diff --git a/compiler/rustc_expand/src/proc_macro.rs b/compiler/rustc_expand/src/proc_macro.rs
index 494b3fb61ee97..a23d28bf81f7c 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_expand/src/proc_macro.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_expand/src/proc_macro.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@ use rustc_parse::parser::ForceCollect;
 use rustc_span::def_id::CrateNum;
 use rustc_span::{Span, DUMMY_SP};
 
-const EXEC_STRATEGY: pm::bridge::server::SameThread = pm::bridge::server::SameThread;
+fn exec_strategy(ecx: &ExtCtxt<'_>) -> impl pm::bridge::server::ExecutionStrategy {
+    <pm::bridge::server::MaybeCrossThread<pm::bridge::server::StdMessagePipe<_>>>::new(
+        ecx.sess.opts.debugging_opts.proc_macro_cross_thread,
+    )
+}
 
 pub struct BangProcMacro {
     pub client: pm::bridge::client::Client<fn(pm::TokenStream) -> pm::TokenStream>,
@@ -27,14 +31,16 @@ impl base::ProcMacro for BangProcMacro {
         input: TokenStream,
     ) -> Result<TokenStream, ErrorReported> {
         let server = proc_macro_server::Rustc::new(ecx, self.krate);
-        self.client.run(&EXEC_STRATEGY, server, input, ecx.ecfg.proc_macro_backtrace).map_err(|e| {
-            let mut err = ecx.struct_span_err(span, "proc macro panicked");
-            if let Some(s) = e.as_str() {
-                err.help(&format!("message: {}", s));
-            }
-            err.emit();
-            ErrorReported
-        })
+        self.client.run(&exec_strategy(ecx), server, input, ecx.ecfg.proc_macro_backtrace).map_err(
+            |e| {
+                let mut err = ecx.struct_span_err(span, "proc macro panicked");
+                if let Some(s) = e.as_str() {
+                    err.help(&format!("message: {}", s));
+                }
+                err.emit();
+                ErrorReported
+            },
+        )
     }
 }
 
@@ -53,7 +59,7 @@ impl base::AttrProcMacro for AttrProcMacro {
     ) -> Result<TokenStream, ErrorReported> {
         let server = proc_macro_server::Rustc::new(ecx, self.krate);
         self.client
-            .run(&EXEC_STRATEGY, server, annotation, annotated, ecx.ecfg.proc_macro_backtrace)
+            .run(&exec_strategy(ecx), server, annotation, annotated, ecx.ecfg.proc_macro_backtrace)
             .map_err(|e| {
                 let mut err = ecx.struct_span_err(span, "custom attribute panicked");
                 if let Some(s) = e.as_str() {
@@ -102,18 +108,22 @@ impl MultiItemModifier for ProcMacroDerive {
         };
 
         let server = proc_macro_server::Rustc::new(ecx, self.krate);
-        let stream =
-            match self.client.run(&EXEC_STRATEGY, server, input, ecx.ecfg.proc_macro_backtrace) {
-                Ok(stream) => stream,
-                Err(e) => {
-                    let mut err = ecx.struct_span_err(span, "proc-macro derive panicked");
-                    if let Some(s) = e.as_str() {
-                        err.help(&format!("message: {}", s));
-                    }
-                    err.emit();
-                    return ExpandResult::Ready(vec![]);
+        let stream = match self.client.run(
+            &exec_strategy(ecx),
+            server,
+            input,
+            ecx.ecfg.proc_macro_backtrace,
+        ) {
+            Ok(stream) => stream,
+            Err(e) => {
+                let mut err = ecx.struct_span_err(span, "proc-macro derive panicked");
+                if let Some(s) = e.as_str() {
+                    err.help(&format!("message: {}", s));
                 }
-            };
+                err.emit();
+                return ExpandResult::Ready(vec![]);
+            }
+        };
 
