diff --git a/include/PowerMeterSerialSdm.h b/include/PowerMeterSerialSdm.h
index 56a52e6e..5e91bd4d 100644
--- a/include/PowerMeterSerialSdm.h
+++ b/include/PowerMeterSerialSdm.h
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 #pragma once
 
+#include <atomic>
 #include <mutex>
+#include <condition_variable>
 #include "Configuration.h"
 #include "PowerMeterProvider.h"
 #include "SDM.h"
@@ -20,16 +22,20 @@ public:
     ~PowerMeterSerialSdm();
 
     bool init() final;
-    void loop() final;
+    void loop() final { } // polling is performed asynchronously
     float getPowerTotal() const final;
     bool isDataValid() const final;
     void doMqttPublish() const final;
 
 private:
+    static void pollingLoopHelper(void* context);
+    std::atomic<bool> _taskDone;
+    void pollingLoop();
+
     Phases _phases;
     PowerMeterSerialSdmConfig const _cfg;
 
-    uint32_t _lastPoll;
+    uint32_t _lastPoll = 0;
 
     float _phase1Power = 0.0;
     float _phase2Power = 0.0;
@@ -40,9 +46,14 @@ private:
     float _energyImport = 0.0;
     float _energyExport = 0.0;
 
-    mutable std::mutex _mutex;
+    mutable std::mutex _valueMutex;
 
     static char constexpr _sdmSerialPortOwner[] = "SDM power meter";
     std::unique_ptr<HardwareSerial> _upSdmSerial = nullptr;
     std::unique_ptr<SDM> _upSdm = nullptr;
+
+    TaskHandle_t _taskHandle = nullptr;
+    bool _stopPolling;
+    mutable std::mutex _pollingMutex;
+    std::condition_variable _cv;
 };
diff --git a/src/PowerMeterSerialSdm.cpp b/src/PowerMeterSerialSdm.cpp
index 3c9941f6..6901e079 100644
--- a/src/PowerMeterSerialSdm.cpp
+++ b/src/PowerMeterSerialSdm.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,19 @@
 
 PowerMeterSerialSdm::~PowerMeterSerialSdm()
 {
+    _taskDone = false;
+
+    std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(_pollingMutex);
+    _stopPolling = true;
+    lock.unlock();
+
+    _cv.notify_all();
+
+    if (_taskHandle != nullptr) {
+        while (!_taskDone) { delay(10); }
+        _taskHandle = nullptr;
+    }
+
     if (_upSdmSerial) {
         _upSdmSerial->end();
         _upSdmSerial = nullptr;
@@ -34,12 +47,20 @@ bool PowerMeterSerialSdm::init()
             SERIAL_8N1, pin.powermeter_rx, pin.powermeter_tx);
     _upSdm->begin();
 
+    std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(_pollingMutex);
+    _stopPolling = false;
+    lock.unlock();
+
+    uint32_t constexpr stackSize = 3072;
+    xTaskCreate(PowerMeterSerialSdm::pollingLoopHelper, "PM:SDM",
+            stackSize, this, 1/*prio*/, &_taskHandle);
+
     return true;
 }
 
 float PowerMeterSerialSdm::getPowerTotal() const
 {
-    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> l(_mutex);
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> l(_valueMutex);
     return _phase1Power + _phase2Power + _phase3Power;
 }
 
@@ -51,7 +72,7 @@ bool PowerMeterSerialSdm::isDataValid() const
 
 void PowerMeterSerialSdm::doMqttPublish() const
 {
-    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> l(_mutex);
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> l(_valueMutex);
     mqttPublish("power1", _phase1Power);
     mqttPublish("power2", _phase2Power);
     mqttPublish("power3", _phase3Power);
@@ -62,50 +83,65 @@ void PowerMeterSerialSdm::doMqttPublish() const
     mqttPublish("export", _energyExport);
 }
 
