diff --git a/internal/rdb/rdb.go b/internal/rdb/rdb.go
index c8f9e5f..e44c051 100644
--- a/internal/rdb/rdb.go
+++ b/internal/rdb/rdb.go
@@ -116,6 +116,25 @@ func (r *RDB) Done(msg *TaskMessage) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Requeue moves the task from in-progress queue to the default
+// queue.
+func (r *RDB) Requeue(msg *TaskMessage) error {
+	bytes, err := json.Marshal(msg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not marshal %+v to json: %v", msg, err)
+	}
+	// KEYS[1] -> asynq:in_progress
+	// KEYS[2] -> asynq:queues:default
+	// ARGV[1] -> taskMessage value
+	script := redis.NewScript(`
+	redis.call("LREM", KEYS[1], 0, ARGV[1])
+	redis.call("RPUSH", KEYS[2], ARGV[1])
+	return redis.status_reply("OK")
+	`)
+	_, err = script.Run(r.client, []string{inProgressQ, defaultQ}, string(bytes)).Result()
+	return err
+}
+
 // Schedule adds the task to the backlog queue to be processed in the future.
 func (r *RDB) Schedule(msg *TaskMessage, processAt time.Time) error {
 	bytes, err := json.Marshal(msg)
diff --git a/internal/rdb/rdb_test.go b/internal/rdb/rdb_test.go
index b6f7089..951523a 100644
--- a/internal/rdb/rdb_test.go
+++ b/internal/rdb/rdb_test.go
@@ -112,6 +112,59 @@ func TestDone(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRequeue(t *testing.T) {
+	r := setup(t)
+	t1 := newTaskMessage("send_email", nil)
+	t2 := newTaskMessage("export_csv", nil)
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		enqueued       []*TaskMessage // initial state of the default queue
+		inProgress     []*TaskMessage // initial state of the in-progress list
+		target         *TaskMessage   // task to requeue
+		wantEnqueued   []*TaskMessage // final state of the default queue
+		wantInProgress []*TaskMessage // final state of the in-progress list
+	}{
+		{
+			enqueued:       []*TaskMessage{},
+			inProgress:     []*TaskMessage{t1, t2},
+			target:         t1,
+			wantEnqueued:   []*TaskMessage{t1},
+			wantInProgress: []*TaskMessage{t2},
+		},
+		{
+			enqueued:       []*TaskMessage{t1},
+			inProgress:     []*TaskMessage{t2},
+			target:         t2,
+			wantEnqueued:   []*TaskMessage{t1, t2},
+			wantInProgress: []*TaskMessage{},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		flushDB(t, r) // clean up db before each test case
+		seedDefaultQueue(t, r, tc.enqueued)
+		seedInProgressQueue(t, r, tc.inProgress)
+
+		err := r.Requeue(tc.target)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("(*RDB).Requeue(task) = %v, want nil", err)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		gotEnqueuedRaw := r.client.LRange(defaultQ, 0, -1).Val()
+		gotEnqueued := mustUnmarshalSlice(t, gotEnqueuedRaw)
+		if diff := cmp.Diff(tc.wantEnqueued, gotEnqueued, sortMsgOpt); diff != "" {
+			t.Errorf("mismatch found in %q: (-want, +got):\n%s", defaultQ, diff)
+		}
+
+		gotInProgressRaw := r.client.LRange(inProgressQ, 0, -1).Val()
+		gotInProgress := mustUnmarshalSlice(t, gotInProgressRaw)
+		if diff := cmp.Diff(tc.wantInProgress, gotInProgress, sortMsgOpt); diff != "" {
+			t.Errorf("mismatch found in %q: (-want, +got):\n%s", inProgressQ, diff)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestKill(t *testing.T) {
 	r := setup(t)
 	t1 := newTaskMessage("send_email", nil)
diff --git a/processor.go b/processor.go
index d391257..9d88ffd 100644
--- a/processor.go
+++ b/processor.go
@@ -21,14 +21,19 @@ type processor struct {
 	// in case of a program shutdown or additon of a new queue.
 	dequeueTimeout time.Duration
 
+	// running represents the state of the "processor" goroutine
+	mu      sync.Mutex
+	running bool
+
 	// sema is a counting semaphore to ensure the number of active workers
 	// does not exceed the limit.
 	sema chan struct{}
 
 	// channel to communicate back to the long running "processor" goroutine.
-	// once is used to send value to the channel only once.
 	done chan struct{}
-	once sync.Once
+
+	// shutdown channel is closed when the shutdown of the "processor" goroutine starts.
+	shutdown chan struct{}
 
