diff --git a/pkg/util/workqueue/prometheus/prometheus.go b/pkg/util/workqueue/prometheus/prometheus.go
index 81b2cf4acf..6f5cf38f09 100644
--- a/pkg/util/workqueue/prometheus/prometheus.go
+++ b/pkg/util/workqueue/prometheus/prometheus.go
@@ -71,6 +71,30 @@ func (prometheusMetricsProvider) NewWorkDurationMetric(name string) workqueue.Su
 	return workDuration
 }
 
+func (prometheusMetricsProvider) NewUnfinishedWorkSecondsMetric(name string) workqueue.SettableGaugeMetric {
+	unfinished := prometheus.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
+		Subsystem: name,
+		Name:      "unfinished_work_seconds",
+		Help: "How many seconds of work " + name + " has done that " +
+			"is in progress and hasn't been observed by work_duration. Large " +
+			"values indicate stuck threads. One can deduce the number of stuck " +
+			"threads by observing the rate at which this increases.",
+	})
+	prometheus.Register(unfinished)
+	return unfinished
+}
+
+func (prometheusMetricsProvider) NewLongestRunningProcessorMicrosecondsMetric(name string) workqueue.SettableGaugeMetric {
+	unfinished := prometheus.NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
+		Subsystem: name,
+		Name:      "longest_running_processor_microseconds",
+		Help: "How many microseconds has the longest running " +
+			"processor for " + name + " been running.",
+	})
+	prometheus.Register(unfinished)
+	return unfinished
+}
+
 func (prometheusMetricsProvider) NewRetriesMetric(name string) workqueue.CounterMetric {
 	retries := prometheus.NewCounter(prometheus.CounterOpts{
 		Subsystem: name,
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/BUILD b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/BUILD
index c139977c1c..ff0e87a7c7 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/BUILD
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/BUILD
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ go_test(
     srcs = [
         "default_rate_limiters_test.go",
         "delaying_queue_test.go",
+        "metrics_test.go",
         "queue_test.go",
         "rate_limitting_queue_test.go",
     ],
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/metrics.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/metrics.go
index a481bdfb26..d4c03d8378 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/metrics.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/metrics.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ package workqueue
 import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
+
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/clock"
 )
 
 // This file provides abstractions for setting the provider (e.g., prometheus)
@@ -28,6 +30,7 @@ type queueMetrics interface {
 	add(item t)
 	get(item t)
 	done(item t)
+	updateUnfinishedWork()
 }
 
 // GaugeMetric represents a single numerical value that can arbitrarily go up
@@ -37,6 +40,12 @@ type GaugeMetric interface {
 	Dec()
 }
 
+// SettableGaugeMetric represents a single numerical value that can arbitrarily go up
+// and down. (Separate from GaugeMetric to preserve backwards compatibility.)
+type SettableGaugeMetric interface {
+	Set(float64)
+}
+
 // CounterMetric represents a single numerical value that only ever
 // goes up.
 type CounterMetric interface {
@@ -52,9 +61,13 @@ type noopMetric struct{}
 
 func (noopMetric) Inc()            {}
 func (noopMetric) Dec()            {}
+func (noopMetric) Set(float64)     {}
 func (noopMetric) Observe(float64) {}
 
+// defaultQueueMetrics expects the caller to lock before setting any metrics.
 type defaultQueueMetrics struct {
+	clock clock.Clock
+
 	// current depth of a workqueue
 	depth GaugeMetric
 	// total number of adds handled by a workqueue
@@ -65,6 +78,10 @@ type defaultQueueMetrics struct {
 	workDuration         SummaryMetric
 	addTimes             map[t]time.Time
 	processingStartTimes map[t]time.Time
+
+	// how long have current threads been working?
+	unfinishedWorkSeconds   SettableGaugeMetric
+	longestRunningProcessor SettableGaugeMetric
 }
 
 func (m *defaultQueueMetrics) add(item t) {
@@ -75,7 +92,7 @@ func (m *defaultQueueMetrics) add(item t) {
 	m.adds.Inc()
 	m.depth.Inc()
 	if _, exists := m.addTimes[item]; !exists {
-		m.addTimes[item] = time.Now()
+		m.addTimes[item] = m.clock.Now()
 	}
 }
 
