diff --git a/plugins/autofrontlight.koplugin/main.lua b/plugins/autofrontlight.koplugin/main.lua
index 302845f7c..e742d6ddd 100644
--- a/plugins/autofrontlight.koplugin/main.lua
+++ b/plugins/autofrontlight.koplugin/main.lua
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ end
 local ConfirmBox = require("ui/widget/confirmbox")
 local DataStorage = require("datastorage")
 local LuaSettings = require("luasettings")
+local PluginShare = require("pluginshare")
 local UIManager = require("ui/uimanager")
 local WidgetContainer = require("ui/widget/container/widgetcontainer")
 local logger = require("logger")
@@ -21,27 +22,34 @@ local AutoFrontlight = {
   last_brightness = -1,
 }
 
+PluginShare.backgroundJobs = PluginShare.backgroundJobs or {}
+
 function AutoFrontlight:_schedule(settings_id)
-    if not self.enabled then
-        logger.dbg("AutoFrontlight:_schedule() is disabled")
-        return
-    end
-    if settings_id ~= self.settings_id then
-        logger.dbg("AutoFrontlight:_schedule(): registered settings_id ",
-                   settings_id,
-                   " does not equal to current one ",
-                   self.settings_id)
-        return
+    local enabled = function()
+        if not self.enabled then
+            logger.dbg("AutoFrontlight:_schedule() is disabled")
+            return false
+        end
+        if settings_id ~= self.settings_id then
+            logger.dbg("AutoFrontlight:_schedule(): registered settings_id ",
+                       settings_id,
+                       " does not equal to current one ",
+                       self.settings_id)
+            return false
+        end
+
+        return true
     end
 
-    logger.dbg("AutoFrontlight:_schedule() starts with settings_id ", settings_id)
-
-    self:_action()
-
-    logger.dbg("AutoFrontlight:_schedule() @ ", os.time(), ", it should be executed at ", os.time() + 2)
-    UIManager:scheduleIn(2, function()
-        self:_schedule(settings_id)
-    end)
+    table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, {
+        when = 2,
+        repeated = enabled,
+        executable = function()
+            if enabled() then
+                self:_action()
+            end
+        end
+    })
 end
 
 function AutoFrontlight:_action()
diff --git a/plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/commandrunner.lua b/plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/commandrunner.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..60d9892d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/commandrunner.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+local logger = require("logger")
+
+local CommandRunner = {
+    pio = nil,
+    job = nil,
+}
+
+function CommandRunner:createEnvironmentFromTable(t)
+    if t == nil then return "" end
+
+    local r = ""
+    for k, v in pairs(t) do
+        r = r .. k .. "=" .. v .. " "
+    end
+
+    if string.len(r) > 0 then r = "export " .. r .. ";" end
+    return r
+end
+
+function CommandRunner:createEnvironment()
+    if type(self.job.environment) == "table" then
+        return self:createEnvironmentFromTable(self.job.environment)
+    end
+    if type(self.job.environment) == "function" then
+        local status, result = pcall(self.job.environment)
+        if status then
+            return self:createEnvironmentFromTable(result)
+        end
+    end
+    return ""
+end
+
+function CommandRunner:start(job)
+    assert(self ~= nil)
+    assert(self.pio == nil)
+    assert(self.job == nil)
+    self.job = job
+    self.job.start_sec = os.time()
+    assert(type(self.job.executable) == "string")
+    local command = self:createEnvironment() .. " " ..
+                    "sh plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/luawrapper.sh " ..
+                    "\"" .. self.job.executable .. "\""
+    logger.dbg("CommandRunner: Will execute command " .. command)
+    self.pio = io.popen(command)
+end
+
+--- Polls the status of self.pio.
+-- @return a table contains the result from luawrapper.sh. Returns nil if the
+--         command has not been finished.
+function CommandRunner:poll()
+    assert(self ~= nil)
+    assert(self.pio ~= nil)
+    assert(self.job ~= nil)
+    local line = self.pio:read()
+    if line == "" then
+        return nil
+    else
+        if line == nil then
+            -- The binary crashes without output. This should not happen.
