diff --git a/src/Magnum/Platform/GlfwApplication.cpp b/src/Magnum/Platform/GlfwApplication.cpp
index e1d635775..980a763df 100644
--- a/src/Magnum/Platform/GlfwApplication.cpp
+++ b/src/Magnum/Platform/GlfwApplication.cpp
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include <Corrade/Containers/StridedArrayView.h>
 #include <Corrade/Utility/Arguments.h>
 #include <Corrade/Utility/Unicode.h>
+#include <Corrade/Utility/System.h>
 
 #include "Magnum/ImageView.h"
 #include "Magnum/PixelFormat.h"
@@ -56,9 +57,10 @@ static_assert(GLFW_TRUE == true && GLFW_FALSE == false, "GLFW does not have sane
 enum class GlfwApplication::Flag: UnsignedByte {
     Redraw = 1 << 0,
     TextInputActive = 1 << 1,
-    Exit = 1 << 2,
+    NoTickEvent = 1 << 2,
+    Exit = 1 << 3,
     #ifdef CORRADE_TARGET_APPLE
-    HiDpiWarningPrinted = 1 << 3
+    HiDpiWarningPrinted = 1 << 4
     #endif
 };
 
@@ -75,7 +77,7 @@ GlfwApplication::GlfwApplication(const Arguments& arguments, const Configuration
 #endif
 
 GlfwApplication::GlfwApplication(const Arguments& arguments, NoCreateT):
-    _flags{Flag::Redraw}
+    _minimalLoopPeriod{0}, _flags{Flag::Redraw}
 {
     Utility::Arguments args{Implementation::windowScalingArguments()};
     #ifdef MAGNUM_TARGET_GL
@@ -762,15 +764,36 @@ bool GlfwApplication::mainLoopIteration() {
     */
     if(glfwGetWindowUserPointer(_window) != this) setupCallbacks();
 
-    /* If redrawing, poll for events immediately after drawEvent() (which could
-       be setting the Redraw flag again, thus doing constant redraw). If not,
-       avoid spinning the CPU by waiting for the next input event. */
-    if (mainLoopDrawEventIteration())
-        glfwPollEvents();
-    else 
-        glfwWaitEvents();
+    const UnsignedInt timeBefore = _minimalLoopPeriod ? glfwGetTime() : 0;
 
-    return !glfwWindowShouldClose(_window);
+    glfwPollEvents();
+
+    /* Tick event */
+    if(!(_flags & Flag::NoTickEvent)) tickEvent();
+
+    /* drawEvent() was called */
+    if (mainLoopDrawEventIteration()) {
+        /* delay to prevent CPU hogging (if set) */
+        if(!(_minimalLoopPeriod) {
+            const UnsignedInt loopTime = glfwGetTime() - timeBefore;
+            if(loopTime < _minimalLoopPeriod)
+                Utility::System::sleep(_minimalLoopPeriod - loopTime);
+        }
+        return !glfwWindowShouldClose(_window);
+    }
+
+    /* If not drawing anything, delay to prevent CPU hogging (if set) */
+    if(_minimalLoopPeriod) {
+        const UnsignedInt loopTime = glfwGetTime() - timeBefore;
+        if(loopTime < _minimalLoopPeriod)
+            Utility::System::sleep(_minimalLoopPeriod - loopTime);
+    }
+        
+    /* Then, if the tick event doesn't need to be called periodically, wait
+    indefinitely for next input event */
+    if(_flags & Flag::NoTickEvent) glfwWaitEvents();
+
+    return !(flags & Flag::Exit || glfwWindowShouldClose(_window));
 }
 
 void GlfwApplication::exit(int exitCode) {
@@ -871,6 +894,12 @@ void GlfwApplication::exitEvent(ExitEvent& event) {
     event.setAccepted();
 }
 
+void GlfwApplication::tickEvent() {
+    /* If this got called, the tick event is not implemented by user and thus
+       we don't need to call it ever again */
+    _flags |= Flag::NoTickEvent;
+}
+
 void GlfwApplication::viewportEvent(ViewportEvent&) {}
 void GlfwApplication::keyPressEvent(KeyEvent&) {}
 void GlfwApplication::keyReleaseEvent(KeyEvent&) {}
diff --git a/src/Magnum/Platform/GlfwApplication.h b/src/Magnum/Platform/GlfwApplication.h
index 5fcae13ce..048fb758b 100644
--- a/src/Magnum/Platform/GlfwApplication.h
+++ b/src/Magnum/Platform/GlfwApplication.h
@@ -543,6 +543,21 @@ class GlfwApplication {
          */
         void setSwapInterval(Int interval);
 
+        /**
+         * @brief Set minimal loop period
+         *
+         * This setting reduces the main loop frequency in case VSync is
+         * not/cannot be enabled or no drawing is done. Default is @cpp 0 @ce
+         * (i.e. looping at maximum frequency). If the application is drawing
+         * on the screen and VSync is enabled, this setting is ignored.
+         * @note Not available in @ref CORRADE_TARGET_EMSCRIPTEN "Emscripten",
+         *      the browser is managing the frequency instead.
+         * @see @ref setSwapInterval()
+         */
+        void setMinimalLoopPeriod(UnsignedInt milliseconds) {
+            _minimalLoopPeriod = milliseconds;
+        }
+
         /** @copydoc Sdl2Application::redraw() */
         void redraw();
 
@@ -753,6 +768,23 @@ class GlfwApplication {
          * @}
          */
 
+    protected:
+        /**
+         * @brief Tick event
+         *
+         * If implemented, this function is called periodically after
+         * processing all input events and before draw event even though there
+         * might be no input events and redraw is not requested. Useful e.g.
+         * for asynchronous task polling. Use @ref setMinimalLoopPeriod()/
+         * @ref setSwapInterval() to control main loop frequency.
+         *
+         * If this implementation gets called from its @cpp override @ce, it
+         * will effectively stop the tick event from being fired and the app
+         * returns back to waiting for input events. This can be used to
+         * disable the tick event when not needed.
+         */
+        virtual void tickEvent();
+
     private:
         enum class Flag: UnsignedByte;
         typedef Containers::EnumSet<Flag> Flags;
@@ -778,6 +810,7 @@ class GlfwApplication {
 
         Vector2 _dpiScaling;
         GLFWwindow* _window{nullptr};
+        UnsignedInt _minimalLoopPeriod;
         Flags _flags;
         #ifdef MAGNUM_TARGET_GL
         /* Has to be in an Optional because we delay-create it in a constructor