diff --git a/zuul/zk/__init__.py b/zuul/zk/__init__.py
index 85934e5c23..195197c5ff 100644
--- a/zuul/zk/__init__.py
+++ b/zuul/zk/__init__.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ from kazoo.protocol.states import KazooState
 
 from zuul.lib.config import get_default
 from zuul.zk.exceptions import NoClientException
+from zuul.zk.handler import PoolSequentialThreadingHandler
 
 
 class ZooKeeperClient(object):
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@ class ZooKeeperClient(object):
                 hosts=self.hosts,
                 read_only=self.read_only,
                 timeout=self.timeout,
+                handler=PoolSequentialThreadingHandler(),
             )
             if self.tls_key:
                 args['use_ssl'] = True
diff --git a/zuul/zk/handler.py b/zuul/zk/handler.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3cbce0b0e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zuul/zk/handler.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# Copyright 2021 Acme Gating, LLC
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
+
+from kazoo.handlers.threading import SequentialThreadingHandler
+
+
+class PoolSequentialThreadingHandler(SequentialThreadingHandler):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__()
+        self._pool_executor = None
+
+    def start(self):
+        self._pool_executor = ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=10)
+        super().start()
+
+    def stop(self):
+        super().stop()
+        if self._pool_executor:
+            self._pool_executor.shutdown()
+        self._pool_executor = None
+
+    def short_spawn(self, func, *args, **kwargs):
+        self._pool_executor.submit(func, *args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/zuul/zk/vendor/watchers.py b/zuul/zk/vendor/watchers.py
index bfb9bc1612..8eac05ca64 100644
--- a/zuul/zk/vendor/watchers.py
+++ b/zuul/zk/vendor/watchers.py
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ class DataWatch(object):
                 stat = self._retry(self._client.exists, self._path,
                                    self._watcher)
                 if stat:
-                    self._client.handler.spawn(self._get_data)
+                    self._client.handler.short_spawn(self._get_data)
                     return
 
             # No node data, clear out version
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ class DataWatch(object):
 
     def _session_watcher(self, state):
         if state == KazooState.CONNECTED:
-            self._client.handler.spawn(self._get_data)
+            self._client.handler.short_spawn(self._get_data)
 
 
 class ChildrenWatch(object):
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ class ChildrenWatch(object):
             self._watch_established = False
         elif (state == KazooState.CONNECTED and
               not self._watch_established and not self._stopped):
-            self._client.handler.spawn(self._get_children)
+            self._client.handler.short_spawn(self._get_children)
 
 
 class PatientChildrenWatch(object):