diff --git a/db.go b/db.go
index f5910b988..31ab7b664 100644
--- a/db.go
+++ b/db.go
@@ -1850,67 +1850,120 @@ type KVList = pb.KVList
 // This function blocks until the given context is done or an error occurs.
 // The given function will be called with a new KVList containing the modified keys and the
 // corresponding values.
+// Due to the blocking nature of this function, it's impossible to know when subscription actually
+// takes place, other than waiting for your first cb notification. If you need to wait for
+// confirmation of subscription, but can't wait until your first cb notification, consider
+// SubscribeAsync instead.
 func (db *DB) Subscribe(ctx context.Context, cb func(kv *KVList) error, matches []pb.Match) error {
 	if cb == nil {
 		return ErrNilCallback
 	}
 
+	events, unsubscribe, err := db.SubscribeAsync(matches)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer unsubscribe()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return ctx.Err()
+		case event, ok := <-events:
+			if !ok {
+				return nil
+			}
+			if err := cb(event); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// An UnsubscribeFunc tells SubscribeAsync that no further events will be consumed from the returned
+// channel. Any pending event deliveries, either queued or in-progress, will be dropped.
+// An UnsubscribeFunc can be called by multiple goroutines simultaneously.
+// After the first call, subsequent calls to an UnsubscribeFunc do nothing.
+type UnsubscribeFunc func()
+
+// SubscribeAsync can be used to watch key changes for the given key prefixes and the ignore string.
+// At least one prefix should be passed, or an error will be returned.
+// You can use an empty prefix to monitor all changes to the DB.
+// Ignore string is the byte ranges for which prefix matching will be ignored.
+// For example: ignore = "2-3", and prefix = "abc" will match for keys "abxxc", "abdfc" etc.
+// The returned channel can be listened on for KVList events containing the modified keys and the
+// corresponding values. The returned UnsubscribeFunc should be called as soon as you are done
+// listening for events. Failure to do so will block other subscribers from receiving event
+// deliveries of their own.
+func (db *DB) SubscribeAsync(matches []pb.Match) (<-chan *KVList, UnsubscribeFunc, error) {
 	c := z.NewCloser(1)
 	s, err := db.pub.newSubscriber(c, matches)
 	if err != nil {
-		return y.Wrapf(err, "while creating a new subscriber")
+		return nil, nil, y.Wrapf(err, "while creating a new subscriber")
 	}
-	slurp := func(batch *pb.KVList) error {
+
+	outChan := make(chan *KVList)
+	slurp := func(batch *pb.KVList) *pb.KVList {
 		for {
 			select {
 			case kvs := <-s.sendCh:
 				batch.Kv = append(batch.Kv, kvs.Kv...)
 			default:
-				if len(batch.GetKv()) > 0 {
-					return cb(batch)
-				}
-				return nil
+				return batch
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	drain := func() {
+	unsubscribeChan := make(chan bool)
+	unsubscribed := int32(0)
+	unsubscribe := func() {
+		if atomic.CompareAndSwapInt32(&unsubscribed, 0, 1) {
+			close(unsubscribeChan)
+		}
+	}
+
+	go func() {
+		defer close(outChan)
+
 		for {
 			select {
-			case <-s.sendCh:
-			default:
+			case <-c.HasBeenClosed():
+				// No need to delete here. Closer will be called only while
+				// closing DB. Subscriber will be deleted by cleanSubscribers.
+				// Drain if any pending updates.
+				if batch := slurp(new(pb.KVList)); len(batch.Kv) > 0 {
+					select {
+					// Send event.
+					case outChan <- batch:
+					// Unless consumer unsubscribes in the middle.
+					case <-unsubscribeChan:
+					}
+				}
+				c.Done()
 				return
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-c.HasBeenClosed():
-			// No need to delete here. Closer will be called only while
-			// closing DB. Subscriber will be deleted by cleanSubscribers.
-			err := slurp(new(pb.KVList))
-			// Drain if any pending updates.
-			c.Done()
-			return err
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-			c.Done()
-			s.active.Store(0)
-			drain()
-			db.pub.deleteSubscriber(s.id)
-			// Delete the subscriber to avoid further updates.
-			return ctx.Err()
-		case batch := <-s.sendCh:
-			err := slurp(batch)
-			if err != nil {
+			case <-unsubscribeChan:
 				c.Done()
+				// Deactivate subscriber.
 				s.active.Store(0)
-				drain()
-				// Delete the subscriber if there is an error by the callback.
+				// Drain and discard if any pending updates.
