diff --git a/nano/lib/threading.cpp b/nano/lib/threading.cpp
index 3b71fd9ac1..b6ddc64ac8 100644
--- a/nano/lib/threading.cpp
+++ b/nano/lib/threading.cpp
@@ -90,16 +90,19 @@ std::string nano::thread_role::get_string (nano::thread_role::name role)
 		case nano::thread_role::name::unchecked:
 			thread_role_name_string = "Unchecked";
 			break;
+		case nano::thread_role::name::backlog_population:
+			thread_role_name_string = "Backlog";
+			break;
 		default:
 			debug_assert (false && "nano::thread_role::get_string unhandled thread role");
 	}
 
 	/*
-		 * We want to constrain the thread names to 15
-		 * characters, since this is the smallest maximum
-		 * length supported by the platforms we support
-		 * (specifically, Linux)
-		 */
+	 * We want to constrain the thread names to 15
+	 * characters, since this is the smallest maximum
+	 * length supported by the platforms we support
+	 * (specifically, Linux)
+	 */
 	debug_assert (thread_role_name_string.size () < 16);
 	return (thread_role_name_string);
 }
@@ -121,7 +124,7 @@ void nano::thread_role::set (nano::thread_role::name role)
 void nano::thread_attributes::set (boost::thread::attributes & attrs)
 {
 	auto attrs_l (&attrs);
-	attrs_l->set_stack_size (8000000); //8MB
+	attrs_l->set_stack_size (8000000); // 8MB
 }
 
 nano::thread_runner::thread_runner (boost::asio::io_context & io_ctx_a, unsigned service_threads_a) :
diff --git a/nano/lib/threading.hpp b/nano/lib/threading.hpp
index aab4771bff..a06e2eb9f5 100644
--- a/nano/lib/threading.hpp
+++ b/nano/lib/threading.hpp
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ namespace thread_role
 		db_parallel_traversal,
 		election_scheduler,
 		unchecked,
+		backlog_population
 	};
 
 	/*
diff --git a/nano/node/CMakeLists.txt b/nano/node/CMakeLists.txt
index ba02c0f19e..e02354ee3d 100644
--- a/nano/node/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/nano/node/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ add_library(
   ${platform_sources}
   active_transactions.hpp
   active_transactions.cpp
+  backlog_population.hpp
+  backlog_population.cpp
   blockprocessor.hpp
   blockprocessor.cpp
   bootstrap/bootstrap_attempt.hpp
diff --git a/nano/node/backlog_population.cpp b/nano/node/backlog_population.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b38d90af5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nano/node/backlog_population.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+#include <nano/lib/threading.hpp>
+#include <nano/node/backlog_population.hpp>
+#include <nano/node/election_scheduler.hpp>
+#include <nano/node/nodeconfig.hpp>
+#include <nano/secure/store.hpp>
+
+nano::backlog_population::backlog_population (const config & config_a, nano::store & store_a, nano::election_scheduler & scheduler_a) :
+	config_m{ config_a },
+	store_m{ store_a },
+	scheduler{ scheduler_a }
+{
+}
+
+nano::backlog_population::~backlog_population ()
+{
+	stop ();
+	if (thread.joinable ())
+	{
+		thread.join ();
+	}
+}
+
+void nano::backlog_population::start ()
+{
+	if (!thread.joinable ())
+	{
+		thread = std::thread{ [this] () { run (); } };
+	}
+}
+
+void nano::backlog_population::stop ()
+{
+	nano::unique_lock<nano::mutex> lock{ mutex };
+	stopped = true;
+	notify ();
+}
+
+void nano::backlog_population::trigger ()
+{
+	nano::unique_lock<nano::mutex> lock{ mutex };
+	triggered = true;
+	notify ();
+}
+
+void nano::backlog_population::notify ()
+{
+	condition.notify_all ();
+}
+
+bool nano::backlog_population::predicate () const
+{
+	return triggered;
+}
+
+void nano::backlog_population::run ()
+{
+	nano::thread_role::set (nano::thread_role::name::backlog_population);
+	const auto delay = std::chrono::seconds{ config_m.delay_between_runs_in_seconds };
+	nano::unique_lock<nano::mutex> lock{ mutex };
+	while (!stopped)
+	{
+		if (predicate () || config_m.ongoing_backlog_population_enabled)
+		{
+			triggered = false;
+			lock.unlock ();
+			populate_backlog ();
+			lock.lock ();
+		}
+
+		condition.wait_for (lock, delay, [this] () {
+			return stopped || predicate ();
+		});
+	}
+}
+
+void nano::backlog_population::populate_backlog ()
+{
+	auto done = false;
+	uint64_t const chunk_size = 65536;
+	nano::account next = 0;
+	uint64_t total = 0;
+	while (!stopped && !done)
+	{
+		auto transaction = store_m.tx_begin_read ();
+		auto count = 0;
+		auto i = store_m.account.begin (transaction, next);
+		const auto end = store_m.account.end ();
+		for (; !stopped && i != end && count < chunk_size; ++i, ++count, ++total)
+		{
+			auto const & account = i->first;
+			scheduler.activate (account, transaction);
+			next = account.number () + 1;
+		}
+		done = store_m.account.begin (transaction, next) == end;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/nano/node/backlog_population.hpp b/nano/node/backlog_population.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a4a352dca7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nano/node/backlog_population.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <nano/lib/locks.hpp>
+
+#include <atomic>
+#include <condition_variable>
+#include <thread>
+
+namespace nano
+{
+class store;
+class election_scheduler;
+
+class backlog_population final
+{
+public:
+	struct config
+	{
+		bool ongoing_backlog_population_enabled;
+		unsigned int delay_between_runs_in_seconds;
+	};
+
+	explicit backlog_population (const config & config_a, store & store, election_scheduler & scheduler);
+	~backlog_population ();
+
+	void start ();
+	void stop ();
+	void trigger ();
+
+	/** Other components call this to notify us about external changes, so we can check our predicate. */
+	void notify ();
+
+private:
+	void run ();
+	bool predicate () const;
+
+	void populate_backlog ();
+
+	/** This is a manual trigger, the ongoing backlog population does not use this.
+	 *  It can be triggered even when backlog population (frontiers confirmation) is disabled. */
+	bool triggered{ false };
+
+	std::atomic<bool> stopped{ false };
+
+	nano::condition_variable condition;
+	mutable nano::mutex mutex;
+
+	/** Thread that runs the backlog implementation logic. The thread always runs, even if
+	 *  backlog population is disabled, so that it can service a manual trigger (e.g. via RPC). */
+	std::thread thread;
+
+	config config_m;
+
+private: // Dependencies
+	store & store_m;
+	election_scheduler & scheduler;
+};
+}
diff --git a/nano/node/json_handler.cpp b/nano/node/json_handler.cpp
index 8095d5c534..d8ea6f7bfb 100644
--- a/nano/node/json_handler.cpp
+++ b/nano/node/json_handler.cpp
@@ -5224,6 +5224,13 @@ void nano::json_handler::work_peers_clear ()
 	response_errors ();
 }
 