 	// quit channel communicates to the in-flight worker goroutines to stop.
 	quit chan struct{}
@@ -38,9 +43,10 @@ func newProcessor(r *rdb.RDB, numWorkers int, handler Handler) *processor {
 	return &processor{
 		rdb:            r,
 		handler:        handler,
-		dequeueTimeout: 5 * time.Second,
+		dequeueTimeout: 2 * time.Second,
 		sema:           make(chan struct{}, numWorkers),
 		done:           make(chan struct{}),
+		shutdown:       make(chan struct{}),
 		quit:           make(chan struct{}),
 	}
 }
@@ -48,12 +54,18 @@ func newProcessor(r *rdb.RDB, numWorkers int, handler Handler) *processor {
 // Note: stops only the "processor" goroutine, does not stop workers.
 // It's safe to call this method multiple times.
 func (p *processor) stop() {
-	p.once.Do(func() {
-		log.Println("[INFO] Processor shutting down...")
-		// Signal the processor goroutine to stop processing tasks
-		// from the queue.
-		p.done <- struct{}{}
-	})
+	p.mu.Lock()
+	defer p.mu.Unlock()
+	if !p.running {
+		return
+	}
+	log.Println("[INFO] Processor shutting down...")
+	// Unblock if processor is waiting for sema token.
+	close(p.shutdown)
+	// Signal the processor goroutine to stop processing tasks
+	// from the queue.
+	p.done <- struct{}{}
+	p.running = false
 }
 
 // NOTE: once terminated, processor cannot be re-started.
@@ -73,6 +85,11 @@ func (p *processor) terminate() {
 }
 
 func (p *processor) start() {
+	p.mu.Lock()
+	defer p.mu.Unlock()
+	if p.running {
+		return
+	}
 	// NOTE: The call to "restore" needs to complete before starting
 	// the processor goroutine.
 	p.restore()
@@ -87,6 +104,7 @@ func (p *processor) start() {
 			}
 		}
 	}()
+	p.running = true
 }
 
 // exec pulls a task out of the queue and starts a worker goroutine to
@@ -102,37 +120,43 @@ func (p *processor) exec() {
 		return
 	}
 
-	p.sema <- struct{}{} // acquire token
-	go func() {
-		defer func() { <-p.sema /* release token */ }()
-
-		resCh := make(chan error, 1)
-		task := &Task{Type: msg.Type, Payload: msg.Payload}
+	select {
+	case <-p.shutdown:
+		// shutdown is starting, return immediately after requeuing the message.
+		p.requeue(msg)
+		return
+	case p.sema <- struct{}{}: // acquire token
 		go func() {
-			resCh <- perform(p.handler, task)
-		}()
+			defer func() { <-p.sema /* release token */ }()
 
-		select {
-		case <-p.quit:
-			// time is up, quit this worker goroutine.
-			return
-		case resErr := <-resCh:
-			// Note: One of three things should happen.
-			// 1) Done  -> Removes the message from InProgress
-			// 2) Retry -> Removes the message from InProgress & Adds the message to Retry
-			// 3) Kill  -> Removes the message from InProgress & Adds the message to Dead
-			if resErr != nil {
-				if msg.Retried >= msg.Retry {
-					p.kill(msg, resErr.Error())
+			resCh := make(chan error, 1)
+			task := &Task{Type: msg.Type, Payload: msg.Payload}
+			go func() {
+				resCh <- perform(p.handler, task)
+			}()
+
+			select {
+			case <-p.quit:
+				// time is up, quit this worker goroutine.
+				return
+			case resErr := <-resCh:
+				// Note: One of three things should happen.
+				// 1) Done  -> Removes the message from InProgress
+				// 2) Retry -> Removes the message from InProgress & Adds the message to Retry
+				// 3) Kill  -> Removes the message from InProgress & Adds the message to Dead
+				if resErr != nil {
+					if msg.Retried >= msg.Retry {
+						p.kill(msg, resErr.Error())
+						return
+					}
+					p.retry(msg, resErr.Error())
 					return
 				}
-				p.retry(msg, resErr.Error())
+				p.markAsDone(msg)
 				return
 			}
-			p.markAsDone(msg)
-			return
-		}
-	}()
+		}()
+	}
 }
 
 // restore moves all tasks from "in-progress" back to queue
@@ -144,6 +168,13 @@ func (p *processor) restore() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (p *processor) requeue(msg *rdb.TaskMessage) {
+	err := p.rdb.Requeue(msg)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("[ERROR] Could not move task from InProgress back to queue: %v\n", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func (p *processor) markAsDone(msg *rdb.TaskMessage) {
 	err := p.rdb.Done(msg)
 	if err != nil {