diff --git a/fftools/thread_queue.c b/fftools/thread_queue.c
index b035ffe11d..eb33431c98 100644
--- a/fftools/thread_queue.c
+++ b/fftools/thread_queue.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ enum {
 };
 
 struct ThreadQueue {
+    int             choked;
     int              *finished;
     unsigned int    nb_streams;
 
@@ -157,6 +158,9 @@ static int receive_locked(ThreadQueue *tq, int *stream_idx,
 {
     unsigned int nb_finished = 0;
 
+    if (tq->choked)
+        return AVERROR(EAGAIN);
+
     while (av_container_fifo_read(tq->fifo, data, 0) >= 0) {
         unsigned idx;
         int ret;
@@ -230,6 +234,7 @@ void tq_send_finish(ThreadQueue *tq, unsigned int stream_idx)
      * next time the consumer thread tries to read this stream it will get
      * an EOF and recv-finished flag will be set */
     tq->finished[stream_idx] |= FINISHED_SEND;
+    tq->choked = 0;
     pthread_cond_broadcast(&tq->cond);
 
     pthread_mutex_unlock(&tq->lock);
@@ -249,3 +254,15 @@ void tq_receive_finish(ThreadQueue *tq, unsigned int stream_idx)
 
     pthread_mutex_unlock(&tq->lock);
 }
+
+void tq_choke(ThreadQueue *tq, int choked)
+{
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&tq->lock);
+
+    int prev_choked = tq->choked;
+    tq->choked = choked;
+    if (choked != prev_choked)
+        pthread_cond_broadcast(&tq->cond);
+
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&tq->lock);
+}
diff --git a/fftools/thread_queue.h b/fftools/thread_queue.h
index cc01c8a2c9..ad7669f131 100644
--- a/fftools/thread_queue.h
+++ b/fftools/thread_queue.h
@@ -58,6 +58,15 @@ int tq_send(ThreadQueue *tq, unsigned int stream_idx, void *data);
  */
 void tq_send_finish(ThreadQueue *tq, unsigned int stream_idx);
 
+/**
+ * Prevent further reads from the thread queue until it is unchoked. Threads
+ * attempting to read from the queue will block, similar to when the queue is
+ * empty.
+ *
+ * @param choked 1 to choke, 0 to unchoke
+ */
+void tq_choke(ThreadQueue *tq, int choked);
+
 /**
  * Read the next item from the queue.
  *