g_bioq_unlock(bq);
 	return (bp);
 }
 
@@ -126,7 +125,9 @@ g_new_bio(void)
 {
 	struct bio *bp;
 
+	g_bioq_lock(&g_bio_idle);
 	bp = g_bioq_first(&g_bio_idle);
+	g_bioq_unlock(&g_bio_idle);
 	if (bp == NULL)
 		bp = g_malloc(sizeof *bp, M_NOWAIT | M_ZERO);
 	/* g_trace(G_T_BIO, "g_new_bio() = %p", bp); */
@@ -167,6 +168,7 @@ g_io_init()
 
 	g_bioq_init(&g_bio_run_down);
 	g_bioq_init(&g_bio_run_up);
+	g_bioq_init(&g_bio_run_task);
 	g_bioq_init(&g_bio_idle);
 }
 
@@ -383,11 +385,20 @@ g_io_schedule_down(struct thread *tp __unused)
 	struct bio *bp;
 	off_t excess;
 	int error;
+	struct mtx mymutex;
+ 
+	bzero(&mymutex, sizeof mymutex);
+	mtx_init(&mymutex, "g_xdown", MTX_DEF, 0);
 
 	for(;;) {
+		g_bioq_lock(&g_bio_run_down);
 		bp = g_bioq_first(&g_bio_run_down);
-		if (bp == NULL)
-			break;
+		if (bp == NULL) {
+			msleep(&g_wait_down, &g_bio_run_down.bio_queue_lock,
+			    PRIBIO | PDROP, "g_down", hz/10);
+			continue;
+		}
+		g_bioq_unlock(&g_bio_run_down);
 		error = g_io_check(bp);
 		if (error) {
 			g_io_deliver(bp, error);
@@ -412,7 +423,9 @@ g_io_schedule_down(struct thread *tp __unused)
 		default:
 			break;
 		}
+		mtx_lock(&mymutex);
 		bp->bio_to->geom->start(bp);
+		mtx_unlock(&mymutex);
 		if (pace) {
 			pace--;
 			break;
@@ -420,19 +433,51 @@ g_io_schedule_down(struct thread *tp __unused)
 	}
 }
 
+void
+bio_taskqueue(struct bio *bp, bio_task_t *func, void *arg)
+{
+	bp->bio_task = func;
+	bp->bio_task_arg = arg;
+	/*
+	 * The taskqueue is actually just a second queue off the "up"
+	 * queue, so we use the same lock.
+	 */
+	g_bioq_lock(&g_bio_run_up);
+	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&g_bio_run_task.bio_queue, bp, bio_queue);
+	g_bio_run_task.bio_queue_length++;
+	wakeup(&g_wait_up);
+	g_bioq_unlock(&g_bio_run_up);
+}
+
+
 void
 g_io_schedule_up(struct thread *tp __unused)
 {
 	struct bio *bp;
-	struct g_consumer *cp;
-
+	struct mtx mymutex;
+ 
+	bzero(&mymutex, sizeof mymutex);
+	mtx_init(&mymutex, "g_xup", MTX_DEF, 0);
 	for(;;) {
+		g_bioq_lock(&g_bio_run_up);
+		bp = g_bioq_first(&g_bio_run_task);
+		if (bp != NULL) {
+			g_bioq_unlock(&g_bio_run_up);
+			mtx_lock(&mymutex);
+			bp->bio_task(bp, bp->bio_task_arg);
+			mtx_unlock(&mymutex);
+			continue;
+		}
 		bp = g_bioq_first(&g_bio_run_up);
-		if (bp == NULL)
-			break;
-
-		cp = bp->bio_from;
-		biodone(bp);
+		if (bp != NULL) {
+			g_bioq_unlock(&g_bio_run_up);
+			mtx_lock(&mymutex);
+			biodone(bp);
+			mtx_unlock(&mymutex);
+			continue;
+		}
+		msleep(&g_wait_up, &g_bio_run_up.bio_queue_lock,
+		    PRIBIO | PDROP, "g_up", hz/10);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/sys/geom/geom_kern.c b/sys/geom/geom_kern.c
index 211d0a132471..6f2dc65a697f 100644
--- a/sys/geom/geom_kern.c
+++ b/sys/geom/geom_kern.c
@@ -83,16 +83,11 @@ g_up_procbody(void)
 {
 	struct proc *p = g_up_proc;
 	struct thread *tp = FIRST_THREAD_IN_PROC(p);
-	struct mtx mymutex;
 
 	mtx_assert(&Giant, MA_NOTOWNED);
-	bzero(&mymutex, sizeof mymutex);
-	mtx_init(&mymutex, "g_up", MTX_DEF, 0);
-	mtx_lock(&mymutex);
 	tp->td_base_pri = PRIBIO;
 	for(;;) {
 		g_io_schedule_up(tp);
-		msleep(&g_wait_up, &mymutex, PRIBIO, "g_up", hz/10);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -109,16 +104,11 @@ g_down_procbody(void)
 {
 	struct proc *p = g_down_proc;
 	struct thread *tp = FIRST_THREAD_IN_PROC(p);
-	struct mtx mymutex;
 
 	mtx_assert(&Giant, MA_NOTOWNED);
-	bzero(&mymutex, sizeof mymutex);
-	mtx_init(&mymutex, "g_down", MTX_DEF, 0);
-	mtx_lock(&mymutex);
 	tp->td_base_pri = PRIBIO;
 	for(;;) {
 		g_io_schedule_down(tp);
-		msleep(&g_wait_down, &mymutex, PRIBIO, "g_down", hz/10);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/sys/sys/bio.h b/sys/sys/bio.h
index 31695935e8be..a923a783845d 100644
--- a/sys/sys/bio.h
+++ b/sys/sys/bio.h
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@
 #include <sys/queue.h>
 
 struct disk;
+struct bio;
+
+typedef void bio_task_t(struct bio *, void *);
+
 /*
  * The bio structure describes an I/O operation in the kernel.
  */
@@ -75,6 +79,9 @@ struct bio {
 	struct bio *bio_parent;		/* Pointer to parent */
 	struct bintime bio_t0;		/* Time request started */
 
+	bio_task_t *bio_task;		/* Task_queue handler */
+	void	*bio_task_arg;		/* Argument to above */
+
 	/* XXX: these go away when bio chaining is introduced */
 	daddr_t bio_pblkno;               /* physical block number */
 };
@@ -133,6 +140,8 @@ void bioq_disksort(struct bio_queue_head *ap, struct bio *bp);
 void bioq_init(struct bio_queue_head *head);
 void bioq_remove(struct bio_queue_head *head, struct bio *bp);
 
+void bio_taskqueue(struct bio *bp, bio_task_t *fund, void *arg);
+
 int	physio(dev_t dev, struct uio *uio, int ioflag);
 #define physread physio
 #define physwrite physio