diff --git a/pkg/distributor/distributor.go b/pkg/distributor/distributor.go
index 4edbda87599..b6735181e45 100644
--- a/pkg/distributor/distributor.go
+++ b/pkg/distributor/distributor.go
@@ -374,10 +374,11 @@ func New(cfg Config, clientConfig ingester_client.Config, limits *validation.Ove
 		}, []string{"user"}),
 
 		validateMetrics: validation.NewValidateMetrics(reg),
+		asyncExecutor:   util.NewNoOpExecutor(),
 	}
 
 	if cfg.NumPushWorkers > 0 {
-		d.asyncExecutor = util.NewWorkerPool(cfg.NumPushWorkers)
+		d.asyncExecutor = util.NewWorkerPool("distributor", cfg.NumPushWorkers, reg)
 	}
 
 	promauto.With(reg).NewGauge(prometheus.GaugeOpts{
diff --git a/pkg/util/worker_pool.go b/pkg/util/worker_pool.go
index 65bbb81f237..59cb5302649 100644
--- a/pkg/util/worker_pool.go
+++ b/pkg/util/worker_pool.go
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 package util
 
-import "sync"
+import (
+	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus/promauto"
+	"sync"
+
+	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
+)
 
 // This code was based on: https://github.com/grpc/grpc-go/blob/66ba4b264d26808cb7af3c86eee66e843472915e/server.go
 
@@ -13,10 +18,13 @@ const serverWorkerResetThreshold = 1 << 16
 
 type AsyncExecutor interface {
 	Submit(f func())
+	Stop()
 }
 
 type noOpExecutor struct{}
 
+func (n noOpExecutor) Stop() {}
+
 func NewNoOpExecutor() AsyncExecutor {
 	return &noOpExecutor{}
 }
@@ -28,11 +36,19 @@ func (n noOpExecutor) Submit(f func()) {
 type workerPoolExecutor struct {
 	serverWorkerChannel chan func()
 	closeOnce           sync.Once
+
+	fallbackTotal prometheus.Counter
 }
 
-func NewWorkerPool(numWorkers int) AsyncExecutor {
+func NewWorkerPool(name string, numWorkers int, reg prometheus.Registerer) AsyncExecutor {
 	wp := &workerPoolExecutor{
 		serverWorkerChannel: make(chan func()),
+		fallbackTotal: promauto.With(reg).NewCounter(prometheus.CounterOpts{
+			Namespace:   "cortex",
+			Name:        "worker_pool_fallback_total",
+			Help:        "The total number additional go routines that needed to be created to run jobs.",
+			ConstLabels: prometheus.Labels{"name": name},
+		}),
 	}
 
 	for i := 0; i < numWorkers; i++ {
@@ -52,6 +68,7 @@ func (s *workerPoolExecutor) Submit(f func()) {
 	select {
 	case s.serverWorkerChannel <- f:
 	default:
+		s.fallbackTotal.Inc()
 		go f()
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/util/worker_pool_test.go b/pkg/util/worker_pool_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9c0b1fe65e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/util/worker_pool_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+package util
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
+	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus/testutil"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestNewWorkerPool_CreateMultiplesPoolsWithSameRegistry(t *testing.T) {
+	reg := prometheus.NewPedanticRegistry()
+	wp1 := NewWorkerPool("test1", 100, reg)
+	defer wp1.Stop()
+	wp2 := NewWorkerPool("test2", 100, reg)
+	defer wp2.Stop()
+}
+
+func TestWorkerPool_TestMetric(t *testing.T) {
+	reg := prometheus.NewPedanticRegistry()
+	workerPool := NewWorkerPool("test1", 1, reg)
+	defer workerPool.Stop()
+
+	require.NoError(t, testutil.GatherAndCompare(reg, bytes.NewBufferString(`
+				# HELP cortex_worker_pool_fallback_total The total number additional go routines that needed to be created to run jobs.
+				# TYPE cortex_worker_pool_fallback_total counter
+				cortex_worker_pool_fallback_total{name="test1"} 0
+`), "cortex_worker_pool_fallback_total"))
+
+	wg := &sync.WaitGroup{}
+	wg.Add(1)
+
+	// Block the first job
+	workerPool.Submit(func() {
+		wg.Wait()
+	})
+
+	// create an extra job to increment the metric
+	workerPool.Submit(func() {})
+	require.NoError(t, testutil.GatherAndCompare(reg, bytes.NewBufferString(`
+				# HELP cortex_worker_pool_fallback_total The total number additional go routines that needed to be created to run jobs.
+				# TYPE cortex_worker_pool_fallback_total counter
+				cortex_worker_pool_fallback_total{name="test1"} 1
+`), "cortex_worker_pool_fallback_total"))
+
+	wg.Done()
+}
+
+func TestWorkerPool_ShouldFallbackWhenAllWorkersAreBusy(t *testing.T) {
+	reg := prometheus.NewPedanticRegistry()
+	numberOfWorkers := 10
+	workerPool := NewWorkerPool("test1", numberOfWorkers, reg)
+	defer workerPool.Stop()
+
+	m := sync.Mutex{}
+	blockerWg := sync.WaitGroup{}
+	blockerWg.Add(numberOfWorkers)
+
+	// Lets lock all submited jobs
+	m.Lock()
+
+	for i := 0; i < numberOfWorkers; i++ {
+		workerPool.Submit(func() {
+			defer blockerWg.Done()
+			m.Lock()
+			m.Unlock()
+		})
+	}
+
+	// At this point all workers should be busy. lets try to create a new job
+	wg := sync.WaitGroup{}
+	wg.Add(1)
+	workerPool.Submit(func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+	})
+
+	// Make sure the last job ran to the end
+	wg.Wait()
+
+	// Lets release the jobs
+	m.Unlock()
+
+	blockerWg.Wait()
+
+}