diff --git a/crates/rpc/src/proto.rs b/crates/rpc/src/proto.rs
index 3f062df97c..6352c466c9 100644
--- a/crates/rpc/src/proto.rs
+++ b/crates/rpc/src/proto.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ include!(concat!(env!("OUT_DIR"), "/zed.messages.rs"));
 
 pub trait EnvelopedMessage: Clone + Sized + Send + Sync + 'static {
     const NAME: &'static str;
+    const PRIORITY: MessagePriority;
     fn into_envelope(
         self,
         id: u32,
@@ -35,6 +36,12 @@ pub trait AnyTypedEnvelope: 'static + Send + Sync {
     fn payload_type_name(&self) -> &'static str;
     fn as_any(&self) -> &dyn Any;
     fn into_any(self: Box<Self>) -> Box<dyn Any + Send + Sync>;
+    fn is_background(&self) -> bool;
+}
+
+pub enum MessagePriority {
+    Foreground,
+    Background,
 }
 
 impl<T: EnvelopedMessage> AnyTypedEnvelope for TypedEnvelope<T> {
@@ -53,10 +60,14 @@ impl<T: EnvelopedMessage> AnyTypedEnvelope for TypedEnvelope<T> {
     fn into_any(self: Box<Self>) -> Box<dyn Any + Send + Sync> {
         self
     }
+
+    fn is_background(&self) -> bool {
+        matches!(T::PRIORITY, MessagePriority::Background)
+    }
 }
 
 macro_rules! messages {
-    ($($name:ident),* $(,)?) => {
+    ($(($name:ident, $priority:ident)),* $(,)?) => {
         pub fn build_typed_envelope(sender_id: ConnectionId, envelope: Envelope) -> Option<Box<dyn AnyTypedEnvelope>> {
             match envelope.payload {
                 $(Some(envelope::Payload::$name(payload)) => {
@@ -74,6 +85,7 @@ macro_rules! messages {
         $(
             impl EnvelopedMessage for $name {
                 const NAME: &'static str = std::stringify!($name);
+                const PRIORITY: MessagePriority = MessagePriority::$priority;
 
                 fn into_envelope(
                     self,
@@ -120,60 +132,60 @@ macro_rules! entity_messages {
 }
 
