diff --git a/src/cxoConnection.c b/src/cxoConnection.c
index c1a4b56..3292915 100644
--- a/src/cxoConnection.c
+++ b/src/cxoConnection.c
@@ -1469,9 +1469,11 @@ static PyObject *cxoConnection_dequeue(cxoConnection *conn, PyObject* args,
         return NULL;
 
     // dequeue payload
+    Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
     status = dpiConn_deqObject(conn->handle, nameBuffer.ptr, nameBuffer.size,
             optionsObj->handle, propertiesObj->handle, payloadObj->handle,
             &messageIdValue, &messageIdLength);
+    Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
     cxoBuffer_clear(&nameBuffer);
     if (status < 0)
         return cxoError_raiseAndReturnNull();
@@ -1512,9 +1514,11 @@ static PyObject *cxoConnection_enqueue(cxoConnection *conn, PyObject* args,
         return NULL;
 
     // enqueue payload
+    Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
     status = dpiConn_enqObject(conn->handle, nameBuffer.ptr, nameBuffer.size,
             optionsObj->handle, propertiesObj->handle, payloadObj->handle,
             &messageIdValue, &messageIdLength);
+    Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
     cxoBuffer_clear(&nameBuffer);
     if (status < 0)
         return cxoError_raiseAndReturnNull();
diff --git a/src/cxoQueue.c b/src/cxoQueue.c
index 6b7acd9..657fa63 100644
--- a/src/cxoQueue.c
+++ b/src/cxoQueue.c
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ int cxoQueue_deqHelper(cxoQueue *queue, uint32_t *numProps,
     const char *buffer;
     cxoMsgProps *temp;
     cxoObject *obj;
-    int ok;
+    int ok, status;
 
     // use the same array to store the intermediate values provided by ODPI-C;
     // by doing so there is no need to allocate an additional array and any
@@ -200,7 +200,10 @@ int cxoQueue_deqHelper(cxoQueue *queue, uint32_t *numProps,
     handles = (dpiMsgProps**) props;
 
     // perform dequeue
-    if (dpiQueue_deqMany(queue->handle, numProps, handles) < 0)
+    Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
+    status = dpiQueue_deqMany(queue->handle, numProps, handles);
+    Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
+    if (status < 0)
         return cxoError_raiseAndReturnInt();
 
     // create objects that are returned to the user
@@ -298,7 +301,10 @@ int cxoQueue_enqHelper(cxoQueue *queue, uint32_t numProps,
     }
 
     // perform enqueue
-    if (dpiQueue_enqMany(queue->handle, numProps, handles) < 0)
+    Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
+    status = dpiQueue_enqMany(queue->handle, numProps, handles);
+    Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
+    if (status < 0)
         return cxoError_raiseAndReturnInt();
 
     return 0;