+            self.job.result = 223
+        else
+            line = line .. self.pio:read("*a")
+            logger.dbg("CommandRunner: Receive output " .. line)
+            local status, result = pcall(loadstring(line))
+            if status and result ~= nil then
+                for k, v in pairs(result) do
+                    self.job[k] = v
+                end
+            else
+                -- The output from binary is invalid.
+                self.job.result = 222
+            end
+        end
+        self.pio:close()
+        self.pio = nil
+        self.job.end_sec = os.time()
+        local job = self.job
+        self.job = nil
+        return job
+    end
+end
+
+--- Whether this is a running job.
+-- @treturn boolean
+function CommandRunner:pending()
+    assert(self ~= nil)
+    return self.pio ~= nil
+end
+
+return CommandRunner
diff --git a/plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/luawrapper.sh b/plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/luawrapper.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..21aad4381
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/luawrapper.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# Converts the return of "sh wrapper.sh $@" into Lua format.
+
+CURRENT_DIR=$(dirname "$0")
+sh "$CURRENT_DIR/wrapper.sh" "$@" >/dev/null 2>&1 &
+JOB_ID=$!
+
+while true; do
+    if ps -p $JOB_ID >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        # Unblock f:read().
+        echo
+    else
+        wait $JOB_ID
+        EXIT_CODE=$?
+        if [ "$EXIT_CODE" -eq "255" ]; then
+            TIMEOUT="true"
+        else
+            TIMEOUT="false"
+        fi
+
+        if [ "$EXIT_CODE" -eq "127" ]; then
+            BADCOMMAND="true"
+        else
+            BADCOMMAND="false"
+        fi
+
+        echo "return { \
+            result = $EXIT_CODE, \
+            timeout = $TIMEOUT, \
+            bad_command = $BADCOMMAND, \
+            }"
+        exit 0
+    fi
+done
diff --git a/plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/main.lua b/plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/main.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..18ffa1be2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/main.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,234 @@
+local CommandRunner = require("commandrunner")
+local PluginShare = require("pluginshare")
+local UIManager = require("ui/uimanager")
+local WidgetContainer = require("ui/widget/container/widgetcontainer")
+local logger = require("logger")
+
+-- BackgroundRunner is an experimental feature to execute non-critical jobs in
+-- background. A job is defined as a table in PluginShare.backgroundJobs table.
+-- It contains at least following items:
+-- when: number, string or function
+--   number: the delay in seconds
+--   string: "best-effort" - the job will be started when there is no other jobs
+--                           to be executed.
+--           "idle"        - the job will be started when the device is idle.
+--   function: if the return value of the function is true, the job will be
+--             executed immediately.
+--
+-- repeated: boolean or function or nil or number
+--   boolean: true to repeated the job once it finished.
+--   function: if the return value of the function is true, repeated the job
+--             once it finished. If the function throws an error, it equals to
+--             return false.
+--   nil: same as false.
+--   number: times to repeat.
+--
+-- executable: string or function
+--   string: the command line to be executed. The command or binary will be
+--           executed in the lowest priority. Command or binary will be killed
+--           if it executes for over 1 hour.
+--   function: the action to be executed. The execution cannot be killed, but it
+--             will be considered as timeout if it executes for more than 1
+--             second.
+--   If the executable times out, the job will be blocked, i.e. the repeated
+--   field will be ignored.
+--
+-- environment: table or function or nil
+--   table: the key-value pairs of all environments set for string executable.
+--   function: the function to return a table of environments.
+--   nil: ignore.
+--
+-- callback: function or nil
+--   function: the action to be executed when executable has been finished.
+--             Errors thrown from this function will be ignored.
+--   nil: ignore.
+--
+-- If a job does not contain enough information, it will be ignored.
+--
+-- Once the job is finished, several items will be added to the table:
+-- result: number, the return value of the command. In general, 0 means
+--         succeeded.
+--         For function executable, 1 if the function throws an error.
+--         For string executable, several predefined values indicate the
+--         internal errors. E.g. 223: the binary crashes. 222: the output is
+--         invalid. 127: the command is invalid. 255: the command timed out.
+--         Typically, consumers can use following states instead of hardcodeing
+--         the error codes.
+-- exception: error, the error returned from function executable. Not available
+--            for string executable.
