diff --git a/lib/solid_queue/dispatcher.rb b/lib/solid_queue/dispatcher.rb
index a22a82d8..fb988075 100644
--- a/lib/solid_queue/dispatcher.rb
+++ b/lib/solid_queue/dispatcher.rb
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ def metadata
     private
       def poll
         batch = dispatch_next_batch
-        batch.size
+
+        batch.size.zero? ? polling_interval : 0.seconds
       end
 
       def dispatch_next_batch
diff --git a/lib/solid_queue/processes/interruptible.rb b/lib/solid_queue/processes/interruptible.rb
index 09c027b6..3bff1dd9 100644
--- a/lib/solid_queue/processes/interruptible.rb
+++ b/lib/solid_queue/processes/interruptible.rb
@@ -12,13 +12,17 @@ def interrupt
         queue << true
       end
 
+      # Sleeps for 'time'.  Can be interrupted asynchronously and return early via wake_up.
+      # @param time [Numeric] the time to sleep. 0 returns immediately.
+      # @return [true, nil]
+      # * returns `true` if an interrupt was requested via #wake_up between the
+      #   last call to `interruptible_sleep` and now, resulting in an early return.
+      # * returns `nil` if it slept the full `time` and was not interrupted.
       def interruptible_sleep(time)
-        # Invoking from the main thread can result in a 35% slowdown (at least when running the test suite).
-        # Using some form of Async (Futures) addresses this performance issue.
+        # Invoking this from the main thread may result in significant slowdown.
+        # Utilizing asynchronous execution (Futures) addresses this performance issue.
         Concurrent::Promises.future(time) do |timeout|
-          if timeout > 0 && queue.pop(timeout:)
-            queue.clear
-          end
+          queue.pop(timeout:).tap { queue.clear }
         end.value
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/solid_queue/processes/poller.rb b/lib/solid_queue/processes/poller.rb
index bf5a7450..75df6104 100644
--- a/lib/solid_queue/processes/poller.rb
+++ b/lib/solid_queue/processes/poller.rb
@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ def start_loop
         loop do
           break if shutting_down?
 
-          wrap_in_app_executor do
-            unless poll > 0
-              interruptible_sleep(polling_interval)
-            end
+          delay = wrap_in_app_executor do
+            poll
           end
+
+          interruptible_sleep(delay)
         end
       ensure
         SolidQueue.instrument(:shutdown_process, process: self) do
diff --git a/lib/solid_queue/worker.rb b/lib/solid_queue/worker.rb
index fc203774..f34a14f0 100644
--- a/lib/solid_queue/worker.rb
+++ b/lib/solid_queue/worker.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ class Worker < Processes::Poller
     after_boot :run_start_hooks
     before_shutdown :run_stop_hooks
 
+
     attr_accessor :queues, :pool
 
     def initialize(**options)
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ def poll
             pool.post(execution)
           end
 
-          executions.size
+          pool.idle? ? polling_interval : 10.minutes
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/test/unit/dispatcher_test.rb b/test/unit/dispatcher_test.rb
index 42d57c92..5bca7743 100644
--- a/test/unit/dispatcher_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/dispatcher_test.rb
@@ -92,6 +92,30 @@ class DispatcherTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     another_dispatcher&.stop
   end
 
+  test "sleeps `0.seconds` between polls if there are ready to dispatch jobs" do
+    dispatcher = SolidQueue::Dispatcher.new(polling_interval: 10, batch_size: 1)
+    dispatcher.expects(:interruptible_sleep).with(0.seconds).at_least(3)
+    dispatcher.expects(:interruptible_sleep).with(dispatcher.polling_interval).at_least_once
+
+    3.times { AddToBufferJob.set(wait: 0.1).perform_later("I'm scheduled") }
+    assert_equal 3, SolidQueue::ScheduledExecution.count
+    sleep 0.1
+
+    dispatcher.start
+    wait_while_with_timeout(1.second) { SolidQueue::ScheduledExecution.any? }
+
+    assert_equal 0, SolidQueue::ScheduledExecution.count
+    assert_equal 3, SolidQueue::ReadyExecution.count
+  end
+
+  test "sleeps `polling_interval` between polls if there are no un-dispatched jobs" do
+    dispatcher = SolidQueue::Dispatcher.new(polling_interval: 10, batch_size: 1)
+    dispatcher.expects(:interruptible_sleep).with(0.seconds).never
+    dispatcher.expects(:interruptible_sleep).with(dispatcher.polling_interval).at_least_once
+    dispatcher.start
+    sleep 0.1
+  end
+
   private
     def with_polling(silence:)
       old_silence_polling, SolidQueue.silence_polling = SolidQueue.silence_polling, silence
diff --git a/test/unit/worker_test.rb b/test/unit/worker_test.rb
index d511cf74..52b0d8e8 100644
--- a/test/unit/worker_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/worker_test.rb
@@ -171,6 +171,26 @@ class WorkerTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     SolidQueue.process_heartbeat_interval = old_heartbeat_interval
   end
 
+  test "sleeps `10.minutes` if at capacity" do
+    3.times { |i| StoreResultJob.perform_later(i, pause: 1.second) }
+
+    @worker.expects(:interruptible_sleep).with(10.minutes).at_least_once
+    @worker.expects(:interruptible_sleep).with(@worker.polling_interval).never
+
+    @worker.start
+    sleep 1.second
+  end
+
+  test "sleeps `polling_interval` if worker not at capacity" do
+    2.times { |i| StoreResultJob.perform_later(i, pause: 1.second) }
+
+    @worker.expects(:interruptible_sleep).with(@worker.polling_interval).at_least_once
+    @worker.expects(:interruptible_sleep).with(10.minutes).never
+
+    @worker.start
+    sleep 1.second
+  end
+
   private
     def with_polling(silence:)
       old_silence_polling, SolidQueue.silence_polling = SolidQueue.silence_polling, silence