diff --git a/ChangeLog.txt b/ChangeLog.txt
index f9620676..30b344bd 100644
--- a/ChangeLog.txt
+++ b/ChangeLog.txt
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ Broker:
   versions are allowed for a particular listener.
 - Add `disable_client_cert_date_checks` option to allow expired client
   certificate to be considered valid.
+- Improve idle performance. The broker now calculates when the next event of
+  interest is, and uses that as the timeout for e.g. epoll_wait(). This can
+  reduce the number of process wakeups by 100x on an idle broker.
 
 Client library:
 - Add MOSQ_OPT_DISABLE_SOCKETPAIR to allow the disabling of the socketpair
diff --git a/include/mosquitto_broker.h b/include/mosquitto_broker.h
index cdda4b46..3b79bf1a 100644
--- a/include/mosquitto_broker.h
+++ b/include/mosquitto_broker.h
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ struct mosquitto_evt_message {
 struct mosquitto_evt_tick {
 	void *future;
 	long now_ns;
-	long next_ns;
+	long next_ms;
 	time_t now_s;
 	time_t next_s;
 	void *future2[4];
diff --git a/lib/time_mosq.c b/lib/time_mosq.c
index da4a9154..97d23d4b 100644
--- a/lib/time_mosq.c
+++ b/lib/time_mosq.c
@@ -63,3 +63,26 @@ time_t mosquitto_time(void)
 #endif
 }
 
+void mosquitto_time_ns(time_t *s, long *ns)
+{
+#ifdef WIN32
+	SYSTEMTIME st;
+	GetLocalTime(&st);
+	*s = st.wSecond
+	*ns = st.wMilliseconds*1000000L;
+	gettimeofday(&tv, NULL);
+	srand((unsigned int)(tv.tv_sec + tv.tv_usec));
+#elif _POSIX_TIMERS>0 && defined(_POSIX_MONOTONIC_CLOCK)
+	struct timespec tp;
+
+	clock_gettime(CLOCK_REALTIME, &tp);
+	*s = tp.tv_sec;
+	*ns = tp.tv_nsec;
+#else
+	struct timeval tv;
+
+	gettimeofday(&tv, NULL);
+	*s = tv.tv_sec;
+	*ns = tv.tv_usec * 1000;
+#endif
+}
diff --git a/lib/time_mosq.h b/lib/time_mosq.h
index 175d9732..9cceb672 100644
--- a/lib/time_mosq.h
+++ b/lib/time_mosq.h
@@ -20,5 +20,6 @@ Contributors:
 #define TIME_MOSQ_H
 
 time_t mosquitto_time(void);
+void mosquitto_time_ns(time_t *s, long *ns);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/plugins/examples/delayed-auth/mosquitto_delayed_auth.c b/plugins/examples/delayed-auth/mosquitto_delayed_auth.c
index 16c3dd3a..7725e685 100644
--- a/plugins/examples/delayed-auth/mosquitto_delayed_auth.c
+++ b/plugins/examples/delayed-auth/mosquitto_delayed_auth.c
@@ -107,16 +107,16 @@ static int basic_auth_callback(int event, void *event_data, void *userdata)
 
 static int tick_callback(int event, void *event_data, void *userdata)
 {
+	struct mosquitto_evt_tick *ed = event_data;
 	struct client_list *client, *client_tmp;
 	time_t now;
 	long r;
 
 	UNUSED(event);
-	UNUSED(event_data);
 	UNUSED(userdata);
 
 	now = time(NULL);
-	if(now > last_check){
+	if(now >= last_check){
 		HASH_ITER(hh, clients, client, client_tmp){
 			if(authentication_check(client, now)){
 				/* Deny access 1/4 of the time, yes it's biased number generation. */
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ static int tick_callback(int event, void *event_data, void *userdata)
 		}
 		last_check = now;
 	}
+	/* Declare that we want another call in at most 1 second */
+	ed->next_s = 1;
+
 	return MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/bridge.c b/src/bridge.c
index a6cd3fb1..5ee500f4 100644
--- a/src/bridge.c
+++ b/src/bridge.c
@@ -383,6 +383,7 @@ int bridge__connect_step3(struct mosquitto *context)
 
