diff --git a/tfw/components/frontend/message_queue_handler/message_queue_handler.py b/tfw/components/frontend/message_queue_handler/message_queue_handler.py
index 17fedc1..b661877 100644
--- a/tfw/components/frontend/message_queue_handler/message_queue_handler.py
+++ b/tfw/components/frontend/message_queue_handler/message_queue_handler.py
@@ -1,19 +1,30 @@
-from time import sleep
-from queue import Queue
+import logging
+from time import sleep, time
+from queue import Queue, Empty
 from threading import Thread
+from contextlib import suppress
+
+LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 class MessageQueueHandler:
     keys = ['message.queue']
     type_id = 'ControlEventHandler'
     avg_word_len = 5
+    drain_poll_freq = 0.2
 
     def __init__(self, wpm):
         self.connector = None
         self.wpm = wpm
         self._queue = Queue()
+        self._drain_queue = Queue()
         self._thread = Thread(target=self._dispatch_messages)
 
+        self._commands = {
+            'message.queue': self.handle_queue,
+            'message.queue.drain': self.handle_drain
+        }
+
     def _dispatch_messages(self):
         for message in iter(self._queue.get, None):
             message['typing'] = not self._queue.empty()
@@ -25,10 +36,35 @@ class MessageQueueHandler:
         chars_per_min = self.avg_word_len * words_per_min / 60
         return len(message['message']) / chars_per_min
 
-    def _sleep(self, seconds):  # pylint: disable=no-self-use
-        sleep(seconds)
+    def _sleep(self, seconds):
+        poll_freq = self.drain_poll_freq
+        if seconds < poll_freq:
+            poll_freq = seconds
+
+        sleep_until = time() + seconds
+        while time() < sleep_until:
+            sleep(poll_freq)
+            with suppress(Empty):
+                self._drain_queue.get(block=False)
+                self._drain()
+                break
+
+    def _drain(self):
+        with suppress(Empty):
+            while True:
+                message = self._queue.get(block=False)
+                if message is None:
+                    break
+                message['typing'] = False
+                self.connector.send_message(message)
 
     def handle_event(self, message, _):
+        try:
+            self._commands[message['key']](message)
+        except KeyError:
+            LOG.error('IGNORING MESSAGE: Invalid message received: %s', message)
+
+    def handle_queue(self, message):
         for unpacked in self._generate_messages_from_queue(message):
             self._queue.put(unpacked)
 
@@ -40,10 +76,15 @@ class MessageQueueHandler:
                 **message
             }
 
+    def handle_drain(self, _):
+        self._drain_queue.put(True)
+
     def start(self):
         self._thread.start()
 
     def cleanup(self):
+        # clearing the queue forces the loop in
+        # _dispatch_messages to block on _queue.get
         self._queue.queue.clear()
         self._queue.put(None)
         self._thread.join()
diff --git a/tfw/components/frontend/message_queue_handler/test_message_queue.py b/tfw/components/frontend/message_queue_handler/test_message_queue.py
index 8910981..2598872 100644
--- a/tfw/components/frontend/message_queue_handler/test_message_queue.py
+++ b/tfw/components/frontend/message_queue_handler/test_message_queue.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 from time import time
 from os import urandom
 from random import randint
-from queue import Queue
+from queue import Queue, Empty
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -106,3 +106,47 @@ def test_timing(handler):
     # at least 'seconds' sleep after last message
     assert (send_times[2] + sleep_seconds[2]) < sleep_end_times[3]
     assert not messages[3]['typing']
+
+
+def test_drain(handler):
+    q1 = get_message_queue()
+    q2 = get_message_queue()
+    messages_count = len(q1['messages']) + len(q2['messages'])
+    handler.wpm = 0.01  # very slow, everything will just block
+    handler.connector.raise_event(q1)
+    handler.connector.raise_event(q2)
+
+    handler.connector.messages.get(timeout=0.1)  # no sleep before first message
+    with pytest.raises(Empty):
+        handler.connector.messages.get(timeout=0.1)
+
+    handler.connector.raise_event({'key': 'message.queue.drain'})
+
+    for _ in range(messages_count - 1):
+        handler.connector.messages.get()
+
+
+def test_queue_works_after_drain(handler):
+    handler.connector.raise_event({'key': 'message.queue.drain'})
+
+    q = get_message_queue()
+    expected_msg_count = len(q['messages'])
+    handler.connector.raise_event(q)
+
+    messages = []
+    for _ in range(expected_msg_count):
+        messages.append(handler.connector.messages.get())
+
+    assert len(messages) == expected_msg_count
+    assert handler._thread.is_alive()  # pylint: disable=protected-access
+
+
+def test_queue_can_be_stopped(handler):
+    handler.wpm = 0.01  # very slow, everything will just block
+
+    q = get_message_queue()
+    handler.connector.raise_event(q)
+    handler.cleanup()
+    handler.connector.raise_event({'key': 'message.queue.drain'})
+
+    assert not handler._thread.is_alive()  # pylint: disable=protected-access