--- a/src/thread.h
+++ b/src/thread.h
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@
  */
 class ThreadObject {
 public:
+	enum Priority {
+		THREAD_PRIO_LOW,
+		THREAD_PRIO_NORMAL,
+		THREAD_PRIO_HIGH
+	};
+
 	/**
 	 * Virtual destructor to allow 'delete' operator to work properly.
 	 */
@@ -30,6 +36,12 @@
 	virtual void Join() = 0;
 
 	/**
+	 * Set the thread priority to a specific level. May be a no-op.
+	 * @param priority the priority level.
+	 */
+	virtual void SetThreadPriority(Priority priority) {}
+
+	/**
 	 * Create a thread; proc will be called as first function inside the thread,
 	 *  with optinal params.
 	 * @param proc The procedure to call inside the thread.

--- a/src/thread_pthread.cpp
+++ b/src/thread_pthread.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,33 @@
 		pthread_join(this->thread, NULL);
 		this->thread = 0;
 	}
+
+	/* virtual */ void SetThreadPriority(Priority priority)
+	{
+		/* Query current scheduling policy. */
+		int policy;
+		sched_param param;
+		pthread_getschedparam(m_thr, &policy, &param);
+
+		int max_prio = sched_get_priority_max(policy);
+		int min_prio = sched_get_priority_min(policy);
+
+		switch (priority) {
+			case THREAD_PRIO_LOW:
+				param.sched_priority = min_prio;
+				break;
+			case THREAD_PRIO_NORMAL:
+				param.sched_priority = (min_prio + max_prio) / 2;
+				break;
+			case THREAD_PRIO_HIGH:
+				param.sched_priority = max_prio;
+				break;
+			default:
+				NOT_REACHED();
+		}
+		pthread_setschedparam(m_thr, policy, &param);
+	}
+
 private:
 	/**
 	 * On thread creation, this function is called, which calls the real startup

--- a/src/thread_win32.cpp
+++ b/src/thread_win32.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@
 		WaitForSingleObject(this->thread, INFINITE);
 	}
 
+	/* virtual */ void SetThreadPriority(Priority priority)
+	{
+		static const int prio_map[] = {THREAD_PRIORITY_LOWEST, THREAD_PRIORITY_NORMAL, THREAD_PRIORITY_HIGHEST};
+		::SetThreadPriority(m_h_thr, prio_map[priority]);
+	}
+
 private:
 	/**
 	 * On thread creation, this function is called, which calls the real startup