-void PowerMeterSerialSdm::loop()
+void PowerMeterSerialSdm::pollingLoopHelper(void* context)
 {
-    if (!_upSdm) { return; }
-
-    if ((millis() - _lastPoll) < (_cfg.PollingInterval * 1000)) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    uint8_t addr = _cfg.Address;
-
-    // reading takes a "very long" time as each readVal() is a synchronous
-    // exchange of serial messages. cache the values and write later to
-    // enforce consistent values.
-    float phase1Power = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_PHASE_1_POWER, addr);
-    float phase2Power = 0.0;
-    float phase3Power = 0.0;
-    float phase1Voltage = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_PHASE_1_VOLTAGE, addr);
-    float phase2Voltage = 0.0;
-    float phase3Voltage = 0.0;
-    float energyImport = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_IMPORT_ACTIVE_ENERGY, addr);
-    float energyExport = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_EXPORT_ACTIVE_ENERGY, addr);
-
-    if (_phases == Phases::Three) {
-        phase2Power = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_PHASE_2_POWER, addr);
-        phase3Power = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_PHASE_3_POWER, addr);
-        phase2Voltage = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_PHASE_2_VOLTAGE, addr);
-        phase3Voltage = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_PHASE_3_VOLTAGE, addr);
-    }
-
-    {
-        std::lock_guard<std::mutex> l(_mutex);
-        _phase1Power = static_cast<float>(phase1Power);
-        _phase2Power = static_cast<float>(phase2Power);
-        _phase3Power = static_cast<float>(phase3Power);
-        _phase1Voltage = static_cast<float>(phase1Voltage);
-        _phase2Voltage = static_cast<float>(phase2Voltage);
-        _phase3Voltage = static_cast<float>(phase3Voltage);
-        _energyImport = static_cast<float>(energyImport);
-        _energyExport = static_cast<float>(energyExport);
-    }
-
-    gotUpdate();
-
-    MessageOutput.printf("[PowerMeterSerialSdm] TotalPower: %5.2f\r\n", getPowerTotal());
-
-    _lastPoll = millis();
+    auto pInstance = static_cast<PowerMeterSerialSdm*>(context);
+    pInstance->pollingLoop();
+    pInstance->_taskDone = true;
+    vTaskDelete(nullptr);
+}
+
+void PowerMeterSerialSdm::pollingLoop()
+{
+    std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(_pollingMutex);
+
+    while (!_stopPolling) {
+        auto elapsedMillis = millis() - _lastPoll;
+        auto intervalMillis = _cfg.PollingInterval * 1000;
+        if (_lastPoll > 0 && elapsedMillis < intervalMillis) {
+            auto sleepMs = intervalMillis - elapsedMillis;
+            _cv.wait_for(lock, std::chrono::milliseconds(sleepMs),
+                    [this] { return _stopPolling; }); // releases the mutex
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        _lastPoll = millis();
+
+        uint8_t addr = _cfg.Address;
+
+        // reading takes a "very long" time as each readVal() is a synchronous
+        // exchange of serial messages. cache the values and write later to
+        // enforce consistent values.
+        float phase1Power = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_PHASE_1_POWER, addr);
+        float phase2Power = 0.0;
+        float phase3Power = 0.0;
+        float phase1Voltage = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_PHASE_1_VOLTAGE, addr);
+        float phase2Voltage = 0.0;
+        float phase3Voltage = 0.0;
+        float energyImport = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_IMPORT_ACTIVE_ENERGY, addr);
+        float energyExport = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_EXPORT_ACTIVE_ENERGY, addr);
+
+        if (_phases == Phases::Three) {
+            phase2Power = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_PHASE_2_POWER, addr);
+            phase3Power = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_PHASE_3_POWER, addr);
+            phase2Voltage = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_PHASE_2_VOLTAGE, addr);
+            phase3Voltage = _upSdm->readVal(SDM_PHASE_3_VOLTAGE, addr);
+        }
+
+        {
+            std::lock_guard<std::mutex> l(_valueMutex);
+            _phase1Power = static_cast<float>(phase1Power);
+            _phase2Power = static_cast<float>(phase2Power);
+            _phase3Power = static_cast<float>(phase3Power);
+            _phase1Voltage = static_cast<float>(phase1Voltage);
+            _phase2Voltage = static_cast<float>(phase2Voltage);
+            _phase3Voltage = static_cast<float>(phase3Voltage);
+            _energyImport = static_cast<float>(energyImport);
+            _energyExport = static_cast<float>(energyExport);
+        }
+
+        MessageOutput.printf("[PowerMeterSerialSdm] TotalPower: %5.2f\r\n", getPowerTotal());
+
+        gotUpdate();
+    }
 }