diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 14f8c930..15b1f1c4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,25 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [v4.6.0](https://github.com/bensheldon/good_job/tree/v4.6.0) (2024-12-12)
+
+[Full Changelog](https://github.com/bensheldon/good_job/compare/v4.5.1...v4.6.0)
+
+**Implemented enhancements:**
+
+- Set job execution thread priority to `-3` when in async mode [\#1560](https://github.com/bensheldon/good_job/pull/1560) ([bensheldon](https://github.com/bensheldon))
+
+**Closed issues:**
+
+- Attaching metadata to jobs [\#1558](https://github.com/bensheldon/good_job/issues/1558)
+- Lower Ruby Thread priority for jobs by default when running in Async mode [\#1554](https://github.com/bensheldon/good_job/issues/1554)
+- NoMethodError:  undefined method `\<' for nil \(process.rb:125 in stale?\) [\#1363](https://github.com/bensheldon/good_job/issues/1363)
+- Install PgHero on the Demo app [\#1166](https://github.com/bensheldon/good_job/issues/1166)
+
+**Merged pull requests:**
+
+- Bump rails-html-sanitizer from 1.6.0 to 1.6.1 [\#1557](https://github.com/bensheldon/good_job/pull/1557) ([dependabot[bot]](https://github.com/apps/dependabot))
+- Add PGHero to the demo app [\#1294](https://github.com/bensheldon/good_job/pull/1294) ([mec](https://github.com/mec))
+
 ## [v4.5.1](https://github.com/bensheldon/good_job/tree/v4.5.1) (2024-11-29)
 
 [Full Changelog](https://github.com/bensheldon/good_job/compare/v4.5.0...v4.5.1)
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index ff0d62b9..4e029d21 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 PATH
   remote: .
   specs:
-    good_job (4.5.1)
+    good_job (4.6.0)
       activejob (>= 6.1.0)
       activerecord (>= 6.1.0)
       concurrent-ruby (>= 1.3.1)
diff --git a/checksums/good_job-4.6.0.gem.sha256 b/checksums/good_job-4.6.0.gem.sha256
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b9a9f6a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checksums/good_job-4.6.0.gem.sha256
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+a5287e96f2d756199107954a1621e2c1ab3fd6cc6f6a7021ae8cd5e9773d264a
diff --git a/checksums/good_job-4.6.0.gem.sha512 b/checksums/good_job-4.6.0.gem.sha512
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f8fab802
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checksums/good_job-4.6.0.gem.sha512
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+5057a9bf9bc45c8462e4ff90a14c13e6e15fedf553ba53ef3964de96fdf65061cbe57a269c359268d9f53f0ceafceaeba2a6c2623ff10fc98b8b0db5f93b31c4
diff --git a/lib/good_job/adapter.rb b/lib/good_job/adapter.rb
index 9f4cb47a..bd593f5c 100644
--- a/lib/good_job/adapter.rb
+++ b/lib/good_job/adapter.rb
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ def start_async
       return unless execute_async?
 
       @capsule.start
+      @capsule.lower_thread_priority = true if GoodJob.configuration.lower_thread_priority.in?([true, nil])
       @_async_started = true
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/good_job/capsule.rb b/lib/good_job/capsule.rb
index afa82a2b..86302a98 100644
--- a/lib/good_job/capsule.rb
+++ b/lib/good_job/capsule.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ def initialize(configuration: nil)
 
       @shared_executor = GoodJob::SharedExecutor.new
       @tracker = GoodJob::CapsuleTracker.new(executor: @shared_executor)
+      @lower_thread_priority = nil
 
       self.class.instances << self
     end
@@ -38,7 +39,9 @@ def start(force: false)
 
         @notifier = GoodJob::Notifier.new(enable_listening: configuration.enable_listen_notify, capsule: self, executor: @shared_executor)
         @poller = GoodJob::Poller.new(poll_interval: configuration.poll_interval)
-        @multi_scheduler = GoodJob::MultiScheduler.from_configuration(configuration, capsule: self, warm_cache_on_initialize: true)
+        @multi_scheduler = GoodJob::MultiScheduler.from_configuration(configuration, capsule: self, warm_cache_on_initialize: true).tap do |multischeduler|
+          multischeduler.lower_thread_priority = @lower_thread_priority unless @lower_thread_priority.nil?
+        end
         @notifier.recipients.push([@multi_scheduler, :create_thread])
         @poller.recipients.push(-> { @multi_scheduler.create_thread({ fanout: true }) })
 
@@ -110,6 +113,11 @@ def process_id
       @tracker.process_id
     end
 
+    def lower_thread_priority=(value)
+      @lower_thread_priority = value
+      @multi_scheduler&.lower_thread_priority = value
+    end
+
     private
 
     def configuration
diff --git a/lib/good_job/configuration.rb b/lib/good_job/configuration.rb
index a0019c87..65ca7d66 100644
--- a/lib/good_job/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/good_job/configuration.rb
@@ -383,6 +383,14 @@ def in_webserver?
       end || false
     end
 
+    def lower_thread_priority
+      return options[:lower_thread_priority] unless options[:lower_thread_priority].nil?
+      return rails_config[:lower_thread_priority] unless rails_config[:lower_thread_priority].nil?
+      return ActiveModel::Type::Boolean.new.cast(env['GOOD_JOB_LOWER_THREAD_PRIORITY']) unless env['GOOD_JOB_LOWER_THREAD_PRIORITY'].nil?
+
+      nil
+    end
+
     # Whether to take an advisory lock on the process record in the notifier reactor.
     # @return [Boolean]
     def advisory_lock_heartbeat
diff --git a/lib/good_job/multi_scheduler.rb b/lib/good_job/multi_scheduler.rb
index f0815c10..a5440587 100644
--- a/lib/good_job/multi_scheduler.rb
+++ b/lib/good_job/multi_scheduler.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ def self.from_configuration(configuration, capsule: GoodJob.capsule, warm_cache_
           max_cache: configuration.max_cache,
           warm_cache_on_initialize: warm_cache_on_initialize,
           cleanup_interval_seconds: configuration.cleanup_interval_seconds,
-          cleanup_interval_jobs: configuration.cleanup_interval_jobs
+          cleanup_interval_jobs: configuration.cleanup_interval_jobs,
+          lower_thread_priority: configuration.lower_thread_priority
         )
       end
 