         let error_count_before = ecx.sess.parse_sess.span_diagnostic.err_count();
         let mut parser =
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_session/src/options.rs b/compiler/rustc_session/src/options.rs
index 4c40d0c367eca..04f1f063a0126 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_session/src/options.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_session/src/options.rs
@@ -1207,6 +1207,8 @@ options! {
         "print layout information for each type encountered (default: no)"),
     proc_macro_backtrace: bool = (false, parse_bool, [UNTRACKED],
          "show backtraces for panics during proc-macro execution (default: no)"),
+    proc_macro_cross_thread: bool = (false, parse_bool, [UNTRACKED],
+        "run proc-macro code on a separate thread (default: no)"),
     profile: bool = (false, parse_bool, [TRACKED],
         "insert profiling code (default: no)"),
     profile_closures: bool = (false, parse_no_flag, [UNTRACKED],
diff --git a/library/proc_macro/src/bridge/client.rs b/library/proc_macro/src/bridge/client.rs
index 9d41497fb28c9..ee40a92d9ef3b 100644
--- a/library/proc_macro/src/bridge/client.rs
+++ b/library/proc_macro/src/bridge/client.rs
@@ -312,7 +312,11 @@ macro_rules! client_send_impl {
 
             b = bridge.dispatch.call(b);
 
-            let r = Result::<(), PanicMessage>::decode(&mut &b[..], &mut ());
+            let r = if b.len() > 0 {
+                Result::<(), PanicMessage>::decode(&mut &b[..], &mut ())
+            } else {
+                Ok(())
+            };
 
             bridge.cached_buffer = b;
 
diff --git a/library/proc_macro/src/bridge/server.rs b/library/proc_macro/src/bridge/server.rs
index 3b9210ea55d29..8f64d860fe41d 100644
--- a/library/proc_macro/src/bridge/server.rs
+++ b/library/proc_macro/src/bridge/server.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 use super::*;
 
+use std::marker::PhantomData;
+
 // FIXME(eddyb) generate the definition of `HandleStore` in `server.rs`.
 use super::client::HandleStore;
 
@@ -174,6 +176,50 @@ pub trait ExecutionStrategy {
     ) -> Buffer<u8>;
 }
 
+pub struct MaybeCrossThread<P> {
+    cross_thread: bool,
+    marker: PhantomData<P>,
+}
+
+impl<P> MaybeCrossThread<P> {
+    pub const fn new(cross_thread: bool) -> Self {
+        MaybeCrossThread { cross_thread, marker: PhantomData }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<P> ExecutionStrategy for MaybeCrossThread<P>
+where
+    P: MessagePipe<Buffer<u8>> + Send + 'static,
+{
+    fn run_bridge_and_client<D: Copy + Send + 'static>(
+        &self,
+        dispatcher: &mut impl DispatcherTrait,
+        input: Buffer<u8>,
+        run_client: extern "C" fn(BridgeConfig<'_>, D) -> Buffer<u8>,
+        client_data: D,
+        force_show_panics: bool,
+    ) -> Buffer<u8> {
+        if self.cross_thread {
+            <CrossThread<P>>::new().run_bridge_and_client(
+                dispatcher,
+                input,
+                run_client,
+                client_data,
+                force_show_panics,
+            )
+        } else {
+            SameThread.run_bridge_and_client(
+                dispatcher,
+                input,
+                run_client,
+                client_data,
+                force_show_panics,
+            )
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Default)]
 pub struct SameThread;
 
 impl ExecutionStrategy for SameThread {
@@ -194,12 +240,18 @@ impl ExecutionStrategy for SameThread {
     }
 }
 
-// NOTE(eddyb) Two implementations are provided, the second one is a bit
-// faster but neither is anywhere near as fast as same-thread execution.
+pub struct CrossThread<P>(PhantomData<P>);
 
-pub struct CrossThread1;
+impl<P> CrossThread<P> {
+    pub const fn new() -> Self {
+        CrossThread(PhantomData)
+    }
+}
 
-impl ExecutionStrategy for CrossThread1 {
+impl<P> ExecutionStrategy for CrossThread<P>
+where
+    P: MessagePipe<Buffer<u8>> + Send + 'static,
+{
     fn run_bridge_and_client<D: Copy + Send + 'static>(
         &self,
         dispatcher: &mut impl DispatcherTrait,
@@ -208,15 +260,18 @@ impl ExecutionStrategy for CrossThread1 {
         client_data: D,
         force_show_panics: bool,
     ) -> Buffer<u8> {
-        use std::sync::mpsc::channel;
-
-        let (req_tx, req_rx) = channel();
-        let (res_tx, res_rx) = channel();
+        let (mut server, mut client) = P::new();
 
         let join_handle = thread::spawn(move || {
-            let mut dispatch = |b| {
-                req_tx.send(b).unwrap();
-                res_rx.recv().unwrap()
+            let mut dispatch = |b: Buffer<u8>| -> Buffer<u8> {
+                let method_tag = api_tags::Method::decode(&mut &b[..], &mut ());
+                client.send(b);
+
+                if method_tag.should_wait() {
+                    client.recv().expect("server died while client waiting for reply")
+                } else {
+                    Buffer::new()
+                }
             };
 
             run_client(
@@ -225,73 +280,55 @@ impl ExecutionStrategy for CrossThread1 {
             )
         });
 