+-- timeout: boolean, whether the command times out.
+-- bad_command: boolean, whether the command is not found. Not available for
+--              function executable.
+-- blocked: boolean, whether the job is blocked.
+-- start_sec: number, the os.time() when the job was started.
+-- end_sec: number, the os.time() when the job was stopped.
+-- insert_sec: number, the os.time() when the job was inserted into queue.
+
+PluginShare.backgroundJobs = PluginShare.backgroundJobs or {}
+
+local BackgroundRunner = {
+    jobs = PluginShare.backgroundJobs,
+}
+
+--- Copies required fields from |job|.
+-- @return a new table with required fields of a valid job.
+function BackgroundRunner:_clone(job)
+    assert(job ~= nil)
+    local result = {}
+    result.when = job.when
+    result.repeated = job.repeated
+    result.executable = job.executable
+    result.callback = job.callback
+    result.environment = job.environment
+    return result
+end
+
+function BackgroundRunner:_shouldRepeat(job)
+    if type(job.repeated) == "nil" then return false end
+    if type(job.repeated) == "boolean" then return job.repeated end
+    if type(job.repeated) == "function" then
+        local status, result = pcall(job.repeated)
+        if status then
+            return result
+        else
+            return false
+        end
+    end
+    if type(job.repeated) == "number" then
+        job.repeated = job.repeated - 1
+        return job.repeated > 0
+    end
+
+    return false
+end
+
+function BackgroundRunner:_finishJob(job)
+    assert(self ~= nil)
+    if type(job.executable) == "function" then
+        job.timeout = ((job.end_sec - job.start_sec) > 1)
+    end
+    job.blocked = job.timeout
+    if not job.blocked and self:_shouldRepeat(job) then
+        self:_insert(self:_clone(job))
+    end
+    if type(job.callback) == "function" then
+        pcall(job.callback)
+    end
+end
+
+--- Executes |job|.
+-- @treturn boolean true if job is valid.
+function BackgroundRunner:_executeJob(job)
+    assert(not CommandRunner:pending())
+    if job == nil then return false end
+    if job.executable == nil then return false end
+
+    if type(job.executable) == "string" then
+        CommandRunner:start(job)
+        return true
+    elseif type(job.executable) == "function" then
+        job.start_sec = os.time()
+        local status, err = pcall(job.executable)
+        if status then
+            job.result = 0
+        else
+            job.result = 1
+            job.exception = err
+        end
+        job.end_sec = os.time()
+        self:_finishJob(job)
+        return true
+    else
+        return false
+    end
+end
+
+--- Polls the status of the pending CommandRunner.
+function BackgroundRunner:_poll()
+    assert(self ~= nil)
+    assert(CommandRunner:pending())
+    local result = CommandRunner:poll()
+    if result == nil then return end
+
+    self:_finishJob(result)
+end
+
+function BackgroundRunner:_execute()
+    logger.dbg("BackgroundRunner: _execute() @ ", os.time())
+    assert(self ~= nil)
+    if CommandRunner:pending() then
+        self:_poll()
+    else
+        local round = 0
+        while #self.jobs > 0 do
+            local job = table.remove(self.jobs, 1)
+            if job.insert_sec == nil then
+                -- Jobs are first inserted to jobs table from external users. So
+                -- they may not have insert_sec field.
