diff --git a/src/core/connection.cpp b/src/core/connection.cpp
--- a/src/core/connection.cpp
+++ b/src/core/connection.cpp
@@ -50,16 +50,18 @@
 void ConnectionPrivate::commandReceived(const Task &task)
 {
     //qDebug() << this << "Command " << task.cmd << " added to the queue";
-    if (!suspended && incomingTasks.isEmpty()) {
+    if (!suspended && incomingTasks.isEmpty() && readMode == Connection::ReadMode::EventDriven) {
         QMetaObject::invokeMethod(q, "dequeue", Qt::QueuedConnection);
     }
     incomingTasks.append(task);
 }
 
 void ConnectionPrivate::disconnected()
 {
     q->close();
-    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(q, "readyRead", Qt::QueuedConnection);
+    if (readMode == Connection::ReadMode::EventDriven) {
+        QMetaObject::invokeMethod(q, "readyRead", Qt::QueuedConnection);
+    }
 }
 
 void ConnectionPrivate::setBackend(ConnectionBackend *b)
@@ -97,7 +99,9 @@
 void Connection::resume()
 {
     // send any outgoing or incoming commands that may be in queue
-    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(this, "dequeue", Qt::QueuedConnection);
+    if (d->readMode == Connection::ReadMode::EventDriven) {
+        QMetaObject::invokeMethod(this, "dequeue", Qt::QueuedConnection);
+    }
 
     //qDebug() << this << "Resumed";
     d->suspended = false;
@@ -222,11 +226,16 @@
     d->incomingTasks.removeFirst();
 
     // if we didn't empty our reading queue, emit again
-    if (!d->suspended && !d->incomingTasks.isEmpty()) {
+    if (!d->suspended && !d->incomingTasks.isEmpty() && d->readMode == Connection::ReadMode::EventDriven) {
         QMetaObject::invokeMethod(this, "dequeue", Qt::QueuedConnection);
     }
 
     return data.size();
 }
 
+void Connection::setReadMode(ReadMode readMode)
+{
+    d->readMode = readMode;
+}
+
 #include "moc_connection_p.cpp"
diff --git a/src/core/connection_p.h b/src/core/connection_p.h
--- a/src/core/connection_p.h
+++ b/src/core/connection_p.h
@@ -30,30 +30,8 @@
 namespace KIO
 {
 
-class Connection;
-
-// Separated from Connection only for historical reasons - they are both private now
-class ConnectionPrivate
-{
-public:
-    inline ConnectionPrivate()
-        : backend(nullptr), q(nullptr), suspended(false)
-    { }
-
-    void dequeue();
-    void commandReceived(const Task &task);
-    void disconnected();
-    void setBackend(ConnectionBackend *b);
-
-    QVector<Task> outgoingTasks;
-    QVector<Task> incomingTasks;
-    ConnectionBackend *backend;
-    Connection *q;
-    bool suspended;
-};
-
 class ConnectionServer;
-
+class ConnectionPrivate;
 /**
  * @private
  *
@@ -65,7 +43,12 @@
 class Connection : public QObject
 {
     Q_OBJECT
+
 public:
+    enum class ReadMode {
+        Polled,  ///Any new tasks will be polled
+        EventDriven ///We need to emit signals when we have pending events. Requires a working QEventLoop
+    };
     /**
      * Creates a new connection.
      * @see connectToRemote, listenForRemote
@@ -151,6 +134,8 @@
            */
     bool suspended() const;
 
+    void setReadMode(ReadMode mode);
+
 Q_SIGNALS:
     void readyRead();
 
@@ -163,6 +148,27 @@
     class ConnectionPrivate *const d;
 };
 
+// Separated from Connection only for historical reasons - they are both private now
+class ConnectionPrivate
+{
+public:
+    inline ConnectionPrivate()
+        : backend(nullptr), q(nullptr), suspended(false), readMode(Connection::ReadMode::EventDriven)
+    { }
+
+    void dequeue();
+    void commandReceived(const Task &task);
+    void disconnected();
+    void setBackend(ConnectionBackend *b);
+
+    QVector<Task> outgoingTasks;
+    QVector<Task> incomingTasks;
+    ConnectionBackend *backend;
+    Connection *q;
+    bool suspended;
+    Connection::ReadMode readMode;
+};
+
 class ConnectionServerPrivate;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/slavebase.cpp b/src/core/slavebase.cpp
--- a/src/core/slavebase.cpp
+++ b/src/core/slavebase.cpp
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@
             QStandardPaths::setTestModeEnabled(true);
         }
         pendingListEntries.reserve(KIO_MAX_ENTRIES_PER_BATCH);
+        appConnection.setReadMode(Connection::ReadMode::Polled);
     }
     ~SlaveBasePrivate()
     {