 	if(context->bridge->round_robin == false && context->bridge->cur_address != 0){
 		context->bridge->primary_retry = db.now_s + 5;
+		loop__update_next_event(5000);
 	}
 
 	if (bridge__set_tcp_keepalive(context) != MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS) return MOSQ_ERR_UNKNOWN;
@@ -928,7 +929,7 @@ void bridge_check(void)
 			if(context->bridge->round_robin == false
 					&& context->bridge->cur_address != 0
 					&& context->bridge->primary_retry
-					&& db.now_s > context->bridge->primary_retry){
+					&& db.now_s >= context->bridge->primary_retry){
 
 				if(context->bridge->primary_retry_sock == INVALID_SOCKET){
 					rc = net__try_connect(context->bridge->addresses[0].address,
@@ -958,11 +959,13 @@ void bridge_check(void)
 							COMPAT_CLOSE(context->bridge->primary_retry_sock);
 							context->bridge->primary_retry_sock = INVALID_SOCKET;
 							context->bridge->primary_retry = db.now_s+5;
+							loop__update_next_event(5000);
 						}
 					}else{
 						COMPAT_CLOSE(context->bridge->primary_retry_sock);
 						context->bridge->primary_retry_sock = INVALID_SOCKET;
 						context->bridge->primary_retry = db.now_s+5;
+						loop__update_next_event(5000);
 					}
 				}
 			}
@@ -978,9 +981,10 @@ void bridge_check(void)
 				if(context->bridge->cur_address == context->bridge->address_count){
 					context->bridge->cur_address = 0;
 				}
+				loop__update_next_event(context->bridge->restart_timeout*1000);
 			}else{
 				if((context->bridge->start_type == bst_lazy && context->bridge->lazy_reconnect)
-						|| (context->bridge->start_type == bst_automatic && db.now_s > context->bridge->restart_t)){
+						|| (context->bridge->start_type == bst_automatic && db.now_s >= context->bridge->restart_t)){
 
 #if defined(__GLIBC__) && defined(WITH_ADNS)
 					if(context->adns){
@@ -1034,6 +1038,7 @@ void bridge_check(void)
 						if(rc == MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS || rc == MOSQ_ERR_CONN_PENDING){
 							if(context->bridge->round_robin == false && context->bridge->cur_address != 0){
 								context->bridge->primary_retry = db.now_s + 5;
+								loop__update_next_event(5000);
 							}
 							mux__new(context);
 							if(context->out_packet){
diff --git a/src/keepalive.c b/src/keepalive.c
index 2e280e93..ce2d6852 100644
--- a/src/keepalive.c
+++ b/src/keepalive.c
@@ -36,8 +36,16 @@ int keepalive__add(struct mosquitto *context)
 void keepalive__check(void)
 {
 	struct mosquitto *context, *ctxt_tmp;
+	time_t timeout;
 
-	if(last_keepalive_check + 5 < db.now_s){
+	if(db.contexts_by_sock){
+		timeout = (last_keepalive_check + 5 - db.now_s);
+		if(timeout <= 0){
+			timeout = 5;
+		}
+		loop__update_next_event(timeout*1000);
+	}
+	if(last_keepalive_check + 5 <= db.now_s){
 		last_keepalive_check = db.now_s;
 
 		/* FIXME - this needs replacing with something more efficient */
diff --git a/src/loop.c b/src/loop.c
index 443d9924..948fff7f 100644
--- a/src/loop.c
+++ b/src/loop.c
@@ -161,6 +161,14 @@ static void queue_plugin_msgs(void)
 }
 
