diff --git a/pubsub/batcher/batcher.go b/pubsub/batcher/batcher.go
index 917cef822a..de53b68f52 100644
--- a/pubsub/batcher/batcher.go
+++ b/pubsub/batcher/batcher.go
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"reflect"
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"time"
 )
 
 // Split determines how to split n (representing n items) into batches based on
@@ -72,6 +74,9 @@ type Batcher struct {
 	pending   []waiter // items waiting to be handled
 	nHandlers int      // number of currently running handler goroutines
 	shutdown  bool
+
+	batchSizeTimeout    time.Time // the time that len(pending) < opts.MinBatchSize, or zero time
+	batchTimeoutRunning int32     // atomic counter checking whether timeout wait is running
 }
 
 // Message is larger than the maximum batch byte size
@@ -96,6 +101,9 @@ type Options struct {
 	MaxBatchSize int
 	// Maximum bytesize of a batch. 0 means no limit.
 	MaxBatchByteSize int
+	// BatchTimeout the maximum time a batch can exist under MinBatchSize
+	// before being sent anyway.
+	BatchTimeout time.Duration
 }
 
 // newOptionsWithDefaults returns Options with defaults applied to opts.
@@ -201,12 +209,28 @@ func (b *Batcher) AddNoWait(item interface{}) <-chan error {
 		// If we can start a handler, do so with the item just added and any others that are pending.
 		batch := b.nextBatch()
 		if batch != nil {
-			b.wg.Add(1)
-			go func() {
-				b.callHandler(batch)
-				b.wg.Done()
-			}()
-			b.nHandlers++
+			b.handleBatch(batch)
+		}
+
+		if batch == nil && len(b.pending) > 0 {
+			// If the batch size timeout is zero, this is one of the first items to
+			// be added to the batch under the minimum batch size.  Record when this
+			// happens so that .nextBatch() can grab the batch on timeout.
+			if b.batchSizeTimeout.IsZero() {
+				b.batchSizeTimeout = time.Now()
+			}
+
+			// Ensure that we send the batch after the given timeout.  Only one
+			// concurrent process
+			if atomic.CompareAndSwapInt32(&b.batchTimeoutRunning, 0, 1) {
+				go func() {
+					<-time.After(b.opts.BatchTimeout)
+					batch = b.nextBatch()
+					if batch != nil {
+						b.handleBatch(batch)
+					}
+				}()
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	// If we can't start a handler, then one of the currently running handlers will
@@ -214,14 +238,33 @@ func (b *Batcher) AddNoWait(item interface{}) <-chan error {
 	return c
 }
 
+func (b *Batcher) handleBatch(batch []waiter) {
+	if batch == nil || len(batch) == 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	b.wg.Add(1)
+	go func() {
+		b.callHandler(batch)
+		b.wg.Done()
+	}()
+	b.nHandlers++
+}
+
 // nextBatch returns the batch to process, and updates b.pending.
 // It returns nil if there's no batch ready for processing.
 // b.mu must be held.
 func (b *Batcher) nextBatch() []waiter {
-	if len(b.pending) < b.opts.MinBatchSize {
+	// if there's a min batch size, only skip if we haven't yet waited for the batch timeout
+	if len(b.pending) < b.opts.MinBatchSize && time.Since(b.batchSizeTimeout) < b.opts.BatchTimeout {
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	if len(b.pending) < b.opts.MinBatchSize {
+		// reset the timeout counter to zero time
+		b.batchSizeTimeout = time.Time{}
+	}
+
 	if b.opts.MaxBatchByteSize == 0 && (b.opts.MaxBatchSize == 0 || len(b.pending) <= b.opts.MaxBatchSize) {
 		// Send it all!
 		batch := b.pending