 messages!(
-    Ack,
-    AddProjectCollaborator,
-    ApplyCodeAction,
-    ApplyCodeActionResponse,
-    ApplyCompletionAdditionalEdits,
-    ApplyCompletionAdditionalEditsResponse,
-    BufferReloaded,
-    BufferSaved,
-    ChannelMessageSent,
-    CloseBuffer,
-    DiskBasedDiagnosticsUpdated,
-    DiskBasedDiagnosticsUpdating,
-    Error,
-    FormatBuffers,
-    FormatBuffersResponse,
-    GetChannelMessages,
-    GetChannelMessagesResponse,
-    GetChannels,
-    GetChannelsResponse,
-    GetCodeActions,
-    GetCodeActionsResponse,
-    GetCompletions,
-    GetCompletionsResponse,
-    GetDefinition,
-    GetDefinitionResponse,
-    GetUsers,
-    GetUsersResponse,
-    JoinChannel,
-    JoinChannelResponse,
-    JoinProject,
-    JoinProjectResponse,
-    LeaveChannel,
-    LeaveProject,
-    OpenBuffer,
-    OpenBufferResponse,
-    RegisterProjectResponse,
-    Ping,
-    RegisterProject,
-    RegisterWorktree,
-    RemoveProjectCollaborator,
-    SaveBuffer,
-    SendChannelMessage,
-    SendChannelMessageResponse,
-    ShareProject,
-    ShareWorktree,
-    Test,
-    UnregisterProject,
-    UnregisterWorktree,
-    UnshareProject,
-    UpdateBuffer,
-    UpdateBufferFile,
-    UpdateContacts,
-    UpdateDiagnosticSummary,
-    UpdateWorktree,
+    (Ack, Foreground),
+    (AddProjectCollaborator, Foreground),
+    (ApplyCodeAction, Foreground),
+    (ApplyCodeActionResponse, Foreground),
+    (ApplyCompletionAdditionalEdits, Foreground),
+    (ApplyCompletionAdditionalEditsResponse, Foreground),
+    (BufferReloaded, Foreground),
+    (BufferSaved, Foreground),
+    (ChannelMessageSent, Foreground),
+    (CloseBuffer, Foreground),
+    (DiskBasedDiagnosticsUpdated, Background),
+    (DiskBasedDiagnosticsUpdating, Background),
+    (Error, Foreground),
+    (FormatBuffers, Foreground),
+    (FormatBuffersResponse, Foreground),
+    (GetChannelMessages, Foreground),
+    (GetChannelMessagesResponse, Foreground),
+    (GetChannels, Foreground),
+    (GetChannelsResponse, Foreground),
+    (GetCodeActions, Background),
+    (GetCodeActionsResponse, Foreground),
+    (GetCompletions, Background),
+    (GetCompletionsResponse, Foreground),
+    (GetDefinition, Foreground),
+    (GetDefinitionResponse, Foreground),
+    (GetUsers, Foreground),
+    (GetUsersResponse, Foreground),
+    (JoinChannel, Foreground),
+    (JoinChannelResponse, Foreground),
+    (JoinProject, Foreground),
+    (JoinProjectResponse, Foreground),
+    (LeaveChannel, Foreground),
+    (LeaveProject, Foreground),
+    (OpenBuffer, Foreground),
+    (OpenBufferResponse, Foreground),
+    (RegisterProjectResponse, Foreground),
+    (Ping, Foreground),
+    (RegisterProject, Foreground),
+    (RegisterWorktree, Foreground),
+    (RemoveProjectCollaborator, Foreground),
+    (SaveBuffer, Foreground),
+    (SendChannelMessage, Foreground),
+    (SendChannelMessageResponse, Foreground),
+    (ShareProject, Foreground),
+    (ShareWorktree, Foreground),
+    (Test, Foreground),
+    (UnregisterProject, Foreground),
+    (UnregisterWorktree, Foreground),
+    (UnshareProject, Foreground),
+    (UpdateBuffer, Foreground),
+    (UpdateBufferFile, Foreground),
+    (UpdateContacts, Foreground),
+    (UpdateDiagnosticSummary, Foreground),
+    (UpdateWorktree, Foreground),
 );
 
 request_messages!(
diff --git a/crates/server/src/rpc.rs b/crates/server/src/rpc.rs
index 2c920560b3..df3af546a1 100644
--- a/crates/server/src/rpc.rs
+++ b/crates/server/src/rpc.rs
@@ -190,9 +190,10 @@ impl Server {
                             let type_name = message.payload_type_name();
                             log::info!("rpc message received. connection:{}, type:{}", connection_id, type_name);
                             if let Some(handler) = this.handlers.get(&message.payload_type_id()) {
-                                let handle_message = (handler)(this.clone(), message);
                                 let notifications = this.notifications.clone();
-                                executor.spawn_detached(async move {
+                                let is_background = message.is_background();
+                                let handle_message = (handler)(this.clone(), message);
+                                let handle_message = async move {
                                     if let Err(err) = handle_message.await {
                                         log::error!("rpc message error. connection:{}, type:{}, error:{:?}", connection_id, type_name, err);
                                     } else {
@@ -201,7 +202,12 @@ impl Server {
                                     if let Some(mut notifications) = notifications {
                                         let _ = notifications.send(()).await;
                                     }
-                                });
+                                };
+                                if is_background {
+                                    executor.spawn_detached(handle_message);
+                                } else {
+                                    handle_message.await;
+                                }
                             } else {
                                 log::warn!("unhandled message: {}", type_name);
                             }