+                job.insert_sec = os.time()
+            end
+            local should_execute = false
+            local should_ignore = false
+            if type(job.when) == "function" then
+                local status, result = pcall(job.when)
+                if status then
+                    should_execute = result
+                else
+                    should_ignore = true
+                end
+            elseif type(job.when) == "number" then
+                if job.when >= 0 then
+                    should_execute = ((os.time() - job.insert_sec) >= job.when)
+                else
+                    should_ignore = true
+                end
+            elseif type(job.when) == "string" then
+                -- TODO(Hzj_jie): Implement "idle" mode
+                if job.when == "best-effort" then
+                    should_execute = (round > 0)
+                elseif job.when == "idle" then
+                    should_execute = (round > 1)
+                else
+                    should_ignore = true
+                end
+            else
+                should_ignore = true
+            end
+
+            if should_execute then
+                assert(not should_ignore)
+                self:_executeJob(job)
+                break
+            elseif not should_ignore then
+                table.insert(self.jobs, job)
+            end
+
+            round = round + 1
+            if round > 2 then break end
+        end
+    end
+
+    if PluginShare.stopBackgroundRunner == nil then
+        self:_schedule()
+    end
+end
+
+function BackgroundRunner:_schedule()
+    assert(self ~= nil)
+    UIManager:scheduleIn(2, function() self:_execute() end)
+end
+
+function BackgroundRunner:_insert(job)
+    assert(self ~= nil)
+    job.insert_sec = os.time()
+    table.insert(self.jobs, job)
+end
+
+BackgroundRunner:_schedule()
+
+local BackgroundRunnerWidget = WidgetContainer:new{
+    name = "backgroundrunner",
+    runner = BackgroundRunner,
+}
+
+return BackgroundRunnerWidget
diff --git a/plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/wrapper.sh b/plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/wrapper.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..e468fea2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/wrapper.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# Starts the arguments as a bash command in background with low priorty. The
+# command will be killed if it executes for over 1 hour. If the command failed
+# to start, this script returns 127. If the command is timed out, this script
+# returns 255. Otherwise the return value of the command will be returned.
+
+echo "TIMEOUT in environment: $TIMEOUT"
+
+if [ -z "$TIMEOUT" ]; then
+    TIMEOUT=3600
+fi
+
+echo "Timeout has been set to $TIMEOUT seconds"
+
+echo "Will start command $*"
+
+echo "$@" | nice -n 19 sh &
+JOB_ID=$!
+echo "Job id: $JOB_ID"
+
+for i in $(seq 1 1 $TIMEOUT); do
+    if ps -p $JOB_ID >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        # Job is still running.
+        sleep 1
+        ROUND=$(printf "%s" "$i" | tail -c 1)
+        if [ "$ROUND" -eq "0" ]; then
+            echo "Job $JOB_ID is still running ... waited for $i seconds."
+        fi
+    else
+        wait $JOB_ID
+        exit $?
+    fi
+done
+
+echo "Command $* has timed out"
+
+kill -9 $JOB_ID
+exit 255
diff --git a/spec/unit/autofrontlight_spec.lua b/spec/unit/autofrontlight_spec.lua
index 91992e78c..1d6730429 100644
--- a/spec/unit/autofrontlight_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/unit/autofrontlight_spec.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 describe("AutoFrontlight widget tests", function()
-    local Device, PowerD, MockTime, AutoFrontlight
+    local Device, PowerD, MockTime, class, AutoFrontlight, UIManager
 
     setup(function()
         require("commonrequire")
@@ -41,20 +41,28 @@ describe("AutoFrontlight widget tests", function()
             open(require("datastorage"):getSettingsDir() .. "/autofrontlight.lua"):
             saveSetting("enable", "true"):
             close()
-        require("ui/uimanager")._run_forever = true
+
+        UIManager = require("ui/uimanager")
+        UIManager._run_forever = true
+
+        requireBackgroundRunner()
+        class = dofile("plugins/autofrontlight.koplugin/main.lua")
+
+        -- Ensure the background runner has succeeded set the job.insert_sec.
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
     end)
 
     after_each(function()
         AutoFrontlight:deprecateLastTask()
         -- Ensure the scheduled task from this test case won't impact others.
