diff --git a/jupyter_client/threaded.py b/jupyter_client/threaded.py
index dcca6c94e..a62f61fe5 100644
--- a/jupyter_client/threaded.py
+++ b/jupyter_client/threaded.py
@@ -8,9 +8,11 @@
 from threading import Event
 from threading import Thread
 from typing import Any
+from typing import Awaitable
 from typing import Dict
 from typing import List
 from typing import Optional
+from typing import Union
 
 import zmq
 from traitlets import Instance
@@ -28,6 +30,10 @@
 # during garbage collection of threads at exit
 
 
+async def get_msg(msg: Awaitable) -> Union[List[bytes], List[zmq.Message]]:
+    return await msg
+
+
 class ThreadedZMQSocketChannel(object):
     """A ZMQ socket invoking a callback in the ioloop"""
 
@@ -108,11 +114,13 @@ def thread_send():
         assert self.ioloop is not None
         self.ioloop.add_callback(thread_send)
 
-    def _handle_recv(self, msg_list: List[bytes]) -> None:
+    def _handle_recv(self, future_msg: Awaitable) -> None:
         """Callback for stream.on_recv.
 
         Unpacks message, and calls handlers with it.
         """
+        assert self.ioloop is not None
+        msg_list = self.ioloop._asyncio_event_loop.run_until_complete(get_msg(future_msg))
         assert self.session is not None
         ident, smsg = self.session.feed_identities(msg_list)
         msg = self.session.deserialize(smsg)