diff --git a/cgminer.c b/cgminer.c
index 341dff83..5fce8aa3 100644
--- a/cgminer.c
+++ b/cgminer.c
@@ -378,6 +378,9 @@ sharelog(const char*disposition, const struct work*work) {
 		applog(LOG_ERR, "sharelog fwrite error");
 }
 
+static void *submit_work_thread(void *userdata);
+static void *get_work_thread(void *userdata);
+
 static void add_pool(void)
 {
 	struct pool *pool;
@@ -395,6 +398,11 @@ static void add_pool(void)
 	}
 	/* Make sure the pool doesn't think we've been idle since time 0 */
 	pool->tv_idle.tv_sec = ~0UL;
+
+	if (unlikely(pthread_create(&pool->submit_thread, NULL, submit_work_thread, (void *)pool)))
+		quit(1, "Failed to create pool submit thread");
+	if (unlikely(pthread_create(&pool->getwork_thread, NULL, get_work_thread, (void *)pool)))
+		quit(1, "Failed to create pool getwork thread");
 }
 
 /* Pool variant of test and set */
@@ -1600,18 +1608,13 @@ static bool submit_upstream_work(const struct work *work)
 	bool rc = false;
 	int thr_id = work->thr_id;
 	struct cgpu_info *cgpu = thr_info[thr_id].cgpu;
-	CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
 	struct pool *pool = work->pool;
+	CURL *curl = pool->submit_curl;
 	bool rolltime;
 	uint32_t *hash32;
 	char hashshow[64+1] = "";
 	bool isblock;
 
-	if (unlikely(!curl)) {
-		applog(LOG_ERR, "CURL initialisation failed");
-		return rc;
-	}
-
 #ifdef __BIG_ENDIAN__
         int swapcounter = 0;
         for (swapcounter = 0; swapcounter < 32; swapcounter++)
@@ -1745,7 +1748,6 @@ static bool submit_upstream_work(const struct work *work)
 out:
 	free(hexstr);
 out_nofree:
-	curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -1789,41 +1791,26 @@ static void get_benchmark_work(struct work *work)
 	memcpy(work, &bench_block, min_size);
 }
 
-static bool get_upstream_work(struct work *work, bool lagging)
+static bool get_upstream_work(struct work *work)
 {
-	bool rc = false, req_longpoll = false;
-	struct pool *pool;
+	struct pool *pool = work->pool;
+	CURL *curl = pool->getwork_curl;
 	json_t *val = NULL;
+	bool rc = false;
 	int retries = 0;
-	CURL *curl;
 	char *url;
 
-	curl = curl_easy_init();
-	if (unlikely(!curl)) {
-		applog(LOG_ERR, "CURL initialisation failed");
-		return rc;
-	}
-
-	pool = select_pool(lagging);
 	applog(LOG_DEBUG, "DBG: sending %s get RPC call: %s", pool->rpc_url, rpc_req);
 
 	url = pool->rpc_url;
 
-	/* If this is the current pool and supports longpoll but has not sent
-	 * a longpoll, send one now */
-	if (unlikely(want_longpoll && !pool->is_lp && pool == current_pool() &&
-		pool->hdr_path && !pool_tset(pool, &pool->lp_sent))) {
-			req_longpoll = true;
-			url = pool->lp_url;
-	}
-
 retry:
 	/* A single failure response here might be reported as a dead pool and
 	 * there may be temporary denied messages etc. falsely reporting
 	 * failure so retry a few times before giving up */
 	while (!val && retries++ < 3) {
 		val = json_rpc_call(curl, url, pool->rpc_userpass, rpc_req,
-			    false, req_longpoll, &work->rolltime, pool, false);
+			    false, false, &work->rolltime, pool, false);
 	}
 	if (unlikely(!val)) {
 		applog(LOG_DEBUG, "Failed json_rpc_call in get_upstream_work");
@@ -1838,13 +1825,12 @@ retry:
 		goto retry;
 	}
 	work->pool = pool;
-	work->longpoll = req_longpoll;
+	work->longpoll = false;
 	total_getworks++;
 	pool->getwork_requested++;
 
 	json_decref(val);
 out:
-	curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
 
 	return rc;
 }
@@ -2001,60 +1987,85 @@ static void sighandler(int __maybe_unused sig)
 	kill_work();
 }
 
+static void start_longpoll(void);
+static void stop_longpoll(void);
+
+/* One get work thread is created per pool, so as to use one curl handle for
+ * all getwork reqeusts from the same pool, minimising connections opened, but
+ * separate from the submit work curl handle to not delay share submissions due
+ * to getwork traffic */
 static void *get_work_thread(void *userdata)
 {
-	struct workio_cmd *wc = (struct workio_cmd *)userdata;
-	struct work *ret_work;
-	int failures = 0;
+	struct pool *pool = (struct pool *)userdata;
+	struct workio_cmd *wc;
 
 	pthread_detach(pthread_self());
-	ret_work = make_work();
 