         MockTime:increase(2)
-        require("ui/uimanager"):handleInput()
+        UIManager:handleInput()
         AutoFrontlight = nil
+        stopBackgroundRunner()
     end)
 
     it("should automatically turn on or off frontlight", function()
-        local UIManager = require("ui/uimanager")
-        local class = dofile("plugins/autofrontlight.koplugin/main.lua")
         AutoFrontlight = class:new()
         Device.brightness = 3
         MockTime:increase(2)
@@ -99,8 +107,6 @@ describe("AutoFrontlight widget tests", function()
     end)
 
     it("should turn on frontlight at the begining", function()
-        local UIManager = require("ui/uimanager")
-        local class = dofile("plugins/autofrontlight.koplugin/main.lua")
         Device.brightness = 0
         AutoFrontlight = class:new()
         MockTime:increase(2)
@@ -109,8 +115,6 @@ describe("AutoFrontlight widget tests", function()
     end)
 
     it("should turn off frontlight at the begining", function()
-        local UIManager = require("ui/uimanager")
-        local class = dofile("plugins/autofrontlight.koplugin/main.lua")
         Device.brightness = 3
         AutoFrontlight = class:new()
         MockTime:increase(2)
@@ -119,8 +123,6 @@ describe("AutoFrontlight widget tests", function()
     end)
 
     it("should handle configuration update", function()
-        local UIManager = require("ui/uimanager")
-        local class = dofile("plugins/autofrontlight.koplugin/main.lua")
         Device.brightness = 0
         AutoFrontlight = class:new()
         MockTime:increase(2)
diff --git a/spec/unit/background_runner_spec.lua b/spec/unit/background_runner_spec.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ff31f32d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/unit/background_runner_spec.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,292 @@
+describe("BackgroundRunner widget tests", function()
+    local Device, PluginShare, MockTime, UIManager
+
+    setup(function()
+        require("commonrequire")
+        package.unloadAll()
+        -- Device needs to be loaded before UIManager.
+        Device = require("device")
+        Device.input.waitEvent = function() end
+        PluginShare = require("pluginshare")
+        MockTime = require("mock_time")
+        MockTime:install()
+        UIManager = require("ui/uimanager")
+        UIManager._run_forever = true
+        requireBackgroundRunner()
+    end)
+
+    teardown(function()
+        MockTime:uninstall()
+        package.unloadAll()
+        stopBackgroundRunner()
+    end)
+
+    it("should start job", function()
+        local executed = false
+        table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, {
+            when = 10,
+            executable = function()
+                executed = true
+            end,
+        })
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+        MockTime:increase(9)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+        assert.is_false(executed)
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+        assert.is_true(executed)
+    end)
+
+    it("should repeat job", function()
+        local executed = 0
+        table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, {
+            when = 1,
+            repeated = function() return executed < 10 end,
+            executable = function()
+                executed = executed + 1
+            end,
+        })
+
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+
+        for i = 1, 10 do
+            MockTime:increase(2)
+            UIManager:handleInput()
+            assert.are.equal(i, executed)
+        end
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+        assert.are.equal(10, executed)
+    end)
+
+    it("should repeat job for predefined times", function()
+        local executed = 0
+        table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, {
+            when = 1,
+            repeated = 10,
+            executable = function()
+                executed = executed + 1
+            end,
+        })
+
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+
+        for i = 1, 10 do
+            MockTime:increase(2)
+            UIManager:handleInput()
+            assert.are.equal(i, executed)
+        end
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+        assert.are.equal(10, executed)
+    end)
+
+    it("should block long job", function()
+        local executed = 0
+        local job = {
+            when = 1,
+            repeated = true,
+            executable = function()
+                executed = executed + 1
+                MockTime:increase(2)
+            end,
+        }
+        table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, job)
+
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+        assert.are.equal(1, executed)
+        assert.is_true(job.timeout)
+        assert.is_true(job.blocked)
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+        assert.are.equal(1, executed)
+    end)
+
+    it("should execute binary", function()
+        local executed = false
+        local job = {
+            when = 1,
+            executable = "ls | grep this-should-not-be-a-file",
+            callback = function()
+                executed = true
+            end,
+        }
+        table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, job)
+
+        while job.end_sec == nil do
+            MockTime:increase(2)
+            UIManager:handleInput()
+        end
+
+        -- grep should return 1 when there is no match.
+        assert.are.equal(1, job.result)
+        assert.is_false(job.timeout)
+        assert.is_false(job.bad_command)
+        assert.is_true(executed)
+    end)
+
+    it("should forward string environment to the executable", function()
+        local job = {
+            when = 1,
+            repeated = false,
+            executable = "echo $ENV1 | grep $ENV2",
+            environment = {
+                ENV1 = "yes",
+                ENV2 = "yes",
+            }
+        }
+        table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, job)
+
+        while job.end_sec == nil do
+            MockTime:increase(2)
+            UIManager:handleInput()
+        end
+
+        -- grep should return 0 when there is a match.
