diff --git a/src/org/jgroups/protocols/TP.java b/src/org/jgroups/protocols/TP.java
index 02c7b5c24d..9f3c15a093 100644
--- a/src/org/jgroups/protocols/TP.java
+++ b/src/org/jgroups/protocols/TP.java
@@ -275,8 +275,10 @@ public <T extends Protocol> T setLevel(String level) {
     public void setMessageProcessingPolicy(String policy) {
         if(policy == null)
             return;
+
         msg_processing_policy=policy.startsWith("submit")? new SubmitToThreadPool() :
-          policy.startsWith("max")? new MaxOneThreadPerSender() : null;
+          policy.startsWith("max")? new MaxOneThreadPerSender() :
+            policy.startsWith("direct")? new PassRegularMessagesUpDirectly() : null;
         try {
             if(msg_processing_policy == null) {
                 Class<MessageProcessingPolicy> clazz=(Class<MessageProcessingPolicy>)Util.loadClass(policy, getClass());
@@ -290,6 +292,7 @@ public void setMessageProcessingPolicy(String policy) {
         }
     }
 
+
     /* --------------------------------------------- JMX  ---------------------------------------------- */
     @Component(name="msg_stats")
     protected final MsgStats msg_stats=new MsgStats();
diff --git a/src/org/jgroups/util/PassRegularMessagesUpDirectly.java b/src/org/jgroups/util/PassRegularMessagesUpDirectly.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9927c6f904
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/org/jgroups/util/PassRegularMessagesUpDirectly.java
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package org.jgroups.util;
+
+import org.jgroups.Message;
+
+/**
+ * {@link org.jgroups.stack.MessageProcessingPolicy} which passes regular messages and message batches up directly
+ * (on the same thread), but passes OOB messages to the thread pool.
+ * @author Bela Ban
+ * @since  5.2.14
+ */
+public class PassRegularMessagesUpDirectly extends SubmitToThreadPool {
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean loopback(Message msg, boolean oob) {
+        if(oob)
+            return super.loopback(msg, oob);
+        tp.passMessageUp(msg, null, false, msg.getDest() == null, false);
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean process(Message msg, boolean oob) {
+        if(oob)
+            return super.process(msg, oob);
+        SingleMessageHandler smh=new SingleMessageHandler(msg);
+        smh.run();
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean process(MessageBatch batch, boolean oob) {
+        if(oob)
+            return super.process(batch, oob);
+        BatchHandler bh=new BatchHandler(batch);
+        bh.run();
+        return true;
+    }
+}