diff --git a/src/llmq/quorums_init.cpp b/src/llmq/quorums_init.cpp
index a2c0659c9c..8c14a1f608 100644
--- a/src/llmq/quorums_init.cpp
+++ b/src/llmq/quorums_init.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ void InitLLMQSystem(CEvoDB& evoDb, CScheduler* scheduler, bool unitTests, bool f
     quorumSigSharesManager = new CSigSharesManager();
     quorumSigningManager = new CSigningManager(*llmqDb, unitTests);
     chainLocksHandler = new CChainLocksHandler(scheduler);
-    quorumInstantSendManager = new CInstantSendManager(scheduler, *llmqDb);
+    quorumInstantSendManager = new CInstantSendManager(*llmqDb);
 }
 
 void DestroyLLMQSystem()
@@ -84,14 +84,14 @@ void StartLLMQSystem()
         chainLocksHandler->Start();
     }
     if (quorumInstantSendManager) {
-        quorumInstantSendManager->RegisterAsRecoveredSigsListener();
+        quorumInstantSendManager->Start();
     }
 }
 
 void StopLLMQSystem()
 {
     if (quorumInstantSendManager) {
-        quorumInstantSendManager->UnregisterAsRecoveredSigsListener();
+        quorumInstantSendManager->Stop();
     }
     if (chainLocksHandler) {
         chainLocksHandler->Stop();
@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ void InterruptLLMQSystem()
     if (quorumSigSharesManager) {
         quorumSigSharesManager->InterruptWorkerThread();
     }
+    if (quorumInstantSendManager) {
+        quorumInstantSendManager->InterruptWorkerThread();
+    }
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/llmq/quorums_instantsend.cpp b/src/llmq/quorums_instantsend.cpp
index fee9f57ff2..b8115e4f52 100644
--- a/src/llmq/quorums_instantsend.cpp
+++ b/src/llmq/quorums_instantsend.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 #include "txmempool.h"
 #include "masternode-sync.h"
 #include "net_processing.h"
-#include "scheduler.h"
 #include "spork.h"
 #include "validation.h"
 
@@ -24,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "instantx.h"
 
 #include <boost/algorithm/string/replace.hpp>
+#include <boost/thread.hpp>
 
 namespace llmq
 {
@@ -208,24 +208,45 @@ CInstantSendLockPtr CInstantSendDb::GetInstantSendLockByInput(const COutPoint& o
 
 ////////////////
 
-CInstantSendManager::CInstantSendManager(CScheduler* _scheduler, CDBWrapper& _llmqDb) :
-    scheduler(_scheduler),
+CInstantSendManager::CInstantSendManager(CDBWrapper& _llmqDb) :
     db(_llmqDb)
 {
+    workInterrupt.reset();
 }
 
 CInstantSendManager::~CInstantSendManager()
 {
 }
 
-void CInstantSendManager::RegisterAsRecoveredSigsListener()
+void CInstantSendManager::Start()
 {
+    // can't start new thread if we have one running already
+    if (workThread.joinable()) {
+        assert(false);
+    }
+
+    workThread = std::thread(&TraceThread<std::function<void()> >, "instantsend", std::function<void()>(std::bind(&CInstantSendManager::WorkThreadMain, this)));
+
     quorumSigningManager->RegisterRecoveredSigsListener(this);
 }
 
-void CInstantSendManager::UnregisterAsRecoveredSigsListener()
+void CInstantSendManager::Stop()
 {
     quorumSigningManager->UnregisterRecoveredSigsListener(this);
+
+    // make sure to call InterruptWorkerThread() first
+    if (!workInterrupt) {
+        assert(false);
+    }
+
+    if (workThread.joinable()) {
+        workThread.join();
+    }
+}
+
+void CInstantSendManager::InterruptWorkerThread()
+{
+    workInterrupt();
 }
 
 bool CInstantSendManager::ProcessTx(const CTransaction& tx, const Consensus::Params& params)
@@ -552,13 +573,6 @@ void CInstantSendManager::ProcessMessageInstantSendLock(CNode* pfrom, const llmq
             islock.txid.ToString(), hash.ToString(), pfrom->id);
 
     pendingInstantSendLocks.emplace(hash, std::make_pair(pfrom->id, std::move(islock)));
-
-    if (!hasScheduledProcessPending) {
-        hasScheduledProcessPending = true;
-        scheduler->scheduleFromNow([&] {
-            ProcessPendingInstantSendLocks();
-        }, 100);
-    }
 }
 
 bool CInstantSendManager::PreVerifyInstantSendLock(NodeId nodeId, const llmq::CInstantSendLock& islock, bool& retBan)
@@ -581,7 +595,7 @@ bool CInstantSendManager::PreVerifyInstantSendLock(NodeId nodeId, const llmq::CI
     return true;
 }
 
