diff --git a/docs/releases/2.5.rst b/docs/releases/2.5.rst
index bed31b1810..a408cd9cf9 100644
--- a/docs/releases/2.5.rst
+++ b/docs/releases/2.5.rst
@@ -76,7 +76,9 @@ Other Changes
   images of document pages. The settings can be used together or separately 
   depending on how much disk space saving is desired. These settings give control
   over the trade-off between disk space savings and higher CPU utilization.
- 
+- The trashed document deletion action is now a background task. This
+  feature results is much faster trashed document deletion and trash
+  can emptying.
 
 Removals
 --------
diff --git a/mayan/apps/documents/apps.py b/mayan/apps/documents/apps.py
index 22f8f36e13..179eea52e8 100644
--- a/mayan/apps/documents/apps.py
+++ b/mayan/apps/documents/apps.py
@@ -317,6 +317,9 @@ class DocumentsApp(MayanAppConfig):
                     routing_key='documents_periodic', delivery_mode=1
                 ),
                 Queue('uploads', Exchange('uploads'), routing_key='uploads'),
+                Queue(
+                    'documents', Exchange('documents'), routing_key='documents'
+                ),
             )
         )
 
@@ -349,6 +352,9 @@ class DocumentsApp(MayanAppConfig):
                 'documents.tasks.task_scan_duplicates_for': {
                     'queue': 'uploads'
                 },
+                'documents.tasks.task_delete_document': {
+                    'queue': 'documents'
+                },
             }
         )
 
diff --git a/mayan/apps/documents/queues.py b/mayan/apps/documents/queues.py
index 48ba1e4181..a544b20ab0 100644
--- a/mayan/apps/documents/queues.py
+++ b/mayan/apps/documents/queues.py
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ queue_documents_periodic = CeleryQueue(
 queue_uploads = CeleryQueue(
     name='uploads', label=_('Uploads')
 )
+queue_uploads = CeleryQueue(
+    name='documents', label=_('Documents')
+)
 
 queue_documents_periodic.add_task_type(
     name='documents.tasks.task_check_delete_periods',
@@ -46,3 +49,7 @@ queue_uploads.add_task_type(
     name='documents.tasks.task_upload_new_version',
     label=_('Upload new document version')
 )
+queue_uploads.add_task_type(
+    name='documents.tasks.task_delete_document',
+    label=_('Delete a document')
+)
diff --git a/mayan/apps/documents/tasks.py b/mayan/apps/documents/tasks.py
index 1d9690cb05..cd4c0a17c5 100644
--- a/mayan/apps/documents/tasks.py
+++ b/mayan/apps/documents/tasks.py
@@ -44,6 +44,18 @@ def task_clear_image_cache():
     logger.info('Finished document cache invalidation')
 
 
+@app.task(ignore_result=True)
+def task_delete_document(deleted_document_id):
+    DeletedDocument = apps.get_model(
+        app_label='documents', model_name='DeletedDocument'
+    )
+
+    logger.debug('Executing')
+    deleted_document = DeletedDocument.objects.get(pk=deleted_document_id)
+    deleted_document.delete()
+    logger.debug('Finshed')
+
+
 @app.task(ignore_result=True)
 def task_delete_stubs():
     Document = apps.get_model(
diff --git a/mayan/apps/documents/views/document_views.py b/mayan/apps/documents/views/document_views.py
index c641b1017b..b7cd65315d 100644
--- a/mayan/apps/documents/views/document_views.py
+++ b/mayan/apps/documents/views/document_views.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ from ..permissions import (
     permission_empty_trash
 )
 from ..settings import setting_print_size
-from ..tasks import task_update_page_count
+from ..tasks import task_delete_document, task_update_page_count
 from ..utils import parse_range
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -95,7 +95,9 @@ class DeletedDocumentDeleteView(ConfirmView):
             obj=source_document
         )
 
-        instance.delete()
+        task_delete_document.apply_async(
+            kwargs={'deleted_document_id': instance.pk}
+        )
 
     def view_action(self):
         instance = get_object_or_404(DeletedDocument, pk=self.kwargs['pk'])
@@ -364,7 +366,9 @@ class EmptyTrashCanView(ConfirmView):
 
     def view_action(self):
         for deleted_document in DeletedDocument.objects.all():
-            deleted_document.delete()
+            task_delete_document.apply_async(
+                kwargs={'deleted_document_id': deleted_document.pk}
+            )
 
         messages.success(self.request, _('Trash emptied successfully'))