@@ -85,9 +102,9 @@ func (m *defaultQueueMetrics) get(item t) {
 	}
 
 	m.depth.Dec()
-	m.processingStartTimes[item] = time.Now()
+	m.processingStartTimes[item] = m.clock.Now()
 	if startTime, exists := m.addTimes[item]; exists {
-		m.latency.Observe(sinceInMicroseconds(startTime))
+		m.latency.Observe(m.sinceInMicroseconds(startTime))
 		delete(m.addTimes, item)
 	}
 }
@@ -98,14 +115,39 @@ func (m *defaultQueueMetrics) done(item t) {
 	}
 
 	if startTime, exists := m.processingStartTimes[item]; exists {
-		m.workDuration.Observe(sinceInMicroseconds(startTime))
+		m.workDuration.Observe(m.sinceInMicroseconds(startTime))
 		delete(m.processingStartTimes, item)
 	}
 }
 
+func (m *defaultQueueMetrics) updateUnfinishedWork() {
+	// Note that a summary metric would be better for this, but prometheus
+	// doesn't seem to have non-hacky ways to reset the summary metrics.
+	var total float64
+	var oldest float64
+	for _, t := range m.processingStartTimes {
+		age := m.sinceInMicroseconds(t)
+		total += age
+		if age > oldest {
+			oldest = age
+		}
+	}
+	// Convert to seconds; microseconds is unhelpfully granular for this.
+	total /= 1000000
+	m.unfinishedWorkSeconds.Set(total)
+	m.longestRunningProcessor.Set(oldest) // in microseconds.
+}
+
+type noMetrics struct{}
+
+func (noMetrics) add(item t)            {}
+func (noMetrics) get(item t)            {}
+func (noMetrics) done(item t)           {}
+func (noMetrics) updateUnfinishedWork() {}
+
 // Gets the time since the specified start in microseconds.
-func sinceInMicroseconds(start time.Time) float64 {
-	return float64(time.Since(start).Nanoseconds() / time.Microsecond.Nanoseconds())
+func (m *defaultQueueMetrics) sinceInMicroseconds(start time.Time) float64 {
+	return float64(m.clock.Since(start).Nanoseconds() / time.Microsecond.Nanoseconds())
 }
 
 type retryMetrics interface {
@@ -130,6 +172,8 @@ type MetricsProvider interface {
 	NewAddsMetric(name string) CounterMetric
 	NewLatencyMetric(name string) SummaryMetric
 	NewWorkDurationMetric(name string) SummaryMetric
+	NewUnfinishedWorkSecondsMetric(name string) SettableGaugeMetric
+	NewLongestRunningProcessorMicrosecondsMetric(name string) SettableGaugeMetric
 	NewRetriesMetric(name string) CounterMetric
 }
 
@@ -151,29 +195,49 @@ func (_ noopMetricsProvider) NewWorkDurationMetric(name string) SummaryMetric {
 	return noopMetric{}
 }
 
+func (_ noopMetricsProvider) NewUnfinishedWorkSecondsMetric(name string) SettableGaugeMetric {
+	return noopMetric{}
+}
+
+func (_ noopMetricsProvider) NewLongestRunningProcessorMicrosecondsMetric(name string) SettableGaugeMetric {
+	return noopMetric{}
+}
+
 func (_ noopMetricsProvider) NewRetriesMetric(name string) CounterMetric {
 	return noopMetric{}
 }
 
-var metricsFactory = struct {
-	metricsProvider MetricsProvider
-	setProviders    sync.Once
-}{
+var globalMetricsFactory = queueMetricsFactory{
 	metricsProvider: noopMetricsProvider{},
 }
 
