diff --git a/tokio/src/blocking.rs b/tokio/src/blocking.rs
index f88b1db11cc..f172399d5ef 100644
--- a/tokio/src/blocking.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/blocking.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 cfg_rt! {
     pub(crate) use crate::runtime::spawn_blocking;
+
+    cfg_fs! {
+        #[allow(unused_imports)]
+        pub(crate) use crate::runtime::spawn_mandatory_blocking;
+    }
+
     pub(crate) use crate::task::JoinHandle;
 }
 
@@ -16,7 +22,16 @@ cfg_not_rt! {
     {
         assert_send_sync::<JoinHandle<std::cell::Cell<()>>>();
         panic!("requires the `rt` Tokio feature flag")
+    }
 
+    cfg_fs! {
+        pub(crate) fn spawn_mandatory_blocking<F, R>(_f: F) -> Option<JoinHandle<R>>
+        where
+            F: FnOnce() -> R + Send + 'static,
+            R: Send + 'static,
+        {
+            panic!("requires the `rt` Tokio feature flag")
+        }
     }
 
     pub(crate) struct JoinHandle<R> {
diff --git a/tokio/src/fs/file.rs b/tokio/src/fs/file.rs
index 61071cf6309..2c38e8059f5 100644
--- a/tokio/src/fs/file.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/fs/file.rs
@@ -19,17 +19,17 @@ use std::task::Context;
 use std::task::Poll;
 use std::task::Poll::*;
 
-#[cfg(test)]
-use super::mocks::spawn_blocking;
 #[cfg(test)]
 use super::mocks::JoinHandle;
 #[cfg(test)]
 use super::mocks::MockFile as StdFile;
-#[cfg(not(test))]
-use crate::blocking::spawn_blocking;
+#[cfg(test)]
+use super::mocks::{spawn_blocking, spawn_mandatory_blocking};
 #[cfg(not(test))]
 use crate::blocking::JoinHandle;
 #[cfg(not(test))]
+use crate::blocking::{spawn_blocking, spawn_mandatory_blocking};
+#[cfg(not(test))]
 use std::fs::File as StdFile;
 
 /// A reference to an open file on the filesystem.
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ impl AsyncWrite for File {
                     let n = buf.copy_from(src);
                     let std = me.std.clone();
 
-                    inner.state = Busy(spawn_blocking(move || {
+                    let blocking_task_join_handle = spawn_mandatory_blocking(move || {
                         let res = if let Some(seek) = seek {
                             (&*std).seek(seek).and_then(|_| buf.write_to(&mut &*std))
                         } else {
@@ -657,7 +657,12 @@ impl AsyncWrite for File {
                         };
 
                         (Operation::Write(res), buf)
-                    }));
+                    })
+                    .ok_or_else(|| {
+                        io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::Other, "background task failed")
+                    })?;
+
+                    inner.state = Busy(blocking_task_join_handle);
 
                     return Ready(Ok(n));
                 }
diff --git a/tokio/src/fs/mocks.rs b/tokio/src/fs/mocks.rs
index 68ef4f3a7a4..b1861726778 100644
--- a/tokio/src/fs/mocks.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/fs/mocks.rs
@@ -105,6 +105,21 @@ where
     JoinHandle { rx }
 }
 
+pub(super) fn spawn_mandatory_blocking<F, R>(f: F) -> Option<JoinHandle<R>>
+where
+    F: FnOnce() -> R + Send + 'static,
+    R: Send + 'static,
+{
+    let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel();
+    let task = Box::new(move || {
+        let _ = tx.send(f());
+    });
+
+    QUEUE.with(|cell| cell.borrow_mut().push_back(task));
+
+    Some(JoinHandle { rx })
+}
+
 impl<T> Future for JoinHandle<T> {
     type Output = Result<T, io::Error>;
 
diff --git a/tokio/src/runtime/blocking/mod.rs b/tokio/src/runtime/blocking/mod.rs
index 670ec3a4b34..15fe05c9ade 100644
--- a/tokio/src/runtime/blocking/mod.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/runtime/blocking/mod.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@
 //! compilation.
 
 mod pool;
-pub(crate) use pool::{spawn_blocking, BlockingPool, Spawner};
+pub(crate) use pool::{spawn_blocking, BlockingPool, Mandatory, Spawner, Task};
+
+cfg_fs! {
+    pub(crate) use pool::spawn_mandatory_blocking;
+}
 
 mod schedule;
 mod shutdown;
diff --git a/tokio/src/runtime/blocking/pool.rs b/tokio/src/runtime/blocking/pool.rs
index bb6c1ee6606..f0d7d4e0fe9 100644
--- a/tokio/src/runtime/blocking/pool.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/runtime/blocking/pool.rs
@@ -70,11 +70,40 @@ struct Shared {
     worker_thread_index: usize,
 }
 
