diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/ShapeFactory.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/ShapeFactory.cpp
index 5808a539d6..d988e88bbe 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/ShapeFactory.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/ShapeFactory.cpp
@@ -481,3 +481,8 @@ void ShapeFactory::deleteShape(const btCollisionShape* shape) {
     }
     delete nonConstShape;
 }
+
+void ShapeFactory::Worker::run() {
+    shape = ShapeFactory::createShapeFromInfo(shapeInfo);
+    emit submitWork(this);
+}
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/ShapeFactory.h b/libraries/physics/src/ShapeFactory.h
index 704a7804b3..d23785d513 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/ShapeFactory.h
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/ShapeFactory.h
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 
 #include <btBulletDynamicsCommon.h>
 #include <glm/glm.hpp>
+#include <QObject>
+#include <QtCore/QRunnable>
 
 #include <ShapeInfo.h>
 
@@ -22,6 +24,17 @@
 namespace ShapeFactory {
     const btCollisionShape* createShapeFromInfo(const ShapeInfo& info);
     void deleteShape(const btCollisionShape* shape);
+
+    class Worker : public QObject, public QRunnable {
+        Q_OBJECT
+    public:
+        Worker(const ShapeInfo& info) : shapeInfo(info), shape(nullptr) {}
+        void run() override;
+        ShapeInfo shapeInfo;
+        const btCollisionShape* shape;
+    signals:
+        void submitWork(Worker*);
+    };
 };
 
 #endif // hifi_ShapeFactory_h
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/ShapeManager.cpp b/libraries/physics/src/ShapeManager.cpp
index 8acbe51540..00af50813e 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/ShapeManager.cpp
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/ShapeManager.cpp
@@ -12,10 +12,8 @@
 #include "ShapeManager.h"
 
 #include <glm/gtx/norm.hpp>
+#include <QThreadPool>
 
-#include <QDebug>
-
-#include "ShapeFactory.h"
 
 const int MAX_RING_SIZE = 256;
 
@@ -42,13 +40,36 @@ const btCollisionShape* ShapeManager::getShape(const ShapeInfo& info) {
         shapeRef->refCount++;
         return shapeRef->shape;
     }
-    const btCollisionShape* shape = ShapeFactory::createShapeFromInfo(info);
-    if (shape) {
-        ShapeReference newRef;
-        newRef.refCount = 1;
-        newRef.shape = shape;
-        newRef.key = info.getHash();
-        _shapeMap.insert(hashKey, newRef);
+    const btCollisionShape* shape = nullptr;
+    if (info.getType() == SHAPE_TYPE_STATIC_MESH) {
+        uint64_t hash = info.getHash();
+        const auto itr = std::find(_pendingMeshShapes.begin(), _pendingMeshShapes.end(), hash);
+        if (itr == _pendingMeshShapes.end()) {
+            // start a worker
+            _pendingMeshShapes.push_back(hash);
+            // try to recycle old deadWorker
+            ShapeFactory::Worker* worker = _deadWorker;
+            if (!worker) {
+                worker = new ShapeFactory::Worker(info);
+            } else {
+                worker->shapeInfo = info;
+                _deadWorker = nullptr;
+            }
+            // we will delete worker manually later
+            worker->setAutoDelete(false);
+            QObject::connect(worker, &ShapeFactory::Worker::submitWork, this, &ShapeManager::acceptWork);
+            QThreadPool::globalInstance()->start(worker);
+        }
+        // else we're still waiting for the shape to be created on another thread
+    } else {
+        shape = ShapeFactory::createShapeFromInfo(info);
+        if (shape) {
+            ShapeReference newRef;
+            newRef.refCount = 1;
+            newRef.shape = shape;
+            newRef.key = info.getHash();
+            _shapeMap.insert(hashKey, newRef);
+        }
     }
     return shape;
 }
@@ -153,3 +174,39 @@ bool ShapeManager::hasShape(const btCollisionShape* shape) const {
     }
     return false;
 }
+
+// slot: called when ShapeFactory::Worker is done building shape
+void ShapeManager::acceptWork(ShapeFactory::Worker* worker) {
+    auto itr = std::find(_pendingMeshShapes.begin(), _pendingMeshShapes.end(), worker->shapeInfo.getHash());
+    if (itr == _pendingMeshShapes.end()) {
+        // we've received a shape but don't remember asking for it
+        // (should not fall in here, but if we do: delete the unwanted shape)
+        if (worker->shape) {
+            ShapeFactory::deleteShape(worker->shape);
+        }
+    } else {
+        // clear pending status
+        *itr = _pendingMeshShapes.back();
+        _pendingMeshShapes.pop_back();
+
+        // cache the new shape
+        if (worker->shape) {
+            ShapeReference newRef;
+            newRef.refCount = 1;
+            newRef.shape = worker->shape;
+            newRef.key = worker->shapeInfo.getHash();
+            HashKey hashKey(newRef.key);
+            _shapeMap.insert(hashKey, newRef);
+        }
+    }
+    disconnect(worker, &ShapeFactory::Worker::submitWork, this, &ShapeManager::acceptWork);
+
+    if (_deadWorker) {
+        // delete the previous deadWorker manually
+        delete _deadWorker;
+    }
+    // save this dead worker for later
+    worker->shapeInfo.clear();
+    worker->shape = nullptr;
+    _deadWorker = worker;
+}
diff --git a/libraries/physics/src/ShapeManager.h b/libraries/physics/src/ShapeManager.h
index c1fb57e017..898d1b0f37 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/src/ShapeManager.h
+++ b/libraries/physics/src/ShapeManager.h
@@ -14,11 +14,13 @@
 
 #include <vector>
 
+#include <QObject>
 #include <btBulletDynamicsCommon.h>
 #include <LinearMath/btHashMap.h>
 
 #include <ShapeInfo.h>
 
+#include "ShapeFactory.h"
 #include "HashKey.h"
 
 // The ShapeManager handles the ref-counting on shared shapes:
@@ -44,7 +46,8 @@
 // entries that still have zero ref-count.
 
 
-class ShapeManager {
+class ShapeManager : public QObject {
+    Q_OBJECT
 public:
 
     ShapeManager();
@@ -65,6 +68,9 @@ public:
     int getNumReferences(const btCollisionShape* shape) const;
     bool hasShape(const btCollisionShape* shape) const;
 
+protected slots:
+    void acceptWork(ShapeFactory::Worker* worker);
+
 private:
     bool releaseShapeByKey(uint64_t key);
 
@@ -79,6 +85,8 @@ private:
     // btHashMap is required because it supports memory alignment of the btCollisionShapes
     btHashMap<HashKey, ShapeReference> _shapeMap;
     std::vector<uint64_t> _garbageRing;
+    std::vector<uint64_t> _pendingMeshShapes;
+    ShapeFactory::Worker* _deadWorker { nullptr };
     uint32_t _ringIndex { 0 };
 };