@@ -85,6 +86,12 @@ def create_thread(state = nil)
       end
     end
 
+    def lower_thread_priority=(value)
+      schedulers.each do |scheduler|
+        scheduler.lower_thread_priority = value
+      end
+    end
+
     def stats
       scheduler_stats = schedulers.map(&:stats)
 
diff --git a/lib/good_job/scheduler.rb b/lib/good_job/scheduler.rb
index 9af6b1ca..32ad6d13 100644
--- a/lib/good_job/scheduler.rb
+++ b/lib/good_job/scheduler.rb
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ class Scheduler
       fallback_policy: :discard,
     }.freeze
 
+    # In CRuby, this sets the thread quantum to ~12.5ms ( 100ms * 2^(-3) ).
+    LOW_THREAD_PRIORITY = -3
+
     # @!attribute [r] instances
     #   @!scope class
     #   List of all instantiated Schedulers in the current process.
@@ -39,13 +42,18 @@ class Scheduler
     # @return [String]
     attr_reader :name
 
+    # Whether to lower the thread priority to a fixed value
+    # @return [Boolean]
+    attr_accessor :lower_thread_priority
+
     # @param performer [GoodJob::JobPerformer]
     # @param max_threads [Numeric, nil] number of seconds between polls for jobs
     # @param max_cache [Numeric, nil] maximum number of scheduled jobs to cache in memory
     # @param warm_cache_on_initialize [Boolean] whether to warm the cache immediately, or manually by calling +warm_cache+
     # @param cleanup_interval_seconds [Numeric, nil] number of seconds between cleaning up job records
     # @param cleanup_interval_jobs [Numeric, nil] number of executed jobs between cleaning up job records
-    def initialize(performer, max_threads: nil, max_cache: nil, warm_cache_on_initialize: false, cleanup_interval_seconds: nil, cleanup_interval_jobs: nil)
+    # @param lower_thread_priority [Boolean] whether to lower the thread priority of execution threads
+    def initialize(performer, max_threads: nil, max_cache: nil, warm_cache_on_initialize: false, cleanup_interval_seconds: nil, cleanup_interval_jobs: nil, lower_thread_priority: false)
       raise ArgumentError, "Performer argument must implement #next" unless performer.respond_to?(:next)
 
       @performer = performer
@@ -62,6 +70,8 @@ def initialize(performer, max_threads: nil, max_cache: nil, warm_cache_on_initia
       @cleanup_tracker = CleanupTracker.new(cleanup_interval_seconds: cleanup_interval_seconds, cleanup_interval_jobs: cleanup_interval_jobs)
       @executor_options[:name] = name
 
+      self.lower_thread_priority = lower_thread_priority
+
       create_executor
       warm_cache if warm_cache_on_initialize
       self.class.instances << self
@@ -271,6 +281,7 @@ def create_task(delay = 0, fanout: false)
       future = Concurrent::ScheduledTask.new(delay, args: [self, performer], executor: executor, timer_set: timer_set) do |thr_scheduler, thr_performer|
         Thread.current.name = Thread.current.name.sub("-worker-", "-thread-") if Thread.current.name
         Thread.current[:good_job_scheduler] = thr_scheduler
+        Thread.current.priority = -3 if thr_scheduler.lower_thread_priority
 
         Rails.application.reloader.wrap do
           thr_performer.next do |found|
diff --git a/lib/good_job/version.rb b/lib/good_job/version.rb
index 3a110dee..1b90335b 100644
--- a/lib/good_job/version.rb
+++ b/lib/good_job/version.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 module GoodJob
   # GoodJob gem version.
-  VERSION = '4.5.1'
+  VERSION = '4.6.0'
 
   # GoodJob version as Gem::Version object
   GEM_VERSION = Gem::Version.new(VERSION)
diff --git a/spec/lib/good_job/adapter_spec.rb b/spec/lib/good_job/adapter_spec.rb
index 6d392949..a0312d83 100644
--- a/spec/lib/good_job/adapter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/good_job/adapter_spec.rb
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def perform(succeed: true)
         allow(GoodJob::Job).to receive(:enqueue).and_return(good_job)
         allow(GoodJob::Notifier).to receive(:notify)
 
-        capsule = instance_double(GoodJob::Capsule, start: nil, create_thread: nil)
+        capsule = instance_double(GoodJob::Capsule, start: nil, create_thread: nil, "lower_thread_priority=": nil)
         allow(GoodJob).to receive(:capsule).and_return(capsule)
         allow(capsule).to receive(:start)
 
@@ -99,6 +99,16 @@ def perform(succeed: true)
         expect(capsule).to have_received(:create_thread)
         expect(GoodJob::Notifier).to have_received(:notify).with({ queue_name: 'default' })
       end
+
+      it 'lowers the thread priority of the capsule' do
+        capsule = instance_double(GoodJob::Capsule, start: nil, create_thread: nil, "lower_thread_priority=": nil)
+        allow(GoodJob).to receive(:capsule).and_return(capsule)
+        allow(capsule).to receive(:start)
+
+        described_class.new(execution_mode: :async_all)
+
+        expect(capsule).to have_received(:lower_thread_priority=).with(true)
+      end
     end
   end