diff --git a/pubsublite/internal/wire/periodic_task.go b/pubsublite/internal/wire/periodic_task.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4b5810b5755
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pubsublite/internal/wire/periodic_task.go
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+// Copyright 2020 Google LLC
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+
+package wire
+
+import (
+	"time"
+)
+
+// periodicTask manages a recurring background task.
+type periodicTask struct {
+	period time.Duration
+	task   func()
+	ticker *time.Ticker
+	stop   chan struct{}
+}
+
+func newPeriodicTask(period time.Duration, task func()) *periodicTask {
+	return &periodicTask{
+		period: period,
+		task:   task,
+	}
+}
+
+// Start the polling goroutine. No-op if the goroutine is already running.
+// The task is executed after the polling period.
+func (pt *periodicTask) Start() {
+	if pt.ticker != nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	pt.ticker = time.NewTicker(pt.period)
+	pt.stop = make(chan struct{})
+	go pt.poll(pt.ticker, pt.stop)
+}
+
+// Stop/pause the periodic task.
+func (pt *periodicTask) Stop() {
+	if pt.ticker == nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	pt.ticker.Stop()
+	close(pt.stop)
+
+	pt.ticker = nil
+	pt.stop = nil
+}
+
+func (pt *periodicTask) poll(ticker *time.Ticker, stop chan struct{}) {
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-stop:
+			// Ends the goroutine.
+			return
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			pt.task()
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pubsublite/internal/wire/periodic_task_test.go b/pubsublite/internal/wire/periodic_task_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c3b04ab44b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pubsublite/internal/wire/periodic_task_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+// Copyright 2020 Google LLC
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+
+package wire
+
+import (
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func TestPeriodicTask(t *testing.T) {
+	var callCount int32
+	values := make(chan int32)
+	task := func() {
+		values <- atomic.AddInt32(&callCount, 1)
+	}
+	ptask := newPeriodicTask(10*time.Millisecond, task)
+
+	t.Run("Start1", func(t *testing.T) {
+		ptask.Start()
+		ptask.Start() // Tests duplicate start
+
+		if got, want := <-values, int32(1); got != want {
+			t.Errorf("got %d, want %d", got, want)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("Stop1", func(t *testing.T) {
+		ptask.Stop()
+		ptask.Stop() // Tests duplicate stop
+
+		select {
+		case got := <-values:
+			t.Errorf("got unexpected value %d", got)
+		default:
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("Start2", func(t *testing.T) {
+		ptask.Start()
+
+		if got, want := <-values, int32(2); got != want {
+			t.Errorf("got %d, want %d", got, want)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("Stop2", func(t *testing.T) {
+		ptask.Stop()
+
+		select {
+		case got := <-values:
+			t.Errorf("got unexpected value %d", got)
+		default:
+		}
+	})
+}