-type Task = task::UnownedTask<NoopSchedule>;
+pub(crate) struct Task {
+    task: task::UnownedTask<NoopSchedule>,
+    mandatory: Mandatory,
+}
+
+#[derive(PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub(crate) enum Mandatory {
+    #[cfg_attr(not(fs), allow(dead_code))]
+    Mandatory,
+    NonMandatory,
+}
+
+impl Task {
+    pub(crate) fn new(task: task::UnownedTask<NoopSchedule>, mandatory: Mandatory) -> Task {
+        Task { task, mandatory }
+    }
+
+    fn run(self) {
+        self.task.run();
+    }
+
+    fn shutdown_or_run_if_mandatory(self) {
+        match self.mandatory {
+            Mandatory::NonMandatory => self.task.shutdown(),
+            Mandatory::Mandatory => self.task.run(),
+        }
+    }
+}
 
 const KEEP_ALIVE: Duration = Duration::from_secs(10);
 
 /// Runs the provided function on an executor dedicated to blocking operations.
+/// Tasks will be scheduled as non-mandatory, meaning they may not get executed
+/// in case of runtime shutdown.
 pub(crate) fn spawn_blocking<F, R>(func: F) -> JoinHandle<R>
 where
     F: FnOnce() -> R + Send + 'static,
@@ -84,6 +113,25 @@ where
     rt.spawn_blocking(func)
 }
 
+cfg_fs! {
+    #[cfg_attr(any(
+        all(loom, not(test)), // the function is covered by loom tests
+        test
+    ), allow(dead_code))]
+    /// Runs the provided function on an executor dedicated to blocking
+    /// operations. Tasks will be scheduled as mandatory, meaning they are
+    /// guaranteed to run unless a shutdown is already taking place. In case a
+    /// shutdown is already taking place, `None` will be returned.
+    pub(crate) fn spawn_mandatory_blocking<F, R>(func: F) -> Option<JoinHandle<R>>
+    where
+        F: FnOnce() -> R + Send + 'static,
+        R: Send + 'static,
+    {
+        let rt = context::current();
+        rt.spawn_mandatory_blocking(func)
+    }
+}
+
 // ===== impl BlockingPool =====
 
 impl BlockingPool {
@@ -176,8 +224,10 @@ impl Spawner {
             let mut shared = self.inner.shared.lock();
 
             if shared.shutdown {
-                // Shutdown the task
-                task.shutdown();
+                // Shutdown the task: it's fine to shutdown this task (even if
+                // mandatory) because it was scheduled after the shutdown of the
+                // runtime began.
+                task.task.shutdown();
 
                 // no need to even push this task; it would never get picked up
                 return Err(());
@@ -302,7 +352,8 @@ impl Inner {
                 // Drain the queue
                 while let Some(task) = shared.queue.pop_front() {
                     drop(shared);
-                    task.shutdown();
+
+                    task.shutdown_or_run_if_mandatory();
 
                     shared = self.shared.lock();
                 }
diff --git a/tokio/src/runtime/handle.rs b/tokio/src/runtime/handle.rs
index 3481a2552f3..9dbe6774dd0 100644
--- a/tokio/src/runtime/handle.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/runtime/handle.rs
@@ -189,15 +189,56 @@ impl Handle {
         F: FnOnce() -> R + Send + 'static,
         R: Send + 'static,
     {
-        if cfg!(debug_assertions) && std::mem::size_of::<F>() > 2048 {
-            self.spawn_blocking_inner(Box::new(func), None)
-        } else {
-            self.spawn_blocking_inner(func, None)
+        let (join_handle, _was_spawned) =
+            if cfg!(debug_assertions) && std::mem::size_of::<F>() > 2048 {
+                self.spawn_blocking_inner(Box::new(func), blocking::Mandatory::NonMandatory, None)
+            } else {
+                self.spawn_blocking_inner(func, blocking::Mandatory::NonMandatory, None)
+            };
+
+        join_handle
+    }
+
+    cfg_fs! {
+        #[track_caller]
+        #[cfg_attr(any(
+            all(loom, not(test)), // the function is covered by loom tests
+            test
+        ), allow(dead_code))]
+        pub(crate) fn spawn_mandatory_blocking<F, R>(&self, func: F) -> Option<JoinHandle<R>>
+        where
+            F: FnOnce() -> R + Send + 'static,
+            R: Send + 'static,
+        {
+            let (join_handle, was_spawned) = if cfg!(debug_assertions) && std::mem::size_of::<F>() > 2048 {
+                self.spawn_blocking_inner(
+                    Box::new(func),
+                    blocking::Mandatory::Mandatory,
+                    None
+                )
+            } else {
+                self.spawn_blocking_inner(
+                    func,
+                    blocking::Mandatory::Mandatory,
+                    None
+                )
+            };
+
+            if was_spawned {
+                Some(join_handle)
+            } else {
+                None
+            }
         }
     }
 