-	if (wc->thr)
-		ret_work->thr = wc->thr;
-	else
-		ret_work->thr = NULL;
+	/* getwork_q memory never freed */
+	pool->getwork_q = tq_new();
+	if (!pool->getwork_q)
+		quit(1, "Failed to tq_new in get_work_thread");
 
-	/* obtain new work from bitcoin via JSON-RPC */
-	while (!get_upstream_work(ret_work, wc->lagging)) {
-		if (unlikely((opt_retries >= 0) && (++failures > opt_retries))) {
-			applog(LOG_ERR, "json_rpc_call failed, terminating workio thread");
-			free_work(ret_work);
-			kill_work();
-			goto out;
+	/* getwork_curl never cleared */
+	pool->getwork_curl = curl_easy_init();
+	if (unlikely(!pool->getwork_curl))
+		quit(1, "Failed to initialise pool getwork CURL");
+
+	while ((wc = tq_pop(pool->getwork_q, NULL)) != NULL) {
+		struct work *ret_work;
+		int failures = 0;
+
+		if (unlikely(want_longpoll && !pool->is_lp && pool == current_pool() &&
+			pool->hdr_path && !pool_tset(pool, &pool->lp_sent))) {
+				stop_longpoll();
+				start_longpoll();
 		}
 
-		/* pause, then restart work-request loop */
-		applog(LOG_DEBUG, "json_rpc_call failed on get work, retry after %d seconds",
-			fail_pause);
-		sleep(fail_pause);
-		fail_pause += opt_fail_pause;
-	}
-	fail_pause = opt_fail_pause;
+		ret_work = make_work();
+
+		if (wc->thr)
+			ret_work->thr = wc->thr;
+		else
+			ret_work->thr = NULL;
+
+		ret_work->pool = pool;
+
+		/* obtain new work from bitcoin via JSON-RPC */
+		while (!get_upstream_work(ret_work)) {
+			if (unlikely((opt_retries >= 0) && (++failures > opt_retries))) {
+				applog(LOG_ERR, "json_rpc_call failed, terminating workio thread");
+				free_work(ret_work);
+				kill_work();
+				break;
+			}
+
+			/* pause, then restart work-request loop */
+			applog(LOG_DEBUG, "json_rpc_call failed on get work, retry after %d seconds",
+				fail_pause);
+			sleep(fail_pause);
+			fail_pause += opt_fail_pause;
+		}
+		fail_pause = opt_fail_pause;
 
-	applog(LOG_DEBUG, "Pushing work to requesting thread");
+		applog(LOG_DEBUG, "Pushing work to requesting thread");
 
-	/* send work to requesting thread */
-	if (unlikely(!tq_push(thr_info[stage_thr_id].q, ret_work))) {
-		applog(LOG_ERR, "Failed to tq_push work in workio_get_work");
-		kill_work();
-		free_work(ret_work);
+		/* send work to requesting thread */
+		if (unlikely(!tq_push(thr_info[stage_thr_id].q, ret_work))) {
+			applog(LOG_ERR, "Failed to tq_push work in workio_get_work");
+			kill_work();
+			free_work(ret_work);
+		}
+		workio_cmd_free(wc);
 	}
 
-out:
-	workio_cmd_free(wc);
 	return NULL;
 }
 
 static bool workio_get_work(struct workio_cmd *wc)
 {
-	pthread_t get_thread;
+	struct pool *pool = select_pool(wc->lagging);
 
-	if (unlikely(pthread_create(&get_thread, NULL, get_work_thread, (void *)wc))) {
-		applog(LOG_ERR, "Failed to create get_work_thread");
-		return false;
-	}
-	return true;
+	return tq_push(pool->getwork_q, wc);
 }
 
 static bool stale_work(struct work *work, bool share)
@@ -2080,64 +2091,76 @@ static bool stale_work(struct work *work, bool share)
 	return false;
 }
 
+/* One submit work thread is created per pool, so as to use one curl handle
+ * for all submissions to the same pool, minimising connections opened, but
+ * separate from the getwork curl handle to not delay share submission due to
+ * getwork traffic */
 static void *submit_work_thread(void *userdata)
 {
-	struct workio_cmd *wc = (struct workio_cmd *)userdata;
-	struct work *work = wc->u.work;
-	struct pool *pool = work->pool;
-	int failures = 0;
+	struct pool *pool = (struct pool *)userdata;
+	struct workio_cmd *wc;
 
 	pthread_detach(pthread_self());
 
