diff --git a/smack-tcp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/tcp/XMPPTCPConnection.java b/smack-tcp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/tcp/XMPPTCPConnection.java
index 940e88b11..13151600c 100644
--- a/smack-tcp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/tcp/XMPPTCPConnection.java
+++ b/smack-tcp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/tcp/XMPPTCPConnection.java
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ import org.jivesoftware.smack.tcp.sm.packet.StreamManagement.StreamManagementFea
 import org.jivesoftware.smack.tcp.sm.predicates.Predicate;
 import org.jivesoftware.smack.tcp.sm.provider.ParseStreamManagement;
 import org.jivesoftware.smack.util.ArrayBlockingQueueWithShutdown;
+import org.jivesoftware.smack.util.Async;
 import org.jivesoftware.smack.util.PacketParserUtils;
 import org.jivesoftware.smack.util.StringUtils;
 import org.jivesoftware.smack.util.TLSUtils;
@@ -1738,7 +1739,7 @@ public class XMPPTCPConnection extends AbstractXMPPConnection {
 
     private void processHandledCount(long handledCount) throws NotConnectedException {
         long ackedStanzasCount = SMUtils.calculateDelta(handledCount, serverHandledStanzasCount);
-        List<Packet> ackedStanzas = new ArrayList<Packet>(
+        final List<Packet> ackedStanzas = new ArrayList<Packet>(
                         handledCount <= Integer.MAX_VALUE ? (int) handledCount
                                         : Integer.MAX_VALUE);
         for (long i = 0; i < ackedStanzasCount; i++) {
@@ -1748,18 +1749,42 @@ public class XMPPTCPConnection extends AbstractXMPPConnection {
             assert(ackedStanza != null);
             ackedStanzas.add(ackedStanza);
         }
+
+        boolean atLeastOneStanzaIdAcknowledgedListener = false;
         for (Packet ackedStanza : ackedStanzas) {
-            for (PacketListener listener : stanzaAcknowledgedListeners) {
-                listener.processPacket(ackedStanza);
-            }
             String id = ackedStanza.getPacketID();
-            if (id != null) {
-                PacketListener listener = stanzaIdAcknowledgedListeners.remove(id);
-                if (listener != null) {
-                    listener.processPacket(ackedStanza);
-                }
+            if (id != null && stanzaAcknowledgedListeners.contains(id)) {
+                atLeastOneStanzaIdAcknowledgedListener = true;
+                break;
             }
         }
+
+        // Only spawn a new thread if there is a chance that some listener is invoked
+        if (atLeastOneStanzaIdAcknowledgedListener || !stanzaAcknowledgedListeners.isEmpty()) {
+            Async.go(new Runnable() {
+                @Override
+                public void run() {
+                    try {
+                        for (Packet ackedStanza : ackedStanzas) {
+                            for (PacketListener listener : stanzaAcknowledgedListeners) {
+                                listener.processPacket(ackedStanza);
+                            }
+                            String id = ackedStanza.getPacketID();
+                            if (id != null) {
+                                PacketListener listener = stanzaIdAcknowledgedListeners.remove(id);
+                                if (listener != null) {
+                                    listener.processPacket(ackedStanza);
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                    catch (NotConnectedException e) {
+                        LOGGER.log(Level.FINER, "Received not connected exception, aborting", e);
+                    }
+                }
+            }, "Stanza Acknowledged Listener Executor Thread " + handledCount + " (" + getConnectionCounter() + ')');
+        }
+
         serverHandledStanzasCount = handledCount;
     }
 }