-func newQueueMetrics(name string) queueMetrics {
-	var ret *defaultQueueMetrics
-	if len(name) == 0 {
-		return ret
+type queueMetricsFactory struct {
+	metricsProvider MetricsProvider
+
+	onlyOnce sync.Once
+}
+
+func (f *queueMetricsFactory) setProvider(mp MetricsProvider) {
+	f.onlyOnce.Do(func() {
+		f.metricsProvider = mp
+	})
+}
+
+func (f *queueMetricsFactory) newQueueMetrics(name string, clock clock.Clock) queueMetrics {
+	mp := f.metricsProvider
+	if len(name) == 0 || mp == (noopMetricsProvider{}) {
+		return noMetrics{}
 	}
 	return &defaultQueueMetrics{
-		depth:                metricsFactory.metricsProvider.NewDepthMetric(name),
-		adds:                 metricsFactory.metricsProvider.NewAddsMetric(name),
-		latency:              metricsFactory.metricsProvider.NewLatencyMetric(name),
-		workDuration:         metricsFactory.metricsProvider.NewWorkDurationMetric(name),
-		addTimes:             map[t]time.Time{},
-		processingStartTimes: map[t]time.Time{},
+		clock:                   clock,
+		depth:                   mp.NewDepthMetric(name),
+		adds:                    mp.NewAddsMetric(name),
+		latency:                 mp.NewLatencyMetric(name),
+		workDuration:            mp.NewWorkDurationMetric(name),
+		unfinishedWorkSeconds:   mp.NewUnfinishedWorkSecondsMetric(name),
+		longestRunningProcessor: mp.NewLongestRunningProcessorMicrosecondsMetric(name),
+		addTimes:                map[t]time.Time{},
+		processingStartTimes:    map[t]time.Time{},
 	}
 }
 
@@ -183,13 +247,12 @@ func newRetryMetrics(name string) retryMetrics {
 		return ret
 	}
 	return &defaultRetryMetrics{
-		retries: metricsFactory.metricsProvider.NewRetriesMetric(name),
+		retries: globalMetricsFactory.metricsProvider.NewRetriesMetric(name),
 	}
 }
 