-void CInstantSendManager::ProcessPendingInstantSendLocks()
+bool CInstantSendManager::ProcessPendingInstantSendLocks()
 {
     auto llmqType = Params().GetConsensus().llmqForInstantSend;
 
@@ -589,12 +603,15 @@ void CInstantSendManager::ProcessPendingInstantSendLocks()
 
     {
         LOCK(cs);
-        hasScheduledProcessPending = false;
         pend = std::move(pendingInstantSendLocks);
     }
 
+    if (pend.empty()) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     if (!IsNewInstantSendEnabled()) {
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
 
     int tipHeight;
@@ -621,7 +638,7 @@ void CInstantSendManager::ProcessPendingInstantSendLocks()
         auto quorum = quorumSigningManager->SelectQuorumForSigning(llmqType, tipHeight, id);
         if (!quorum) {
             // should not happen, but if one fails to select, all others will also fail to select
-            return;
+            return false;
         }
         uint256 signHash = CLLMQUtils::BuildSignHash(llmqType, quorum->qc.quorumHash, id, islock.txid);
         batchVerifier.PushMessage(nodeId, hash, signHash, islock.sig, quorum->qc.quorumPublicKey);
@@ -679,6 +696,8 @@ void CInstantSendManager::ProcessPendingInstantSendLocks()
             }
         }
     }
+
+    return true;
 }
 
 void CInstantSendManager::ProcessInstantSendLock(NodeId from, const uint256& hash, const CInstantSendLock& islock)
@@ -1052,6 +1071,21 @@ bool CInstantSendManager::GetConflictingTx(const CTransaction& tx, uint256& retC
     return false;
 }
 
+void CInstantSendManager::WorkThreadMain()
+{
+    while (!workInterrupt) {
+        bool didWork = false;
+
+        didWork |= ProcessPendingInstantSendLocks();
+
+        if (!didWork) {
+            if (!workInterrupt.sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(100))) {
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 bool IsOldInstantSendEnabled()
 {
     return sporkManager.IsSporkActive(SPORK_2_INSTANTSEND_ENABLED) && !sporkManager.IsSporkActive(SPORK_20_INSTANTSEND_LLMQ_BASED);
diff --git a/src/llmq/quorums_instantsend.h b/src/llmq/quorums_instantsend.h
index 2355b984a9..b3b847408e 100644
--- a/src/llmq/quorums_instantsend.h
+++ b/src/llmq/quorums_instantsend.h
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@
 #include <unordered_map>
 #include <unordered_set>
 
-class CScheduler;
-
 namespace llmq
 {
 
@@ -72,9 +70,11 @@ class CInstantSendManager : public CRecoveredSigsListener
 {
 private:
     CCriticalSection cs;
-    CScheduler* scheduler;
     CInstantSendDb db;
 
+    std::thread workThread;
+    CThreadInterrupt workInterrupt;
+
     /**
      * Request ids of inputs that we signed. Used to determine if a recovered signature belongs to an
      * in-progress input lock.
@@ -92,14 +92,14 @@ private:
 
     // Incoming and not verified yet
     std::unordered_map<uint256, std::pair<NodeId, CInstantSendLock>> pendingInstantSendLocks;
-    bool hasScheduledProcessPending{false};
 
 public:
-    CInstantSendManager(CScheduler* _scheduler, CDBWrapper& _llmqDb);
+    CInstantSendManager(CDBWrapper& _llmqDb);
     ~CInstantSendManager();
 
-    void RegisterAsRecoveredSigsListener();
-    void UnregisterAsRecoveredSigsListener();
+    void Start();
+    void Stop();
+    void InterruptWorkerThread();
 
 public:
     bool ProcessTx(const CTransaction& tx, const Consensus::Params& params);
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ public:
     void ProcessMessage(CNode* pfrom, const std::string& strCommand, CDataStream& vRecv, CConnman& connman);
     void ProcessMessageInstantSendLock(CNode* pfrom, const CInstantSendLock& islock, CConnman& connman);
     bool PreVerifyInstantSendLock(NodeId nodeId, const CInstantSendLock& islock, bool& retBan);
-    void ProcessPendingInstantSendLocks();
+    bool ProcessPendingInstantSendLocks();
     void ProcessInstantSendLock(NodeId from, const uint256& hash, const CInstantSendLock& islock);
     void UpdateWalletTransaction(const uint256& txid, const CTransactionRef& tx);
 
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@ public:
 
     bool AlreadyHave(const CInv& inv);
     bool GetInstantSendLockByHash(const uint256& hash, CInstantSendLock& ret);
+
+    void WorkThreadMain();
 };
 
 extern CInstantSendManager* quorumInstantSendManager;