diff --git a/src/model/index_counter.rs b/src/model/index_counter.rs
index 36e8172b..4318a064 100644
--- a/src/model/index_counter.rs
+++ b/src/model/index_counter.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use std::marker::PhantomData;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::time::Duration;
 
+use async_trait::async_trait;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use tokio::sync::{mpsc, watch};
 
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ use garage_db as db;
 
 use garage_rpc::ring::Ring;
 use garage_rpc::system::System;
+use garage_util::background::*;
 use garage_util::data::*;
 use garage_util::error::*;
 use garage_util::time::*;
@@ -171,11 +173,13 @@ impl<T: CountedItem> IndexCounter<T> {
 			),
 		});
 
-		let this2 = this.clone();
-		background.spawn_worker(
-			format!("{} index counter propagator", T::COUNTER_TABLE_NAME),
-			move |must_exit| this2.clone().propagate_loop(propagate_rx, must_exit),
-		);
+		background.spawn_worker(IndexPropagatorWorker {
+			index_counter: this.clone(),
+			propagate_rx,
+			buf: HashMap::new(),
+			errors: 0,
+		});
+
 		this
 	}
 
@@ -239,68 +243,6 @@ impl<T: CountedItem> IndexCounter<T> {
 		Ok(())
 	}
 
-	async fn propagate_loop(
-		self: Arc<Self>,
-		mut propagate_rx: mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<(T::CP, T::CS, LocalCounterEntry<T>)>,
-		must_exit: watch::Receiver<bool>,
-	) {
-		// This loop batches updates to counters to be sent all at once.
-		// They are sent once the propagate_rx channel has been emptied (or is closed).
-		let mut buf = HashMap::new();
-		let mut errors = 0;
-
-		loop {
-			let (ent, closed) = match propagate_rx.try_recv() {
-				Ok(ent) => (Some(ent), false),
-				Err(mpsc::error::TryRecvError::Empty) if buf.is_empty() => {
-					match propagate_rx.recv().await {
-						Some(ent) => (Some(ent), false),
-						None => (None, true),
-					}
-				}
-				Err(mpsc::error::TryRecvError::Empty) => (None, false),
-				Err(mpsc::error::TryRecvError::Disconnected) => (None, true),
-			};
-
-			if let Some((pk, sk, counters)) = ent {
-				let tree_key = self.table.data.tree_key(&pk, &sk);
-				let dist_entry = counters.into_counter_entry(self.this_node);
-				match buf.entry(tree_key) {
-					hash_map::Entry::Vacant(e) => {
-						e.insert(dist_entry);
-					}
-					hash_map::Entry::Occupied(mut e) => {
-						e.get_mut().merge(&dist_entry);
-					}
-				}
-				// As long as we can add entries, loop back and add them to batch
-				// before sending batch to other nodes
-				continue;
-			}
-
-			if !buf.is_empty() {
-				let entries = buf.iter().map(|(_k, v)| v);
-				if let Err(e) = self.table.insert_many(entries).await {
-					errors += 1;
-					if errors >= 2 && *must_exit.borrow() {
-						error!("({}) Could not propagate {} counter values: {}, these counters will not be updated correctly.", T::COUNTER_TABLE_NAME, buf.len(), e);
-						break;
-					}
-					warn!("({}) Could not propagate {} counter values: {}, retrying in 5 seconds (retry #{})", T::COUNTER_TABLE_NAME, buf.len(), e, errors);
-					tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_secs(5)).await;
-					continue;
-				}
-
-				buf.clear();
-				errors = 0;
-			}
-
-			if closed || *must_exit.borrow() {
-				break;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
 	pub fn offline_recount_all<TS, TR>(
 		&self,
 		counted_table: &Arc<Table<TS, TR>>,
@@ -437,6 +379,86 @@ impl<T: CountedItem> IndexCounter<T> {
 	}
 }
 
+struct IndexPropagatorWorker<T: CountedItem> {
+	index_counter: Arc<IndexCounter<T>>,
+	propagate_rx: mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<(T::CP, T::CS, LocalCounterEntry<T>)>,
+
+	buf: HashMap<Vec<u8>, CounterEntry<T>>,
+	errors: usize,
+}
+
+impl<T: CountedItem> IndexPropagatorWorker<T> {
+	fn add_ent(&mut self, pk: T::CP, sk: T::CS, counters: LocalCounterEntry<T>) {
+		let tree_key = self.index_counter.table.data.tree_key(&pk, &sk);
+		let dist_entry = counters.into_counter_entry(self.index_counter.this_node);
+		match self.buf.entry(tree_key) {
+			hash_map::Entry::Vacant(e) => {
+				e.insert(dist_entry);
+			}
+			hash_map::Entry::Occupied(mut e) => {
+				e.get_mut().merge(&dist_entry);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+#[async_trait]
+impl<T: CountedItem> Worker for IndexPropagatorWorker<T> {
+	fn name(&self) -> String {
+		format!("{} index counter propagator", T::COUNTER_TABLE_NAME)
+	}
+
+	async fn work(&mut self, must_exit: &mut watch::Receiver<bool>) -> Result<WorkerStatus, Error> {
+		// This loop batches updates to counters to be sent all at once.
+		// They are sent once the propagate_rx channel has been emptied (or is closed).
+		let closed = loop {
+			match self.propagate_rx.try_recv() {
+				Ok((pk, sk, counters)) => {
+					self.add_ent(pk, sk, counters);
+				}
+				Err(mpsc::error::TryRecvError::Empty) => break false,
+				Err(mpsc::error::TryRecvError::Disconnected) => break true,
+			}
+		};
+
+		if !self.buf.is_empty() {
+			let entries = self.buf.iter().map(|(_k, v)| v);
+			if let Err(e) = self.index_counter.table.insert_many(entries).await {
+				self.errors += 1;
+				if self.errors >= 2 && *must_exit.borrow() {
+					error!("({}) Could not propagate {} counter values: {}, these counters will not be updated correctly.", T::COUNTER_TABLE_NAME, self.buf.len(), e);
+					return Ok(WorkerStatus::Done);
+				}
+				warn!("({}) Could not propagate {} counter values: {}, retrying in 5 seconds (retry #{})", T::COUNTER_TABLE_NAME, self.buf.len(), e, self.errors);
+				tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_secs(5)).await;
+				return Ok(WorkerStatus::Busy);
+			} else {
+				self.buf.clear();
+				self.errors = 0;
+			}
+
+			return Ok(WorkerStatus::Busy);
+		} else if closed {
+			return Ok(WorkerStatus::Done);
+		} else {
+			return Ok(WorkerStatus::Idle);
+		}
+	}
+
+	async fn wait_for_work(&mut self, _must_exit: &watch::Receiver<bool>) -> WorkerStatus {
+		match self.propagate_rx.recv().await {
+			Some((pk, sk, counters)) => {
+				self.add_ent(pk, sk, counters);
+				WorkerStatus::Busy
+			}
+			None => match self.buf.is_empty() {
+				false => WorkerStatus::Busy,
+				true => WorkerStatus::Done,
+			},
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 #[derive(PartialEq, Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 struct LocalCounterEntry<T: CountedItem> {
 	pk: T::CP,