diff --git a/lirc/lirc.pyx b/lirc/lirc.pyx
index 5f78c09..abe4ae5 100644
--- a/lirc/lirc.pyx
+++ b/lirc/lirc.pyx
@@ -222,7 +222,10 @@ def nextcode():
     _is_init_or_error()
 
     cdef char * code
-    if lirc_client.lirc_nextcode(&code) == -1:
+    cdef int return_value
+    with nogil:
+        return_value = lirc_client.lirc_nextcode(&code)
+    if return_value == -1:
         free(code)
         raise NextCodeError("There was an error reading the next code.")
     if code == NULL:
diff --git a/lirc/lirc_client.pxd b/lirc/lirc_client.pxd
index 0fe0f6e..211494c 100644
--- a/lirc/lirc_client.pxd
+++ b/lirc/lirc_client.pxd
@@ -12,5 +12,5 @@ cdef extern from "lirc/lirc_client.h":
     int lirc_readconfig(char *file,  lirc_config **config, void * check_callback)
     void lirc_freeconfig(lirc_config *config)
 
-    int lirc_nextcode(char **code)
+    int lirc_nextcode(char **code) nogil
     int lirc_code2char(lirc_config *config, char *code, char **string)