+void nano::json_handler::populate_backlog ()
+{
+	node.backlog.trigger ();
+	response_l.put ("success", "");
+	response_errors ();
+}
+
 void nano::inprocess_rpc_handler::process_request (std::string const &, std::string const & body_a, std::function<void (std::string const &)> response_a)
 {
 	// Note that if the rpc action is async, the shared_ptr<json_handler> lifetime will be extended by the action handler
@@ -5388,6 +5395,7 @@ ipc_json_handler_no_arg_func_map create_ipc_json_handler_no_arg_func_map ()
 	no_arg_funcs.emplace ("work_peer_add", &nano::json_handler::work_peer_add);
 	no_arg_funcs.emplace ("work_peers", &nano::json_handler::work_peers);
 	no_arg_funcs.emplace ("work_peers_clear", &nano::json_handler::work_peers_clear);
+	no_arg_funcs.emplace ("populate_backlog", &nano::json_handler::populate_backlog);
 	return no_arg_funcs;
 }
 
diff --git a/nano/node/json_handler.hpp b/nano/node/json_handler.hpp
index a2e4f1e0c1..4d2a055d14 100644
--- a/nano/node/json_handler.hpp
+++ b/nano/node/json_handler.hpp
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ class json_handler : public std::enable_shared_from_this<nano::json_handler>
 	void pending_exists ();
 	void receivable ();
 	void receivable_exists ();
+	void populate_backlog ();
 	void process ();
 	void pruned_exists ();
 	void receive ();
diff --git a/nano/node/node.cpp b/nano/node/node.cpp
index ad0ebc0997..bc0f1c8b92 100644
--- a/nano/node/node.cpp
+++ b/nano/node/node.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ extern unsigned char nano_bootstrap_weights_beta[];
 extern std::size_t nano_bootstrap_weights_beta_size;
 }
 