-// SetProvider sets the metrics provider of the metricsFactory.
+// SetProvider sets the metrics provider for all subsequently created work
+// queues. Only the first call has an effect.
 func SetProvider(metricsProvider MetricsProvider) {
-	metricsFactory.setProviders.Do(func() {
-		metricsFactory.metricsProvider = metricsProvider
-	})
+	globalMetricsFactory.setProvider(metricsProvider)
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/metrics_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/metrics_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..117f90801f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/metrics_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,293 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2018 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+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
+
+    http://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
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package workqueue
+
+import (
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/clock"
+)
+
+type testMetrics struct {
+	added, gotten, finished int64
+
+	updateCalled chan<- struct{}
+}
+
+func (m *testMetrics) add(item t)            { m.added++ }
+func (m *testMetrics) get(item t)            { m.gotten++ }
+func (m *testMetrics) done(item t)           { m.finished++ }
+func (m *testMetrics) updateUnfinishedWork() { m.updateCalled <- struct{}{} }
+
+func TestMetricShutdown(t *testing.T) {
+	ch := make(chan struct{})
+	m := &testMetrics{
+		updateCalled: ch,
+	}
+	c := clock.NewFakeClock(time.Now())
+	q := newQueue(c, m, time.Millisecond)
+	for !c.HasWaiters() {
+		// Wait for the go routine to call NewTicker()
+		time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
+	}
+
+	c.Step(time.Millisecond)
+	<-ch
+	q.ShutDown()
+
+	c.Step(time.Hour)
+	select {
+	default:
+		return
+	case <-ch:
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected update after shutdown was called.")
+	}
+}
+
+type testMetric struct {
+	inc int64
+	dec int64
+	set float64
+
+	observedValue float64
+	observedCount int
+
+	notifyCh chan<- struct{}
+
+	lock sync.Mutex
+}
+
+func (m *testMetric) Inc() {
+	m.lock.Lock()
+	defer m.lock.Unlock()
+	m.inc++
+	m.notify()
+}
+
+func (m *testMetric) Dec() {
+	m.lock.Lock()
+	defer m.lock.Unlock()
+	m.dec++
+	m.notify()
+}
+
+func (m *testMetric) Set(f float64) {
+	m.lock.Lock()
+	defer m.lock.Unlock()
+	m.set = f
+	m.notify()
+}
+
+func (m *testMetric) Observe(f float64) {
+	m.lock.Lock()
+	defer m.lock.Unlock()
+	m.observedValue = f
+	m.observedCount++
+	m.notify()
+}
+
+func (m *testMetric) gaugeValue() float64 {
+	m.lock.Lock()
+	defer m.lock.Unlock()
+	if m.set != 0 {
+		return m.set
+	}
+	return float64(m.inc - m.dec)
+}
+
+func (m *testMetric) observationValue() float64 {
+	m.lock.Lock()
+	defer m.lock.Unlock()
+	return m.observedValue
+}
+
+func (m *testMetric) observationCount() int {
+	m.lock.Lock()
+	defer m.lock.Unlock()
+	return m.observedCount
+}
+
+func (m *testMetric) notify() {
+	if m.notifyCh != nil {
+		m.notifyCh <- struct{}{}
+	}
+}
+
+type testMetricsProvider struct {
+	depth      testMetric
+	adds       testMetric
+	latency    testMetric
+	duration   testMetric
+	unfinished testMetric
+	longest    testMetric
+	retries    testMetric
+}
+
+func (m *testMetricsProvider) NewDepthMetric(name string) GaugeMetric {
+	return &m.depth
+}
+
+func (m *testMetricsProvider) NewAddsMetric(name string) CounterMetric {
+	return &m.adds
+}
+
+func (m *testMetricsProvider) NewLatencyMetric(name string) SummaryMetric {
+	return &m.latency
+}
+
+func (m *testMetricsProvider) NewWorkDurationMetric(name string) SummaryMetric {
+	return &m.duration
+}
+
+func (m *testMetricsProvider) NewUnfinishedWorkSecondsMetric(name string) SettableGaugeMetric {
+	return &m.unfinished
+}
+
+func (m *testMetricsProvider) NewLongestRunningProcessorMicrosecondsMetric(name string) SettableGaugeMetric {
+	return &m.longest
+}
+
+func (m *testMetricsProvider) NewRetriesMetric(name string) CounterMetric {
+	return &m.retries
+}
+
+func TestSinceInMicroseconds(t *testing.T) {
+	mp := testMetricsProvider{}
+	c := clock.NewFakeClock(time.Now())
+	mf := queueMetricsFactory{metricsProvider: &mp}
+	m := mf.newQueueMetrics("test", c)
+	dqm := m.(*defaultQueueMetrics)
+
+	for _, i := range []int{1, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000} {
+		n := c.Now()
+		c.Step(time.Duration(i) * time.Microsecond)
+		if e, a := float64(i), dqm.sinceInMicroseconds(n); e != a {
+			t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMetrics(t *testing.T) {
+	mp := testMetricsProvider{}
+	t0 := time.Unix(0, 0)
+	c := clock.NewFakeClock(t0)
+	mf := queueMetricsFactory{metricsProvider: &mp}
+	m := mf.newQueueMetrics("test", c)
+	q := newQueue(c, m, time.Millisecond)
+	defer q.ShutDown()
+	for !c.HasWaiters() {
+		// Wait for the go routine to call NewTicker()
+		time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
+	}
+
+	q.Add("foo")
+	if e, a := 1.0, mp.adds.gaugeValue(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+
+	if e, a := 1.0, mp.depth.gaugeValue(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+
+	c.Step(50 * time.Microsecond)
+
+	// Start processing
+	i, _ := q.Get()
+	if i != "foo" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", "foo", i)
+	}
+
+	if e, a := 50.0, mp.latency.observationValue(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+	if e, a := 1, mp.latency.observationCount(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+	if e, a := 0.0, mp.depth.gaugeValue(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+
+	// Add it back while processing; multiple adds of the same item are
+	// de-duped.
+	q.Add(i)
+	q.Add(i)
+	q.Add(i)
+	q.Add(i)
+	q.Add(i)
+	if e, a := 2.0, mp.adds.gaugeValue(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+	// One thing remains in the queue
+	if e, a := 1.0, mp.depth.gaugeValue(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+
+	c.Step(25 * time.Microsecond)
+
+	// Finish it up
+	q.Done(i)
+
+	if e, a := 25.0, mp.duration.observationValue(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+	if e, a := 1, mp.duration.observationCount(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+
+	// One thing remains in the queue
+	if e, a := 1.0, mp.depth.gaugeValue(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+
+	// It should be back on the queue
+	i, _ = q.Get()
+	if i != "foo" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", "foo", i)
+	}
+
+	if e, a := 25.0, mp.latency.observationValue(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+	if e, a := 2, mp.latency.observationCount(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+
+	// use a channel to ensure we don't look at the metric before it's
+	// been set.
+	ch := make(chan struct{}, 1)
+	mp.unfinished.notifyCh = ch
+	c.Step(time.Millisecond)
+	<-ch
+	mp.unfinished.notifyCh = nil
+	if e, a := .001, mp.unfinished.gaugeValue(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+	if e, a := 1000.0, mp.longest.gaugeValue(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+
+	// Finish that one up
+	q.Done(i)
+	if e, a := 1000.0, mp.duration.observationValue(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+	if e, a := 2, mp.duration.observationCount(); e != a {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/queue.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/queue.go
index dc9a7cc7b7..39009b8e79 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/queue.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue/queue.go
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ package workqueue
 
