diff --git a/Engine/source/core/stream/fileStream.cpp b/Engine/source/core/stream/fileStream.cpp
index 29ce3a933..a5c7e8c13 100644
--- a/Engine/source/core/stream/fileStream.cpp
+++ b/Engine/source/core/stream/fileStream.cpp
@@ -22,15 +22,68 @@
 
 #include "platform/platform.h"
 #include "core/stream/fileStream.h"
-
+#include "platform/threads/threadPool.h"
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // FileStream methods...
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-FileStream::FileStream()
+static void writeBufferToFile(
+   Torque::FS::FileRef& file,
+   U32 buffHead,
+   U32 buffTail,
+   const U8* buffer)
 {
+   if (!file || buffHead == FileStream::BUFFER_INVALID)
+      return;
+
+   // match FileStream::flush logic
+   if (buffHead != file->getPosition())
+      file->setPosition(buffHead, Torque::FS::File::Begin);
+
+   U32 blockHead;
+   FileStream::calcBlockHead(buffHead, &blockHead);
+
+   file->write((char*)buffer + (buffHead - blockHead), buffTail - buffHead + 1);
+}
+
+struct FileCloseWorkItem : public ThreadPool::WorkItem
+{
+   Torque::FS::FileRef mFile;
+
+public:
+   FileCloseWorkItem(Torque::FS::FileRef file)
+      : mFile(file)
+   {
+   }
+
+protected:
+   void execute() override
+   {
+      if (!mFile)
+         return;
+
+      // When platforms free a file they
+      // remove the handle which causes the stall
+      // as they write metadata.
+      mFile->close();
+   }
+};
+
+void FileStream::dispatchAsyncClose()
+{
+   if (!mFile)
+      return;
+
+   FileCloseWorkItem* job = new FileCloseWorkItem(mFile);
+
+   ThreadPool::GLOBAL().queueWorkItem(job);
+}
+
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+FileStream::FileStream(AsyncMode flushMode)
+{
+   mAsyncMode = flushMode;
    dMemset(mBuffer, 0, sizeof(mBuffer));
    // initialize the file stream
    init();
@@ -190,10 +243,13 @@ void FileStream::close()
       if (mDirty)
          flush();
 
-      // and close the file
-      mFile->close();
-
-      AssertFatal(mFile->getStatus() == Torque::FS::FileNode::Closed, "FileStream::close: close failed");
+      if (mAsyncMode == Background)
+         dispatchAsyncClose();
+      else
+      {
+         mFile->close();
+         AssertFatal(mFile->getStatus() == Torque::FS::FileNode::Closed, "FileStream::close: close failed");
+      }
 
       mFile = NULL;
    }
diff --git a/Engine/source/core/stream/fileStream.h b/Engine/source/core/stream/fileStream.h
index 9ae20798a..c4c5ecd17 100644
--- a/Engine/source/core/stream/fileStream.h
+++ b/Engine/source/core/stream/fileStream.h
@@ -39,9 +39,17 @@ public:
       BUFFER_INVALID = 0xffffffff   // file offsets must all be less than this
    };
 
+   enum AsyncMode
+   {
+      Blocking,      // current behavior
+      Background     // write-behind
+   };
+
    typedef char Ch;    //!< Character type. Only support char.
 public:
-   FileStream();                       // default constructor
+   AsyncMode mAsyncMode;
+   void dispatchAsyncClose();
+   FileStream(AsyncMode flushMode = Blocking);                       // default constructor
    virtual ~FileStream();              // destructor
 
    // This function will allocate a new FileStream and open it.
@@ -64,7 +72,7 @@ public:
    //rjson compatibility
    bool Flush() { return flush(); }
    FileStream* clone() const override;
-
+   static void calcBlockHead(const U32 i_position, U32* o_blockHead);
 protected:
    // more mandatory methods from Stream base class...
    bool _read(const U32 i_numBytes, void *o_pBuffer) override;
@@ -73,7 +81,7 @@ protected:
    void init();
    bool fillBuffer(const U32 i_startPosition);
    void clearBuffer();
-   static void calcBlockHead(const U32 i_position, U32 *o_blockHead);
+   
    static void calcBlockBounds(const U32 i_position, U32 *o_blockHead, U32 *o_blockTail);
    void setStatus();
 
diff --git a/Engine/source/gfx/D3D11/gfxD3D11Shader.cpp b/Engine/source/gfx/D3D11/gfxD3D11Shader.cpp
index 4a919cffd..b84f64907 100644
--- a/Engine/source/gfx/D3D11/gfxD3D11Shader.cpp
+++ b/Engine/source/gfx/D3D11/gfxD3D11Shader.cpp
@@ -842,9 +842,9 @@ bool GFXD3D11Shader::_compileShader( const Torque::Path &filePath,
    if (!loadedFromCache)
    {
       if (SUCCEEDED(res) && code)
-      {
+      { 
          // Save cache
-         FileStream out;
+         FileStream out(FileStream::AsyncMode::Background);
          if (out.open(cachePath, Torque::FS::File::Write))
          {
             out.write(code->GetBufferSize(), code->GetBufferPointer());
diff --git a/Engine/source/ts/assimp/assimpShapeLoader.cpp b/Engine/source/ts/assimp/assimpShapeLoader.cpp
index 4bcc1df91..a3b78326d 100644
--- a/Engine/source/ts/assimp/assimpShapeLoader.cpp
+++ b/Engine/source/ts/assimp/assimpShapeLoader.cpp
@@ -1092,7 +1092,7 @@ TSShape* assimpLoadShape(const Torque::Path &path)
          // Cache the model to a DTS file for faster loading next time.
          cachedPath.setExtension("cached.dts");
          // Cache the model to a DTS file for faster loading next time.
-         FileStream dtsStream;
+         FileStream dtsStream(FileStream::AsyncMode::Background);
          if (dtsStream.open(cachedPath.getFullPath(), Torque::FS::File::Write))
          {
             Con::printf("Writing cached shape to %s", cachedPath.getFullPath().c_str());
diff --git a/Engine/source/ts/collada/colladaShapeLoader.cpp b/Engine/source/ts/collada/colladaShapeLoader.cpp
index 66a859934..17a3557a2 100644
--- a/Engine/source/ts/collada/colladaShapeLoader.cpp
+++ b/Engine/source/ts/collada/colladaShapeLoader.cpp
@@ -803,7 +803,7 @@ TSShape* loadColladaShape(const Torque::Path &path)
          {
             // Cache the Collada model to a DTS file for faster loading next time.
             cachedPath.setExtension("cached.dts");
-            FileStream dtsStream;
+            FileStream dtsStream(FileStream::AsyncMode::Background);
             if (dtsStream.open(cachedPath.getFullPath(), Torque::FS::File::Write))
             {
                Torque::FS::FileSystemRef ref = Torque::FS::GetFileSystem(daePath);