diff --git a/src/XrdOuc/XrdOucCache.hh b/src/XrdOuc/XrdOucCache.hh
index 0c63f5003aa..d64083dbd6a 100644
--- a/src/XrdOuc/XrdOucCache.hh
+++ b/src/XrdOuc/XrdOucCache.hh
@@ -244,6 +244,12 @@ virtual XrdOucCacheIO *Base()   {return this;}
 //
 virtual XrdOucCacheIO *Detach() {return this;}
 
+
+// ioActive() returns true if there is any ongoing IO operation. The function is
+//            used in XrdPosixXrootd::Close() to check if destruction od PosixFile
+//            has to be done in a separate task. 
+virtual bool ioActive() { return false; }
+
 // Preread() places Length bytes into the cache from a data source at Offset.
 //          When there is no cache or the associated cache does not support or
 //          allow pre-reads, it's a no-op. Cache placement limits do not apply.
diff --git a/src/XrdPosix/XrdPosixFile.cc b/src/XrdPosix/XrdPosixFile.cc
index b4eb34433cb..da71d908b00 100644
--- a/src/XrdPosix/XrdPosixFile.cc
+++ b/src/XrdPosix/XrdPosixFile.cc
@@ -91,7 +91,22 @@ XrdPosixFile::~XrdPosixFile()
 //
    if (fPath) free(fPath);
 }
-  
+
+/******************************************************************************/
+/*                   D e l a y e d D e s t r o y                              */
+/******************************************************************************/
+
+void* XrdPosixFile::DelayedDestroy(void* vpf)
+{
+// Static function.
+// Called within a dedicated thread if XrdOucCacheIO is io-active.
+
+   XrdPosixFile* pf = (XrdPosixFile*)vpf;
+   delete pf;
+
+   return 0;
+}
+
 /******************************************************************************/
 /*                                 C l o s e                                  */
 /******************************************************************************/
@@ -250,3 +265,14 @@ bool XrdPosixFile::Stat(XrdCl::XRootDStatus &Status, bool force)
    delete sInfo;
    return true;
 }
+
+/******************************************************************************/
+/*                                  D o I t                                   */
+/******************************************************************************/
+void XrdPosixFile::DoIt()
+{
+// Virtual function of XrdJob.
+// Called from XrdPosixXrootd::Close if the file is still IO active.
+
+   delete this;
+}
diff --git a/src/XrdPosix/XrdPosixFile.hh b/src/XrdPosix/XrdPosixFile.hh
index 272b3355b69..9448d092e37 100644
--- a/src/XrdPosix/XrdPosixFile.hh
+++ b/src/XrdPosix/XrdPosixFile.hh
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 #include "XrdPosix/XrdPosixMap.hh"
 #include "XrdPosix/XrdPosixObject.hh"
 
+#include "Xrd/XrdJob.hh"
 /******************************************************************************/
 /*                    X r d P o s i x F i l e   C l a s s                     */
 /******************************************************************************/
@@ -55,10 +56,11 @@ class XrdPosixCallBack;
 
 class XrdPosixFile : public XrdPosixObject, 
                      public XrdOucCacheIO,
-                     public XrdCl::ResponseHandler
+                     public XrdCl::ResponseHandler,
+                     public XrdJob
 {
 public:
-
+ 
 XrdOucCacheIO *XCio;
 XrdCl::File    clFile;
 
@@ -71,6 +73,8 @@ XrdCl::File    clFile;
 
 static XrdPosixFile *Alloc(const char *path, XrdPosixCallBack *cbP, int Opts);
 
+static void*         DelayedDestroy(void*);
+
        bool          Close(XrdCl::XRootDStatus &Status);
 
        bool          Finalize(XrdCl::XRootDStatus &Status);
@@ -112,6 +116,8 @@ static XrdPosixFile *Alloc(const char *path, XrdPosixCallBack *cbP, int Opts);
                                                          (uint32_t)Len, Buff));
                           }
 
+       void          DoIt();
+
        size_t        mySize;
        time_t        myMtime;
        ino_t         myInode;
diff --git a/src/XrdPosix/XrdPosixXrootd.cc b/src/XrdPosix/XrdPosixXrootd.cc
index a9795e3550b..fcf21734857 100644
--- a/src/XrdPosix/XrdPosixXrootd.cc
+++ b/src/XrdPosix/XrdPosixXrootd.cc
@@ -146,11 +146,26 @@ int XrdPosixXrootd::Close(int fildes)
    int ret;
 
    if (!(fP = XrdPosixObject::ReleaseFile(fildes)))
-      {errno = EBADF; return -1;}
+   {errno = EBADF; return -1;}
 
-   ret = fP->Close(Status);
-   delete fP;
-   return (ret ? 0 : XrdPosixMap::Result(Status));
+   if (fP->XCio->ioActive())
+   {
+      if (XrdPosixGlobals::schedP )
+      {
+         XrdPosixGlobals::schedP->Schedule(fP);
+      }
+      else {
+         pthread_t tid;
+         XrdSysThread::Run(&tid, XrdPosixFile::DelayedDestroy, fP, 0, "PosixFileDestroy");
+      }
+      return 0;
+   }
+   else
+   {
+      ret = fP->Close(Status);
+      delete fP;
+      return (ret ? 0 : XrdPosixMap::Result(Status));
+   }
 }
 
 /******************************************************************************/