 
+void loop__update_next_event(time_t new_ms)
+{
+	if(new_ms > 0 && new_ms < db.next_event_ms){
+		db.next_event_ms = (int)new_ms;
+	}
+}
+
+
 int mosquitto_main_loop(struct mosquitto__listener_sock *listensock, int listensock_count)
 {
 #ifdef WITH_PERSISTENCE
@@ -187,6 +195,8 @@ int mosquitto_main_loop(struct mosquitto__listener_sock *listensock, int listens
 	while(g_run){
 		queue_plugin_msgs();
 		context__free_disused();
+
+		db.next_event_ms = 86400000;
 #ifdef WITH_SYS_TREE
 		if(db.config->sys_interval > 0){
 			sys_tree__update();
@@ -198,6 +208,7 @@ int mosquitto_main_loop(struct mosquitto__listener_sock *listensock, int listens
 #ifdef WITH_BRIDGE
 		bridge_check();
 #endif
+		plugin__handle_tick();
 
 		rc = mux__handle(listensock, listensock_count);
 		if(rc) return rc;
@@ -269,7 +280,6 @@ int mosquitto_main_loop(struct mosquitto__listener_sock *listensock, int listens
 			}
 		}
 #endif
-		plugin__handle_tick();
 	}
 
 	mux__cleanup();
diff --git a/src/mosquitto_broker_internal.h b/src/mosquitto_broker_internal.h
index c8691dd0..5bdfa783 100644
--- a/src/mosquitto_broker_internal.h
+++ b/src/mosquitto_broker_internal.h
@@ -471,6 +471,7 @@ struct mosquitto_db{
 	struct mosquitto_msg_store_load *msg_store_load;
 	time_t now_s; /* Monotonic clock, where possible */
 	time_t now_real_s; /* Read clock, for measuring session/message expiry */
+	int next_event_ms; /* for mux timeout */
 	int msg_store_count;
 	unsigned long msg_store_bytes;
 	char *config_file;
@@ -622,6 +623,7 @@ extern struct mosquitto_db db;
  * Main functions
  * ============================================================ */
 int mosquitto_main_loop(struct mosquitto__listener_sock *listensock, int listensock_count);
+void loop__update_next_event(time_t new_ms);
 
 /* ============================================================
  * Config functions
diff --git a/src/mux_epoll.c b/src/mux_epoll.c
index 118f0256..466be8df 100644
--- a/src/mux_epoll.c
+++ b/src/mux_epoll.c
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ Contributors:
 
 static void loop_handle_reads_writes(struct mosquitto *context, uint32_t events);
 
-static sigset_t my_sigblock;
 static struct epoll_event ep_events[MAX_EVENTS];
 
 int mux_epoll__init(struct mosquitto__listener_sock *listensock, int listensock_count)
@@ -43,13 +42,6 @@ int mux_epoll__init(struct mosquitto__listener_sock *listensock, int listensock_
 	struct epoll_event ev;
 	int i;
 
-	sigemptyset(&my_sigblock);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGINT);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGTERM);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGUSR1);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGUSR2);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGHUP);
-
 	memset(&ep_events, 0, sizeof(struct epoll_event)*MAX_EVENTS);
 
 	db.epollfd = 0;
@@ -145,15 +137,16 @@ int mux_epoll__handle(void)
 {
 	int i;
 	struct epoll_event ev;
-	sigset_t origsig;
 	struct mosquitto *context;
 	struct mosquitto__listener_sock *listensock;
 	int event_count;
 
 	memset(&ev, 0, sizeof(struct epoll_event));
-	sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &my_sigblock, &origsig);
+#if defined(WITH_WEBSOCKETS)
 	event_count = epoll_wait(db.epollfd, ep_events, MAX_EVENTS, 100);
-	sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &origsig, NULL);
+#else
+	event_count = epoll_wait(db.epollfd, ep_events, MAX_EVENTS, db.next_event_ms);
+#endif
 
 	db.now_s = mosquitto_time();
 	db.now_real_s = time(NULL);
diff --git a/src/mux_kqueue.c b/src/mux_kqueue.c
index 46e3ea14..410aa17e 100644
--- a/src/mux_kqueue.c
+++ b/src/mux_kqueue.c
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@ Contributors:
 
 static void loop_handle_reads_writes(struct mosquitto *context, short events);
 
-static sigset_t my_sigblock;
-
 static struct kevent event_list[MAX_EVENTS];
 
 int mux_kqueue__init(struct mosquitto__listener_sock *listensock, int listensock_count)
@@ -41,13 +39,6 @@ int mux_kqueue__init(struct mosquitto__listener_sock *listensock, int listensock
 	struct kevent ev;
 	int i;
 