-        for b in req_rx {
-            res_tx.send(dispatcher.dispatch(b)).unwrap();
+        while let Some(b) = server.recv() {
+            let method_tag = api_tags::Method::decode(&mut &b[..], &mut ());
+            let b = dispatcher.dispatch(b);
+
+            if method_tag.should_wait() {
+                server.send(b);
+            } else if let Err(err) = <Result<(), PanicMessage>>::decode(&mut &b[..], &mut ()) {
+                panic::resume_unwind(err.into());
+            }
         }
 
         join_handle.join().unwrap()
     }
 }
 
-pub struct CrossThread2;
-
-impl ExecutionStrategy for CrossThread2 {
-    fn run_bridge_and_client<D: Copy + Send + 'static>(
-        &self,
-        dispatcher: &mut impl DispatcherTrait,
-        input: Buffer<u8>,
-        run_client: extern "C" fn(BridgeConfig<'_>, D) -> Buffer<u8>,
-        client_data: D,
-        force_show_panics: bool,
-    ) -> Buffer<u8> {
-        use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
-
-        enum State<T> {
-            Req(T),
-            Res(T),
-        }
-
-        let mut state = Arc::new(Mutex::new(State::Res(Buffer::new())));
+/// A message pipe used for communicating between server and client threads.
+pub trait MessagePipe<T>: Sized {
+    /// Create a new pair of endpoints for the message pipe.
+    fn new() -> (Self, Self);
 
-        let server_thread = thread::current();
-        let state2 = state.clone();
-        let join_handle = thread::spawn(move || {
-            let mut dispatch = |b| {
-                *state2.lock().unwrap() = State::Req(b);
-                server_thread.unpark();
-                loop {
-                    thread::park();
-                    if let State::Res(b) = &mut *state2.lock().unwrap() {
-                        break b.take();
-                    }
-                }
-            };
+    /// Send a message to the other endpoint of this pipe.
+    fn send(&mut self, value: T);
 
-            let r = run_client(
-                BridgeConfig { input, dispatch: (&mut dispatch).into(), force_show_panics },
-                client_data,
-            );
+    /// Receive a message from the other endpoint of this pipe.
+    ///
+    /// Returns `None` if the other end of the pipe has been destroyed, and no
+    /// message was received.
+    fn recv(&mut self) -> Option<T>;
+}
 
-            // Wake up the server so it can exit the dispatch loop.
-            drop(state2);
-            server_thread.unpark();
+/// Implementation of `MessagePipe` using `std::sync::mpsc`
+pub struct StdMessagePipe<T> {
+    tx: std::sync::mpsc::Sender<T>,
+    rx: std::sync::mpsc::Receiver<T>,
+}
 
-            r
-        });
+impl<T> MessagePipe<T> for StdMessagePipe<T> {
+    fn new() -> (Self, Self) {
+        let (tx1, rx1) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
+        let (tx2, rx2) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
+        (StdMessagePipe { tx: tx1, rx: rx2 }, StdMessagePipe { tx: tx2, rx: rx1 })
+    }
 
-        // Check whether `state2` was dropped, to know when to stop.
-        while Arc::get_mut(&mut state).is_none() {
-            thread::park();
-            let mut b = match &mut *state.lock().unwrap() {
-                State::Req(b) => b.take(),
-                _ => continue,
-            };
-            b = dispatcher.dispatch(b.take());
-            *state.lock().unwrap() = State::Res(b);
-            join_handle.thread().unpark();
-        }
+    fn send(&mut self, v: T) {
+        self.tx.send(v).unwrap();
+    }
 
-        join_handle.join().unwrap()
+    fn recv(&mut self) -> Option<T> {
+        self.rx.recv().ok()
     }
 }