+nano::backlog_population::config nano::nodeconfig_to_backlog_population_config (const nano::node_config & config)
+{
+	nano::backlog_population::config cfg;
+	cfg.ongoing_backlog_population_enabled = config.frontiers_confirmation != nano::frontiers_confirmation_mode::disabled;
+	cfg.delay_between_runs_in_seconds = config.network_params.network.is_dev_network () ? 1u : 300u;
+	return cfg;
+}
+
 void nano::node::keepalive (std::string const & address_a, uint16_t port_a)
 {
 	auto node_l (shared_from_this ());
@@ -155,6 +163,7 @@ nano::node::node (boost::asio::io_context & io_ctx_a, boost::filesystem::path co
 	scheduler{ *this },
 	aggregator (config, stats, active.generator, active.final_generator, history, ledger, wallets, active),
 	wallets (wallets_store.init_error (), *this),
+	backlog{ nano::nodeconfig_to_backlog_population_config (config), store, scheduler },
 	startup_time (std::chrono::steady_clock::now ()),
 	node_seq (seq)
 {
@@ -702,12 +711,7 @@ void nano::node::start ()
 		port_mapping.start ();
 	}
 	wallets.start ();
-	if (config.frontiers_confirmation != nano::frontiers_confirmation_mode::disabled)
-	{
-		workers.push_task ([this_l = shared ()] () {
-			this_l->ongoing_backlog_population ();
-		});
-	}
+	backlog.start ();
 }
 
 void nano::node::stop ()
@@ -1022,15 +1026,6 @@ void nano::node::ongoing_unchecked_cleanup ()
 	});
 }
 
-void nano::node::ongoing_backlog_population ()
-{
-	populate_backlog ();
-	auto delay = config.network_params.network.is_dev_network () ? std::chrono::seconds{ 1 } : std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::seconds> (std::chrono::minutes{ 5 });
-	workers.add_timed_task (std::chrono::steady_clock::now () + delay, [this_l = shared ()] () {
-		this_l->ongoing_backlog_population ();
-	});
-}
-
 bool nano::node::collect_ledger_pruning_targets (std::deque<nano::block_hash> & pruning_targets_a, nano::account & last_account_a, uint64_t const batch_read_size_a, uint64_t const max_depth_a, uint64_t const cutoff_time_a)
 {
 	uint64_t read_operations (0);
@@ -1794,26 +1789,6 @@ std::pair<uint64_t, decltype (nano::ledger::bootstrap_weights)> nano::node::get_
 	return { max_blocks, weights };
 }
 
-void nano::node::populate_backlog ()
-{
-	auto done = false;
-	uint64_t const chunk_size = 65536;
-	nano::account next = 0;
-	uint64_t total = 0;
-	while (!stopped && !done)
-	{
-		auto transaction = store.tx_begin_read ();
-		auto count = 0;
-		for (auto i = store.account.begin (transaction, next), n = store.account.end (); !stopped && i != n && count < chunk_size; ++i, ++count, ++total)
-		{
-			auto const & account = i->first;
-			scheduler.activate (account, transaction);
-			next = account.number () + 1;
-		}
-		done = store.account.begin (transaction, next) == store.account.end ();
-	}
-}
-
 /** Convenience function to easily return the confirmation height of an account. */
 uint64_t nano::node::get_confirmation_height (nano::transaction const & transaction_a, nano::account & account_a)
 {
diff --git a/nano/node/node.hpp b/nano/node/node.hpp
index 7e7dd66d59..f1488596fe 100644
--- a/nano/node/node.hpp
+++ b/nano/node/node.hpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <nano/lib/stats.hpp>
 #include <nano/lib/work.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/active_transactions.hpp>
+#include <nano/node/backlog_population.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/blockprocessor.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/bootstrap/bootstrap.hpp>
 #include <nano/node/bootstrap/bootstrap_attempt.hpp>
@@ -83,9 +84,11 @@ class block_arrival final
 };
 
 std::unique_ptr<container_info_component> collect_container_info (block_arrival & block_arrival, std::string const & name);
-
 std::unique_ptr<container_info_component> collect_container_info (rep_crawler & rep_crawler, std::string const & name);
 