+				slurp(new(pb.KVList))
+				// Delete the subscriber to avoid further updates.
 				db.pub.deleteSubscriber(s.id)
-				return err
+				return
+			case batch := <-s.sendCh:
+				if batch = slurp(batch); len(batch.Kv) > 0 {
+					select {
+					// Send event.
+					case outChan <- batch:
+					// Unless consumer unsubscribes in the middle.
+					case <-unsubscribeChan:
+					}
+				}
 			}
 		}
-	}
+	}()
+
+	return outChan, unsubscribe, nil
 }
 
 func (db *DB) syncDir(dir string) error {
diff --git a/publisher_test.go b/publisher_test.go
index 1113ba2e8..c9a4d9ce3 100644
--- a/publisher_test.go
+++ b/publisher_test.go
@@ -85,6 +85,48 @@ func TestPublisherDeadlock(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestPublisherAsyncDeadlock(t *testing.T) {
+	runBadgerTest(t, nil, func(t *testing.T, db *DB) {
+		match := pb.Match{Prefix: []byte("ke"), IgnoreBytes: ""}
+		events, unsubscribe, err := db.SubscribeAsync([]pb.Match{match})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		firstUpdate := sync.WaitGroup{}
+		firstUpdate.Add(1)
+
+		go func() {
+			<-events
+			firstUpdate.Done()
+			time.Sleep(time.Second * 20)
+			unsubscribe()
+		}()
+
+		err = db.Update(func(txn *Txn) error {
+			e := NewEntry([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("key%d", 0)), []byte(fmt.Sprintf("value%d", 0)))
+			return txn.SetEntry(e)
+		})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		firstUpdate.Wait()
+		req := int64(0)
+		for i := 1; i < 1110; i++ {
+			time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 10)
+			err := db.Update(func(txn *Txn) error {
+				e := NewEntry([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("key%d", i)), []byte(fmt.Sprintf("value%d", i)))
+				return txn.SetEntry(e)
+			})
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			atomic.AddInt64(&req, 1)
+		}
+		for atomic.LoadInt64(&req) != 1109 {
+			time.Sleep(time.Second)
+		}
+		for range events {
+			// wait for events to be closed
+		}
+	})
+}
+
 func TestPublisherOrdering(t *testing.T) {
 	runBadgerTest(t, nil, func(t *testing.T, db *DB) {
 		order := []string{}
@@ -124,6 +166,30 @@ func TestPublisherOrdering(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestPublisherAsyncOrdering(t *testing.T) {
+	runBadgerTest(t, nil, func(t *testing.T, db *DB) {
+		match := pb.Match{Prefix: []byte("ke"), IgnoreBytes: ""}
+		events, unsubscribe, err := db.SubscribeAsync([]pb.Match{match})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		defer unsubscribe()
+
+		for i := 0; i < 5; i++ {
+			err := db.Update(func(txn *Txn) error {
+				e := NewEntry([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("key%d", i)), []byte(fmt.Sprintf("value%d", i)))
+				return txn.SetEntry(e)
+			})
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+		}
+
+		for i := 0; i < 5; {
+			for _, kv := range (<-events).Kv {
+				require.Equal(t, fmt.Sprintf("value%d", i), string(kv.Value))
+				i++
+			}
+		}
+	})
+}
+
 func TestMultiplePrefix(t *testing.T) {
 	runBadgerTest(t, nil, func(t *testing.T, db *DB) {
 		var wg sync.WaitGroup
@@ -163,3 +229,33 @@ func TestMultiplePrefix(t *testing.T) {
 		wg.Wait()
 	})
 }
+
+func TestMultiplePrefixAsync(t *testing.T) {
+	runBadgerTest(t, nil, func(t *testing.T, db *DB) {
+		match1 := pb.Match{Prefix: []byte("ke"), IgnoreBytes: ""}
+		match2 := pb.Match{Prefix: []byte("hel"), IgnoreBytes: ""}
+		events, unsubscribe, err := db.SubscribeAsync([]pb.Match{match1, match2})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		defer unsubscribe()
+
+		err = db.Update(func(txn *Txn) error {
+			return txn.SetEntry(NewEntry([]byte("key"), []byte("value")))
+		})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		err = db.Update(func(txn *Txn) error {
+			return txn.SetEntry(NewEntry([]byte("hello"), []byte("badger")))
+		})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		for i := 0; i < 2; {
+			for _, kv := range (<-events).Kv {
+				if string(kv.Key) == "key" {
+					require.Equal(t, string(kv.Value), "value")
+				} else {
+					require.Equal(t, string(kv.Value), "badger")
+				}
+				i++
+			}
+		}
+	})
+}