+        assert.are.equal(0, job.result)
+        assert.is_false(job.timeout)
+        assert.is_false(job.bad_command)
+
+        job.environment = {
+            ENV1 = "yes",
+            ENV2 = "no",
+        }
+        job.end_sec = nil
+        table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, job)
+
+        while job.end_sec == nil do
+            MockTime:increase(2)
+            UIManager:handleInput()
+        end
+
+        -- grep should return 1 when there is no match.
+        assert.are.equal(1, job.result)
+        assert.is_false(job.timeout)
+        assert.is_false(job.bad_command)
+
+        assert.are.not_equal(os.getenv("ENV1"), "yes")
+        assert.are.not_equal(os.getenv("ENV2"), "yes")
+        assert.are.not_equal(os.getenv("ENV2"), "no")
+    end)
+
+    it("should forward function environment to the executable", function()
+        local env2 = "yes"
+        local job = {
+            when = 1,
+            repeated = false,
+            executable = "echo $ENV1 | grep $ENV2",
+            environment = function()
+                return {
+                    ENV1 = "yes",
+                    ENV2 = env2,
+                }
+            end,
+        }
+        table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, job)
+
+        while job.end_sec == nil do
+            MockTime:increase(2)
+            UIManager:handleInput()
+        end
+
+        -- grep should return 0 when there is a match.
+        assert.are.equal(0, job.result)
+        assert.is_false(job.timeout)
+        assert.is_false(job.bad_command)
+
+        job.end_sec = nil
+        env2 = "no"
+        table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, job)
+
+        while job.end_sec == nil do
+            MockTime:increase(2)
+            UIManager:handleInput()
+        end
+
+        -- grep should return 1 when there is no match.
+        assert.are.equal(1, job.result)
+        assert.is_false(job.timeout)
+        assert.is_false(job.bad_command)
+    end)
+
+    it("should block long binary job", function()
+        local executed = 0
+        local job = {
+            when = 1,
+            repeated = true,
+            executable = "sleep 1h",
+            environment = {
+                TIMEOUT = 1
+            }
+        }
+        table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, job)
+
+        while job.end_sec == nil do
+            MockTime:increase(2)
+            UIManager:handleInput()
+        end
+
+        assert.are.equal(255, job.result)
+        assert.is_true(job.timeout)
+        assert.is_true(job.blocked)
+    end)
+
+    it("should execute callback", function()
+        local executed = 0
+        table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, {
+            when = 1,
+            repeated = 10,
+            executable = function() end,
+            callback = function()
+                executed = executed + 1
+            end,
+        })
+
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+
+        for i = 1, 10 do
+            MockTime:increase(2)
+            UIManager:handleInput()
+            assert.are.equal(i, executed)
+        end
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+        assert.are.equal(10, executed)
+    end)
+
+    it("should not execute two jobs sequentially", function()
+        local executed = 0
+        table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, {
+            when = 1,
+            executable = function()
+                executed = executed + 1
+            end,
+        })
+        table.insert(PluginShare.backgroundJobs, {
+            when = 1,
+            executable = function()
+                executed = executed + 1
+            end,
+        })
+
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+        assert.are.equal(1, executed)
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+        assert.are.equal(2, executed)
+        MockTime:increase(2)
+        UIManager:handleInput()
+        assert.are.equal(2, executed)
+    end)
+end)
diff --git a/spec/unit/commonrequire.lua b/spec/unit/commonrequire.lua
index 899409538..bb72cc0a6 100644
--- a/spec/unit/commonrequire.lua
+++ b/spec/unit/commonrequire.lua
@@ -97,3 +97,20 @@ package.unloadAll = function()
     end
     return #pending
 end
+
+local background_runner
+requireBackgroundRunner = function()
+    require("pluginshare").stopBackgroundRunner = nil
+    if background_runner == nil then
+        local package_path = package.path
+        package.path = "plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/?.lua;" .. package.path
+        background_runner = dofile("plugins/backgroundrunner.koplugin/main.lua")
+        package.path = package_path
+    end
+    return background_runner
+end
+
+stopBackgroundRunner = function()
+    background_runner = nil
+    require("pluginshare").stopBackgroundRunner = true
+end