+// Configs
+backlog_population::config nodeconfig_to_backlog_population_config (const node_config & config);
+
 class node final : public std::enable_shared_from_this<nano::node>
 {
 public:
@@ -123,7 +126,6 @@ class node final : public std::enable_shared_from_this<nano::node>
 	void ongoing_bootstrap ();
 	void ongoing_peer_store ();
 	void ongoing_unchecked_cleanup ();
-	void ongoing_backlog_population ();
 	void backup_wallet ();
 	void search_receivable_all ();
 	void bootstrap_wallet ();
@@ -154,7 +156,6 @@ class node final : public std::enable_shared_from_this<nano::node>
 	bool epoch_upgrader (nano::raw_key const &, nano::epoch, uint64_t, uint64_t);
 	void set_bandwidth_params (std::size_t limit, double ratio);
 	std::pair<uint64_t, decltype (nano::ledger::bootstrap_weights)> get_bootstrap_weights () const;
-	void populate_backlog ();
 	uint64_t get_confirmation_height (nano::transaction const &, nano::account &);
 	nano::write_database_queue write_database_queue;
 	boost::asio::io_context & io_ctx;
@@ -198,6 +199,8 @@ class node final : public std::enable_shared_from_this<nano::node>
 	nano::election_scheduler scheduler;
 	nano::request_aggregator aggregator;
 	nano::wallets wallets;
+	nano::backlog_population backlog;
+
 	std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point const startup_time;
 	std::chrono::seconds unchecked_cutoff = std::chrono::seconds (7 * 24 * 60 * 60); // Week
 	std::atomic<bool> unresponsive_work_peers{ false };
diff --git a/nano/rpc/rpc_handler.cpp b/nano/rpc/rpc_handler.cpp
index d939d53589..69e95d00a6 100644
--- a/nano/rpc/rpc_handler.cpp
+++ b/nano/rpc/rpc_handler.cpp
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ std::unordered_set<std::string> create_rpc_control_impls ()
 	set.emplace ("ledger");
 	set.emplace ("node_id");
 	set.emplace ("password_change");
+	set.emplace ("populate_backlog");
 	set.emplace ("receive");
 	set.emplace ("receive_minimum");
 	set.emplace ("receive_minimum_set");
diff --git a/nano/rpc_test/rpc.cpp b/nano/rpc_test/rpc.cpp
index 3b3a31221b..ff574f1686 100644
--- a/nano/rpc_test/rpc.cpp
+++ b/nano/rpc_test/rpc.cpp
@@ -4994,6 +4994,42 @@ TEST (rpc, work_peers_all)
 	ASSERT_EQ (0, peers_node.size ());
 }
 
+TEST (rpc, populate_backlog)
+{
+	nano::system system;
+	nano::node_config node_config (nano::get_available_port (), system.logging);
+	// Disable automatic backlog population
+	node_config.frontiers_confirmation = nano::frontiers_confirmation_mode::disabled;
+	auto node = add_ipc_enabled_node (system, node_config);
+
+	// Create and process a block that won't get automatically scheduled for confirmation
+	nano::keypair key;
+	nano::block_builder builder;
+	auto latest (node->latest (nano::dev::genesis_key.pub));
+	auto genesis_balance (nano::dev::constants.genesis_amount);
+	auto send_amount (genesis_balance - 100);
+	auto send = builder
+				.send ()
+				.previous (latest)
+				.destination (key.pub)
+				.balance (genesis_balance)
+				.sign (nano::dev::genesis_key.prv, nano::dev::genesis_key.pub)
+				.work (*node->work_generate_blocking (latest))
+				.build ();
+	ASSERT_EQ (nano::process_result::progress, node->process (*send).code);
+	ASSERT_FALSE (node->block_arrival.recent (send->hash ()));
+
+	auto const rpc_ctx = add_rpc (system, node);
+	boost::property_tree::ptree request;
+	request.put ("action", "populate_backlog");
+	auto response (wait_response (system, rpc_ctx, request));
+	std::string success (response.get<std::string> ("success", ""));
+	ASSERT_TRUE (success.empty ());
+
+	// Ensure block got activated and election was started
+	ASSERT_TIMELY (5s, node->active.active (*send));
+}
+
 TEST (rpc, ledger)
 {
 	nano::system system;
@@ -5726,7 +5762,7 @@ TEST (rpc, online_reps)
 	boost::optional<std::string> weight (item->second.get_optional<std::string> ("weight"));
 	ASSERT_FALSE (weight.is_initialized ());
 	ASSERT_TIMELY (5s, node2->block (send_block->hash ()));
-	//Test weight option
+	// Test weight option
 	request.put ("weight", "true");
 	auto response2 (wait_response (system, rpc_ctx, request));
 	auto representatives2 (response2.get_child ("representatives"));
@@ -5735,7 +5771,7 @@ TEST (rpc, online_reps)
 	ASSERT_EQ (nano::dev::genesis_key.pub.to_account (), item2->first);
 	auto weight2 (item2->second.get<std::string> ("weight"));
 	ASSERT_EQ (node2->weight (nano::dev::genesis_key.pub).convert_to<std::string> (), weight2);
-	//Test accounts filter
+	// Test accounts filter
 	rpc_ctx.io_scope->reset ();
 	auto new_rep (system.wallet (1)->deterministic_insert ());
 	auto send (system.wallet (0)->send_action (nano::dev::genesis_key.pub, new_rep, node1->config.receive_minimum.number ()));