     #[track_caller]
-    pub(crate) fn spawn_blocking_inner<F, R>(&self, func: F, name: Option<&str>) -> JoinHandle<R>
+    pub(crate) fn spawn_blocking_inner<F, R>(
+        &self,
+        func: F,
+        is_mandatory: blocking::Mandatory,
+        name: Option<&str>,
+    ) -> (JoinHandle<R>, bool)
     where
         F: FnOnce() -> R + Send + 'static,
         R: Send + 'static,
@@ -223,8 +264,10 @@ impl Handle {
         let _ = name;
 
         let (task, handle) = task::unowned(fut, NoopSchedule);
-        let _ = self.blocking_spawner.spawn(task, self);
-        handle
+        let spawned = self
+            .blocking_spawner
+            .spawn(blocking::Task::new(task, is_mandatory), self);
+        (handle, spawned.is_ok())
     }
 
     /// Runs a future to completion on this `Handle`'s associated `Runtime`.
diff --git a/tokio/src/runtime/mod.rs b/tokio/src/runtime/mod.rs
index c8d97e1b19a..b607d72f0dc 100644
--- a/tokio/src/runtime/mod.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/runtime/mod.rs
@@ -201,6 +201,14 @@ cfg_rt! {
     use blocking::BlockingPool;
     pub(crate) use blocking::spawn_blocking;
 
+    cfg_trace! {
+        pub(crate) use blocking::Mandatory;
+    }
+
+    cfg_fs! {
+        pub(crate) use blocking::spawn_mandatory_blocking;
+    }
+
     mod builder;
     pub use self::builder::Builder;
 
diff --git a/tokio/src/runtime/tests/loom_blocking.rs b/tokio/src/runtime/tests/loom_blocking.rs
index 8fb54c5657e..89de85e4362 100644
--- a/tokio/src/runtime/tests/loom_blocking.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/runtime/tests/loom_blocking.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,56 @@ fn blocking_shutdown() {
     });
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn spawn_mandatory_blocking_should_always_run() {
+    use crate::runtime::tests::loom_oneshot;
+    loom::model(|| {
+        let rt = runtime::Builder::new_current_thread().build().unwrap();
+
+        let (tx, rx) = loom_oneshot::channel();
+        let _enter = rt.enter();
+        runtime::spawn_blocking(|| {});
+        runtime::spawn_mandatory_blocking(move || {
+            let _ = tx.send(());
+        })
+        .unwrap();
+
+        drop(rt);
+
+        // This call will deadlock if `spawn_mandatory_blocking` doesn't run.
+        let () = rx.recv();
+    });
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn spawn_mandatory_blocking_should_run_even_when_shutting_down_from_other_thread() {
+    use crate::runtime::tests::loom_oneshot;
+    loom::model(|| {
+        let rt = runtime::Builder::new_current_thread().build().unwrap();
+        let handle = rt.handle().clone();
+
+        // Drop the runtime in a different thread
+        {
+            loom::thread::spawn(move || {
+                drop(rt);
+            });
+        }
+
+        let _enter = handle.enter();
+        let (tx, rx) = loom_oneshot::channel();
+        let handle = runtime::spawn_mandatory_blocking(move || {
+            let _ = tx.send(());
+        });
+
+        // handle.is_some() means that `spawn_mandatory_blocking`
+        // promised us to run the blocking task
+        if handle.is_some() {
+            // This call will deadlock if `spawn_mandatory_blocking` doesn't run.
+            let () = rx.recv();
+        }
+    });
+}
+
 fn mk_runtime(num_threads: usize) -> Runtime {
     runtime::Builder::new_multi_thread()
         .worker_threads(num_threads)
diff --git a/tokio/src/task/builder.rs b/tokio/src/task/builder.rs
index 0a7fe3c371a..5a128420ee2 100644
--- a/tokio/src/task/builder.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/task/builder.rs
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ impl<'a> Builder<'a> {
         Function: FnOnce() -> Output + Send + 'static,
         Output: Send + 'static,
     {
-        context::current().spawn_blocking_inner(function, self.name)
+        use crate::runtime::Mandatory;
+        let (join_handle, _was_spawned) =
+            context::current().spawn_blocking_inner(function, Mandatory::NonMandatory, self.name);
+        join_handle
     }
 }