diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 04325b1dc5..795b3ddbf4 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -539,6 +539,8 @@ add_files(
     window_func.h
     window_gui.h
     window_type.h
+    worker_thread.cpp
+    worker_thread.h
     zoom_func.h
     zoom_type.h
     zoning.h
diff --git a/src/openttd.cpp b/src/openttd.cpp
index db18bbaba2..4c6aff8354 100644
--- a/src/openttd.cpp
+++ b/src/openttd.cpp
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@
 #include "debug_desync.h"
 #include "event_logs.h"
 #include "tunnelbridge.h"
+#include "worker_thread.h"
 
 #include "linkgraph/linkgraphschedule.h"
 #include "tracerestrict.h"
@@ -991,8 +992,12 @@ int openttd_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	/* ScanNewGRFFiles now has control over the scanner. */
 	RequestNewGRFScan(scanner.release());
 
+	_general_worker_pool.Start("ottd:worker", 8);
+
 	VideoDriver::GetInstance()->MainLoop();
 
+	_general_worker_pool.Stop();
+
 	WaitTillSaved();
 
 	/* only save config if we have to */
diff --git a/src/worker_thread.cpp b/src/worker_thread.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..64ef0325d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/worker_thread.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of OpenTTD.
+ * OpenTTD is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, version 2.
+ * OpenTTD is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+ * See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with OpenTTD. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+/** @file worker_thread.cpp Worker thread pool utility. */
+
+#include "stdafx.h"
+#include "worker_thread.h"
+#include "thread.h"
+
+#include "safeguards.h"
+
+WorkerThreadPool _general_worker_pool;
+
+void WorkerThreadPool::Start(const char *thread_name, uint max_workers)
+{
+	uint cpus = std::thread::hardware_concurrency();
+	if (cpus <= 1) return;
+
+	std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(this->lock);
+
+	this->exit = false;
+
+	uint worker_target = std::min<uint>(max_workers, cpus);
+	if (this->workers >= worker_target) return;
+
+	uint new_workers = worker_target - this->workers;
+
+	for (uint i = 0; i < new_workers; i++) {
+		this->workers++;
+		if (!StartNewThread(nullptr, thread_name, &WorkerThreadPool::Run, this)) {
+			this->workers--;
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+void WorkerThreadPool::Stop()
+{
+	std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(this->lock);
+	this->exit = true;
+	this->empty_cv.notify_all();
+	this->done_cv.wait(lk, [this]() { return this->workers == 0; });
+}
+
+void WorkerThreadPool::EnqueueJob(WorkerJobFunc *func, void *data1, void *data2, void *data3)
+{
+	std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(this->lock);
+	if (this->workers == 0) {
+		/* Just execute it here and now */
+		lk.unlock();
+		func(data1, data2, data3);
+		return;
+	}
+	bool notify = this->jobs.empty();
+	this->jobs.push({ func, data1, data2, data3 });
+	lk.unlock();
+	if (notify) this->empty_cv.notify_one();
+}
+
+void WorkerThreadPool::Run(WorkerThreadPool *pool)
+{
+	std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(pool->lock);
+	while (!pool->exit || !pool->jobs.empty()) {
+		if (pool->jobs.empty()) {
+			pool->empty_cv.wait(lk);
+		} else {
+			WorkerJob job = pool->jobs.front();
+			pool->jobs.pop();
+			lk.unlock();
+			job.func(job.data1, job.data2, job.data3);
+			lk.lock();
+		}
+	}
+	pool->workers--;
+	if (pool->workers == 0) {
+		pool->done_cv.notify_all();
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/worker_thread.h b/src/worker_thread.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2a2b2134a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/worker_thread.h
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of OpenTTD.
+ * OpenTTD is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, version 2.
+ * OpenTTD is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+ * See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with OpenTTD. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+/** @file worker_thread.h Worker thread pool utility. */
+
+#ifndef WORKER_THREAD_H
+#define WORKER_THREAD_H
+
+#include <queue>
+#include <mutex>
+#include <condition_variable>
+#if defined(__MINGW32__)
+#include "3rdparty/mingw-std-threads/mingw.mutex.h"
+#include "3rdparty/mingw-std-threads/mingw.condition_variable.h"
+#endif
+
+typedef void WorkerJobFunc(void *, void *, void *);
+
+struct WorkerThreadPool {
+private:
+	struct WorkerJob {
+		WorkerJobFunc *func;
+		void *data1;
+		void *data2;
+		void *data3;
+	};
+
+	uint workers = 0;
+	bool exit = false;
+	std::mutex lock;
+	std::queue<WorkerJob> jobs;
+	std::condition_variable empty_cv;
+	std::condition_variable done_cv;
+
+	static void Run(WorkerThreadPool *pool);
+
+public:
+
+	void Start(const char *thread_name, uint max_workers);
+	void Stop();
+	void EnqueueJob(WorkerJobFunc *func, void *data1 = nullptr, void *data2 = nullptr, void *data3 = nullptr);
+
+	~WorkerThreadPool()
+	{
+		this->Stop();
+	}
+};
+
+extern WorkerThreadPool _general_worker_pool;
+
+#endif /* WORKER_THREAD_H */