-	if (stale_work(work, true)) {
-		if (opt_submit_stale)
-			applog(LOG_NOTICE, "Stale share detected, submitting as user requested");
-		else if (pool->submit_old)
-			applog(LOG_NOTICE, "Stale share detected, submitting as pool requested");
-		else {
-			applog(LOG_NOTICE, "Stale share detected, discarding");
-			sharelog("discard", work);
-			total_stale++;
-			pool->stale_shares++;
-			goto out;
+	/* submit_q memory never freed */
+	pool->submit_q = tq_new();
+	if (!pool->submit_q )
+		quit(1, "Failed to tq_new in submit_work_thread");
+
+	/* submit_curl never cleared */
+	pool->submit_curl = curl_easy_init();
+	if (unlikely(!pool->submit_curl))
+		quit(1, "Failed to initialise pool submit CURL");
+
+	while ((wc = tq_pop(pool->submit_q, NULL)) != NULL) {
+		struct work *work = wc->u.work;
+		int failures = 0;
+
+		if (stale_work(work, true)) {
+			if (opt_submit_stale)
+				applog(LOG_NOTICE, "Stale share detected, submitting as user requested");
+			else if (pool->submit_old)
+				applog(LOG_NOTICE, "Stale share detected, submitting as pool requested");
+			else {
+				applog(LOG_NOTICE, "Stale share detected, discarding");
+				sharelog("discard", work);
+				total_stale++;
+				pool->stale_shares++;
+				workio_cmd_free(wc);
+				continue;
+			}
 		}
-	}
 
-	/* submit solution to bitcoin via JSON-RPC */
-	while (!submit_upstream_work(work)) {
-		if (!opt_submit_stale && stale_work(work, true)) {
-			applog(LOG_NOTICE, "Stale share detected, discarding");
-			total_stale++;
-			pool->stale_shares++;
-			break;
-		}
-		if (unlikely((opt_retries >= 0) && (++failures > opt_retries))) {
-			applog(LOG_ERR, "Failed %d retries ...terminating workio thread", opt_retries);
-			kill_work();
-			break;
-		}
+		/* submit solution to bitcoin via JSON-RPC */
+		while (!submit_upstream_work(work)) {
+			if (!opt_submit_stale && stale_work(work, true)) {
+				applog(LOG_NOTICE, "Stale share detected, discarding");
+				total_stale++;
+				pool->stale_shares++;
+				break;
+			}
+			if (unlikely((opt_retries >= 0) && (++failures > opt_retries))) {
+				applog(LOG_ERR, "Failed %d retries ...terminating workio thread", opt_retries);
+				kill_work();
+				break;
+			}
 
-		/* pause, then restart work-request loop */
-		applog(LOG_INFO, "json_rpc_call failed on submit_work, retry after %d seconds",
-			fail_pause);
-		sleep(fail_pause);
-		fail_pause += opt_fail_pause;
+			/* pause, then restart work-request loop */
+			applog(LOG_INFO, "json_rpc_call failed on submit_work, retry after %d seconds",
+				fail_pause);
+			sleep(fail_pause);
+			fail_pause += opt_fail_pause;
+		}
+		fail_pause = opt_fail_pause;
+		workio_cmd_free(wc);
 	}
-	fail_pause = opt_fail_pause;
-out:
-	workio_cmd_free(wc);
+
 	return NULL;
 }
 
 static bool workio_submit_work(struct workio_cmd *wc)
 {
-	pthread_t submit_thread;
-
-	if (unlikely(pthread_create(&submit_thread, NULL, submit_work_thread, (void *)wc))) {
-		applog(LOG_ERR, "Failed to create submit_work_thread");
-		return false;
-	}
-	return true;
+	return tq_push(wc->u.work->pool->submit_q, wc);
 }
 
 /* Find the pool that currently has the highest priority */
@@ -2904,9 +2927,6 @@ retry:
 }
 #endif
 
-static void start_longpoll(void);
-static void stop_longpoll(void);
-
 #ifdef HAVE_CURSES
 static void set_options(void)
 {
@@ -3880,7 +3900,6 @@ static void *longpoll_thread(void *userdata)
 	bool rolltime;
 
 	pthread_setcanceltype(PTHREAD_CANCEL_ASYNCHRONOUS, NULL);
-	pthread_detach(pthread_self());
 
 	curl = curl_easy_init();
 	if (unlikely(!curl)) {
@@ -3959,12 +3978,13 @@ out:
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-__maybe_unused
 static void stop_longpoll(void)
 {
 	struct thr_info *thr = &thr_info[longpoll_thr_id];
 
 	thr_info_cancel(thr);
+	if (have_longpoll)
+		pthread_join(thr->pth, NULL);
 	have_longpoll = false;
 	tq_freeze(thr->q);
 }
diff --git a/miner.h b/miner.h
index 8669e81d..a8fd4070 100644
--- a/miner.h
+++ b/miner.h
@@ -627,6 +627,15 @@ struct pool {
 	char *rpc_user, *rpc_pass;
 
 	pthread_mutex_t pool_lock;
+
+	struct thread_q *submit_q;
+	struct thread_q *getwork_q;
+
+	pthread_t submit_thread;
+	pthread_t getwork_thread;
+
+	CURL *submit_curl;
+	CURL *getwork_curl;
 };
 
 struct work {