-	sigemptyset(&my_sigblock);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGINT);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGTERM);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGUSR1);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGUSR2);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGHUP);
-
 	memset(&event_list, 0, sizeof(struct kevent)*MAX_EVENTS);
 
 	db.kqueuefd = 0;
@@ -138,19 +129,24 @@ int mux_kqueue__delete(struct mosquitto *context)
 int mux_kqueue__handle(void)
 {
 	int i;
-	sigset_t origsig;
 	struct mosquitto *context;
 	struct mosquitto__listener_sock *listensock;
 	int event_count;
-	struct timespec timeout = {0, 100000000}; /* 100 ms */
+	struct timespec timeout;
+
+#ifdef WITH_WEBSOCKETS
+	timeout.tv_sec = 0;
+	timeout.tv_nsec = 100000000; /* 100 ms */
+#else
+	timeout.tv_sec = db.next_event_ms/1000;
+	timeout.tv_nsec = (db.next_event_ms - timeout.tv_sec*100) * 1000000;
+#endif
 
 	memset(&event_list, 0, sizeof(event_list));
-	sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &my_sigblock, &origsig);
 	event_count = kevent(db.kqueuefd,
 			NULL, 0,
 			event_list, MAX_EVENTS,
 			&timeout);
-	sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &origsig, NULL);
 
 	db.now_s = mosquitto_time();
 	db.now_real_s = time(NULL);
diff --git a/src/mux_poll.c b/src/mux_poll.c
index c9c9c827..9dae7b67 100644
--- a/src/mux_poll.c
+++ b/src/mux_poll.c
@@ -60,24 +60,12 @@ static void loop_handle_reads_writes(void);
 
 static struct pollfd *pollfds = NULL;
 static size_t pollfd_max, pollfd_current_max;
-#ifndef WIN32
-static sigset_t my_sigblock;
-#endif
 
 int mux_poll__init(struct mosquitto__listener_sock *listensock, int listensock_count)
 {
 	size_t i;
 	size_t pollfd_index = 0;
 
-#ifndef WIN32
-	sigemptyset(&my_sigblock);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGINT);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGTERM);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGUSR1);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGUSR2);
-	sigaddset(&my_sigblock, SIGHUP);
-#endif
-
 #ifdef WIN32
 	pollfd_max = (size_t)_getmaxstdio();
 #else
@@ -195,13 +183,18 @@ int mux_poll__handle(struct mosquitto__listener_sock *listensock, int listensock
 #ifndef WIN32
 	sigset_t origsig;
 #endif
+	int timeout;
+
+#ifdef WITH_WEBSOCKETS
+	timeout = 100;
+#else
+	timeout = db.next_event_ms;
+#endif
 
 #ifndef WIN32
-	sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &my_sigblock, &origsig);
-	fdcount = poll(pollfds, pollfd_current_max+1, 100);
-	sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &origsig, NULL);
+	fdcount = poll(pollfds, pollfd_current_max+1, timeout);
 #else
-	fdcount = WSAPoll(pollfds, pollfd_current_max+1, 100);
+	fdcount = WSAPoll(pollfds, pollfd_current_max+1, timeout);
 #endif
 
 	db.now_s = mosquitto_time();
diff --git a/src/plugin.c b/src/plugin.c
index d15964d6..19011810 100644
--- a/src/plugin.c
+++ b/src/plugin.c
@@ -219,11 +219,14 @@ static void plugin__handle_tick_single(struct mosquitto__security_options *opts)
 	struct mosquitto_evt_tick event_data;
 	struct mosquitto__callback *cb_base;
 
-	/* FIXME - set now_s and now_ns to avoid need for multiple time lookups */
 	memset(&event_data, 0, sizeof(event_data));
 
