diff --git a/tasktiger/task.py b/tasktiger/task.py
index bca090de..01cf84e4 100644
--- a/tasktiger/task.py
+++ b/tasktiger/task.py
@@ -344,8 +344,8 @@ def _move(self, from_state=None, to_state=None, when=None, mode=None):
             _key(from_state), queue, _key(from_state, queue), client=pipeline
         )
 
-        if to_state == QUEUED and self.tiger.config["PUBLISH_QUEUED_TASKS"]:
-            pipeline.publish(_key("activity"), queue)
+        if to_state == QUEUED:
+            self.tiger._notify_task_queued(queue, client=pipeline)
 
         try:
             scripts.execute_pipeline(pipeline)
@@ -420,8 +420,10 @@ def delay(self, when=None, max_queue_size=None):
             mode="nx",
             client=pipeline,
         )
-        if state == QUEUED and tiger.config["PUBLISH_QUEUED_TASKS"]:
-            pipeline.publish(tiger._key("activity"), self.queue)
+
+        if state == QUEUED:
+            tiger._notify_task_queued(self.queue, client=pipeline)
+
         pipeline.execute()
 
         self._state = state
diff --git a/tasktiger/tasktiger.py b/tasktiger/tasktiger.py
index 6c18647a..989d41e7 100644
--- a/tasktiger/tasktiger.py
+++ b/tasktiger/tasktiger.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import datetime
 import importlib
 import logging
+import secrets
 from collections import defaultdict
 
 import click
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@
     QUEUED,
     SCHEDULED,
     classproperty,
+    dotted_parts,
     g,
     queue_matches,
     serialize_func_name,
@@ -76,6 +78,8 @@
 STRING <prefix>:qlock:<queue> (Legacy queue locks that are no longer used)
 """
 
+# TODO - mention newly added keys
+
 
 class TaskTiger:
     def __init__(
@@ -203,6 +207,11 @@ def init(self, connection=None, config=None, setup_structlog=False):
             # subscribe to the activity channel. Use for more efficient task
             # processing with a large amount of workers.
             "POLL_TASK_QUEUES_INTERVAL": 0,
+            # Set to > 0 to reduce the frequency of queue polling by using
+            # cache token keys whose values are updated whenever a task is queued.
+            # TODO - reword to make it sound better
+            # TODO - caution about increased memory usage
+            "POLL_CACHE_TOKEN_KEY_EXPIRY": 0,
             # Whether to publish new tasks to the activity channel. Only set to
             # False if all the workers are polling queues.
             "PUBLISH_QUEUED_TASKS": True,
@@ -256,6 +265,24 @@ def _get_current_tasks(self):
     current_task = property(_get_current_task)
     current_tasks = property(_get_current_tasks)
 
+    def _notify_task_queued(self, queue, client=None):
+        _client = client or self.connection.pipeline(transaction=False)
+
+        if self.config["PUBLISH_QUEUED_TASKS"]:
+            _client.publish(self._key("activity"), queue)
+
+        cache_token_expiry = self.config["POLL_CACHE_TOKEN_KEY_EXPIRY"]
+        if cache_token_expiry > 0:
+            for queue_part in list(dotted_parts(queue)) + [""]:
+                _client.set(
+                    self._key("queued_cache_token", queue_part),
+                    secrets.token_hex(),
+                    ex=cache_token_expiry,
+                )
+
+        if _client is not client:
+            _client.execute()
+
     @classproperty
     def current_instance(self):
         """
diff --git a/tasktiger/worker.py b/tasktiger/worker.py
index 27ade63a..60cfcdcc 100644
--- a/tasktiger/worker.py
+++ b/tasktiger/worker.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 import uuid
 from collections import OrderedDict
 from contextlib import ExitStack
-from typing import List, Set
+from typing import List, Optional, Set, Tuple
 
 from redis.exceptions import LockError
 
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ def __init__(
         self._key = tiger._key
         self._did_work = True
         self._last_task_check = 0.0
+        self._next_forced_queue_poll = 0.0
+        self._queued_cache_tokens: Optional[Tuple[Optional[str], ...]] = None
         self.stats_thread = None
         self.id = str(uuid.uuid4())
 
@@ -221,8 +223,7 @@ def _worker_queue_scheduled_tasks(self) -> None:
             # XXX: ideally this would be in the same pipeline, but we only want
             # to announce if there was a result.
             if result:
-                if self.config["PUBLISH_QUEUED_TASKS"]:
-                    self.connection.publish(self._key("activity"), queue)
+                self.tiger._notify_task_queued(queue)
                 self._did_work = True
 
     def _poll_for_queues(self) -> None:
@@ -235,7 +236,38 @@ def _poll_for_queues(self) -> None:
         """
         if not self._did_work:
             time.sleep(self.config["POLL_TASK_QUEUES_INTERVAL"])
-        self._refresh_queue_set()
+
+        if self._should_poll_for_queues():
+            self._refresh_queue_set()
+
+    def _should_poll_for_queues(self) -> bool:
+        cache_token_expiry = self.tiger.config["POLL_CACHE_TOKEN_KEY_EXPIRY"]
+        if cache_token_expiry <= 0:
+            return True
+
+        next_forced_queue_poll = self._next_forced_queue_poll
+        self._next_forced_queue_poll = time.monotonic() + cache_token_expiry
+
+        queued_cache_tokens = self._get_queued_cache_tokens()
+        if queued_cache_tokens != self._queued_cache_tokens:
+            self._queued_cache_tokens = queued_cache_tokens
+            return True
+
+        # Ensure that we poll queues when we haven't retrieved the cache
+        # tokens for at least as long as their expiry time.
+        if time.monotonic() >= next_forced_queue_poll:
+            self.log.info("Forcing a queue poll due to inactivity.")
+            return True
+
+        return False
+
+    def _get_queued_cache_tokens(self) -> Tuple[Optional[str], ...]:
+        keys = sorted(
+            self._key("queued_cache_token", queue)
+            for queue in self.only_queues or [""]
+        )
+
+        return tuple(self.connection.mget(keys))
 
     def _pubsub_for_queues(self, timeout=0, batch_timeout=0) -> None:
         """