 import (
 	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/clock"
 )
 
 type Interface interface {
@@ -35,14 +38,29 @@ func New() *Type {
 }
 
 func NewNamed(name string) *Type {
-	return &Type{
-		dirty:      set{},
-		processing: set{},
-		cond:       sync.NewCond(&sync.Mutex{}),
-		metrics:    newQueueMetrics(name),
-	}
+	rc := clock.RealClock{}
+	return newQueue(
+		rc,
+		globalMetricsFactory.newQueueMetrics(name, rc),
+		defaultUnfinishedWorkUpdatePeriod,
+	)
 }
 
+func newQueue(c clock.Clock, metrics queueMetrics, updatePeriod time.Duration) *Type {
+	t := &Type{
+		clock:                      c,
+		dirty:                      set{},
+		processing:                 set{},
+		cond:                       sync.NewCond(&sync.Mutex{}),
+		metrics:                    metrics,
+		unfinishedWorkUpdatePeriod: updatePeriod,
+	}
+	go t.updateUnfinishedWorkLoop()
+	return t
+}
+
+const defaultUnfinishedWorkUpdatePeriod = 500 * time.Millisecond
+
 // Type is a work queue (see the package comment).
 type Type struct {
 	// queue defines the order in which we will work on items. Every
@@ -64,6 +82,9 @@ type Type struct {
 	shuttingDown bool
 
 	metrics queueMetrics
+
+	unfinishedWorkUpdatePeriod time.Duration
+	clock                      clock.Clock
 }
 
 type empty struct{}
@@ -170,3 +191,22 @@ func (q *Type) ShuttingDown() bool {
 
 	return q.shuttingDown
 }
+
+func (q *Type) updateUnfinishedWorkLoop() {
+	t := q.clock.NewTicker(q.unfinishedWorkUpdatePeriod)
+	defer t.Stop()
+	for range t.C() {
+		if !func() bool {
+			q.cond.L.Lock()
+			defer q.cond.L.Unlock()
+			if !q.shuttingDown {
+				q.metrics.updateUnfinishedWork()
+				return true
+			}
+			return false
+
+		}() {
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}