 	DL_FOREACH(opts->plugin_callbacks.tick, cb_base){
+		mosquitto_time_ns(&event_data.now_s, &event_data.now_ns);
+		event_data.next_s = 0;
+		event_data.next_ms = 0;
 		cb_base->cb(MOSQ_EVT_TICK, &event_data, cb_base->userdata);
+		loop__update_next_event(event_data.next_s * 1000 + event_data.next_ms);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/session_expiry.c b/src/session_expiry.c
index 1d2beb57..43d20b60 100644
--- a/src/session_expiry.c
+++ b/src/session_expiry.c
@@ -113,8 +113,20 @@ void session_expiry__check(void)
 {
 	struct session_expiry_list *item, *tmp;
 	struct mosquitto *context;
-
-	if(db.now_real_s <= last_check) return;
+	time_t timeout;
+
+	if(db.now_real_s <= last_check){
+		if(expiry_list){
+			/* Next event is the first item of the list, we must set the timeout even if we aren't 
+			 * checking the full list */
+			timeout = (expiry_list->context->session_expiry_time - db.now_real_s) * 1000;
+			if(timeout <= 0){
+				timeout = 100;
+			}
+			loop__update_next_event(timeout);
+		}
+		return;
+	}
 
 	last_check = db.now_real_s;
 
@@ -137,6 +149,11 @@ void session_expiry__check(void)
 			context__send_will(context);
 			context__add_to_disused(context);
 		}else{
+			timeout = (item->context->session_expiry_time - db.now_real_s + 1) * 1000;
+			if(timeout <= 0){
+				timeout = 100;
+			}
+			loop__update_next_event(timeout);
 			return;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/sys_tree.c b/src/sys_tree.c
index 9a5d8f4e..a946461d 100644
--- a/src/sys_tree.c
+++ b/src/sys_tree.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ unsigned int g_socket_connections = 0;
 unsigned int g_connection_count = 0;
 
 static time_t start_time = 0;
+static time_t last_update = 0;
 
 
 void sys_tree__init(void)
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ void sys_tree__init(void)
 	db__messages_easy_queue(NULL, "$SYS/broker/version", SYS_TREE_QOS, len, buf, 1, 0, NULL);
 
 	start_time = mosquitto_time();
+	last_update = start_time;
 }
 
 static void sys_tree__update_clients(char *buf)
@@ -159,7 +161,6 @@ static void calc_load(char *buf, const char *topic, bool initial, double exponen
  */
 void sys_tree__update(void)
 {
-	static time_t last_update = 0;
 	time_t uptime;
 	char buf[BUFLEN];
 
@@ -219,9 +220,18 @@ void sys_tree__update(void)
 	double i_mult;
 	uint32_t len;
 	bool initial_publish;
+	time_t next_event;
+
+	if(db.config->sys_interval){
+		next_event = last_update - db.now_s + db.config->sys_interval;
+		if(next_event <= 0){
+			next_event = db.config->sys_interval;
+		}
+		loop__update_next_event(next_event*1000);
+	}
 
 	if(db.config->sys_interval
-			&& db.now_s - db.config->sys_interval > last_update){
+			&& db.now_s - db.config->sys_interval >= last_update){
 
 		uptime = db.now_s - start_time;
 		len = (uint32_t)snprintf(buf, BUFLEN, "%d seconds", (int)uptime);
diff --git a/test/broker/c/auth_plugin_delayed.c b/test/broker/c/auth_plugin_delayed.c
index 0a81dfea..05467a7d 100644
--- a/test/broker/c/auth_plugin_delayed.c
+++ b/test/broker/c/auth_plugin_delayed.c
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ int mosquitto_plugin_cleanup(void *user_data, struct mosquitto_opt *auth_opts, i
 
 static int tick_callback(int event, void *event_data, void *user_data)
 {
+	struct mosquitto_evt_tick *ed = event_data;
+
 	if(auth_delay == 0){
 		if(client_id && username && password
 			&& !strcmp(username, "delayed-username") && !strcmp(password, "good")){
@@ -69,6 +71,9 @@ static int tick_callback(int event, void *event_data, void *user_data)
 		auth_delay--;
 	}
 
+	/* fast turn around for quick testing */
+	ed->next_ms = 100;
+
 	return MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS;
 }