diff --git a/Sources/Kafka/KafkaConsumer.swift b/Sources/Kafka/KafkaConsumer.swift
index f44b2444..bd3f5542 100644
--- a/Sources/Kafka/KafkaConsumer.swift
+++ b/Sources/Kafka/KafkaConsumer.swift
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ public struct KafkaConsumerMessages: Sendable, AsyncSequence {
     public struct AsyncIterator: AsyncIteratorProtocol {
         private let stateMachineHolder: MachineHolder
         let pollInterval: Duration
+        #if swift(>=6.0)
+        private let queue: DispatchQueueTaskExecutor
+        #endif
 
         private final class MachineHolder: Sendable {  // only for deinit
             let stateMachine: LockedMachine
@@ -88,21 +91,35 @@ public struct KafkaConsumerMessages: Sendable, AsyncSequence {
         init(stateMachine: LockedMachine, pollInterval: Duration) {
             self.stateMachineHolder = .init(stateMachine: stateMachine)
             self.pollInterval = pollInterval
+            #if swift(>=6.0)
+            self.queue = DispatchQueueTaskExecutor(
+                DispatchQueue(label: "com.swift-server.swift-kafka.message-consumer")
+            )
+            #endif
         }
 
         public func next() async throws -> Element? {
-            // swift-kafka-client issue: https://github.com/swift-server/swift-kafka-client/issues/165
-            // Currently use Task.sleep() if no new messages, should use task executor preference when implemented:
-            // https://github.com/apple/swift-evolution/blob/main/proposals/0417-task-executor-preference.md
             while !Task.isCancelled {
                 let action = self.stateMachineHolder.stateMachine.withLockedValue { $0.nextConsumerPollLoopAction() }
 
                 switch action {
                 case .poll(let client):
-                    if let message = try client.consumerPoll() {  // non-blocking call
+                    // Attempt to fetch a message synchronously. Bail
+                    // immediately if no message is waiting for us.
+                    if let message = try client.consumerPoll() {
                         return message
                     }
+
+                    #if swift(>=6.0)
+                    // Wait on a separate thread for the next message.
+                    // The call below will block for `pollInterval`.
+                    return try await withTaskExecutorPreference(queue) {
+                        try client.consumerPoll(for: Int32(self.pollInterval.inMilliseconds))
+                    }
+                    #else
+                    // No messages. Sleep a little.
                     try await Task.sleep(for: self.pollInterval)
+                    #endif
                 case .suspendPollLoop:
                     try await Task.sleep(for: self.pollInterval)  // not started yet
                 case .terminatePollLoop:
diff --git a/Sources/Kafka/RDKafka/RDKafkaClient.swift b/Sources/Kafka/RDKafka/RDKafkaClient.swift
index 40f914fe..68c22c02 100644
--- a/Sources/Kafka/RDKafka/RDKafkaClient.swift
+++ b/Sources/Kafka/RDKafka/RDKafkaClient.swift
@@ -447,8 +447,8 @@ public final class RDKafkaClient: Sendable {
     ///
     /// - Returns: A ``KafkaConsumerMessage`` or `nil` if there are no new messages.
     /// - Throws: A ``KafkaError`` if the received message is an error message or malformed.
-    func consumerPoll() throws -> KafkaConsumerMessage? {
-        guard let messagePointer = rd_kafka_consumer_poll(self.kafkaHandle.pointer, 0) else {
+    func consumerPoll(for pollTimeoutMs: Int32 = 0) throws -> KafkaConsumerMessage? {
+        guard let messagePointer = rd_kafka_consumer_poll(self.kafkaHandle.pointer, pollTimeoutMs) else {
             // No error, there might be no more messages
             return nil
         }
diff --git a/Sources/Kafka/Utilities/DispatchQueueTaskExecutor.swift b/Sources/Kafka/Utilities/DispatchQueueTaskExecutor.swift
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2a2051b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Sources/Kafka/Utilities/DispatchQueueTaskExecutor.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
+//
+// This source file is part of the swift-kafka-client open source project
+//
+// Copyright (c) 2024 Apple Inc. and the swift-kafka-client project authors
+// Licensed under Apache License v2.0
+//
+// See LICENSE.txt for license information
+// See CONTRIBUTORS.txt for the list of swift-kafka-client project authors
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+//
+//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
+
+#if swift(>=6.0)
+import Dispatch
+
+final class DispatchQueueTaskExecutor: TaskExecutor {
+    let queue: DispatchQueue
+
+    init(_ queue: DispatchQueue) {
+        self.queue = queue
+    }
+
+    public func enqueue(_ _job: consuming ExecutorJob) {
+        let job = UnownedJob(_job)
+        queue.async {
+            job.runSynchronously(
+                on: self.asUnownedTaskExecutor()
+            )
+        }
+    }
+
+    @inlinable
+    public func asUnownedTaskExecutor() -> UnownedTaskExecutor {
+        UnownedTaskExecutor(ordinary: self)
+    }
+}
+#endif