diff --git a/src/main/java/rx/observers/AsyncCompletableSubscriber.java b/src/main/java/rx/observers/AsyncCompletableSubscriber.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d61585e4fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/rx/observers/AsyncCompletableSubscriber.java
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2016 Netflix, Inc.
+ * 
+ * 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 rx.observers;
+
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
+
+import rx.Completable.CompletableSubscriber;
+import rx.Subscription;
+import rx.annotations.Experimental;
+import rx.internal.util.RxJavaPluginUtils;
+
+/**
+ * An abstract base class for CompletableSubscriber implementations that want to expose an unsubscription
+ * capability.
+ * <p>
+ * Calling {@link #unsubscribe()} and {@link #isUnsubscribed()} is threadsafe and can happen at any time, even
+ * before or during an active {@link rx.Completable#subscribe(CompletableSubscriber)} call.
+ * <p>
+ * Override the {@link #onStart()} method to execute custom logic on the very first successful onSubscribe call.
+ * <p>
+ * If one wants to remain consistent regarding {@link #isUnsubscribed()} and being terminated, 
+ * the {@link #clear()} method should be called from the implementing onError and onCompleted methods.
+ * <p>
+ * <pre><code>
+ * public final class MyCompletableSubscriber extends AsyncCompletableSubscriber {
+ *     &#64;Override
+ *     public void onStart() {
+ *         System.out.println("Started!");
+ *     }
+ *     
+ *     &#64;Override
+ *     public void onCompleted() {
+ *         System.out.println("Completed!");
+ *         clear();
+ *     }
+ *     
+ *     &#64;Override
+ *     public void onError(Throwable e) {
+ *         e.printStackTrace();
+ *         clear();
+ *     }
+ * }
+ * </code></pre>
+ * @since (if this graduates from Experimental/Beta to supported, replace this parenthetical with the release number)
+ */
+@Experimental
+public abstract class AsyncCompletableSubscriber implements CompletableSubscriber, Subscription {
+
+    /** 
+     * Holds onto a deferred subscription and allows asynchronous cancellation before the call
+     * to onSubscribe() by the upstream. 
+     */
+    private final AtomicReference<Subscription> upstream = new AtomicReference<Subscription>();
+    
+    @Override
+    public final void onSubscribe(Subscription d) {
+        if (!upstream.compareAndSet(null, d)) {
+            d.unsubscribe();
+            if (upstream.get() != UNSUBSCRIBED) {
+                RxJavaPluginUtils.handleException(new IllegalStateException("Subscription already set!"));
+            }
+        } else {
+            onStart();
+        }
+    }
+    
+    /**
+     * Called before the first onSubscribe() call succeeds.
+     */
+    protected void onStart() {
+    }
+    
+    @Override
+    public final boolean isUnsubscribed() {
+        return upstream.get() == UNSUBSCRIBED;
+    }
+    
+    /**
+     * Call to clear the upstream's subscription without unsubscribing it.
+     */
+    protected final void clear() {
+        upstream.set(UNSUBSCRIBED);
+    }
+    
+    @Override
+    public final void unsubscribe() {
+        Subscription current = upstream.get();
+        if (current != UNSUBSCRIBED) {
+            current = upstream.getAndSet(UNSUBSCRIBED);
+            if (current != null && current != UNSUBSCRIBED) {
+                current.unsubscribe();
+            }
+        }
+        
+    }
+    
+    /**
+     * Indicates the unsubscribed state.
+     */
+    static final Unsubscribed UNSUBSCRIBED = new Unsubscribed();
+    
+    static final class Unsubscribed implements Subscription {
+
+        @Override
+        public void unsubscribe() {
+            // deliberately no op
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public boolean isUnsubscribed() {
+            return true;
+        }
+        
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/rx/observers/AsyncCompletableSubscriberTest.java b/src/test/java/rx/observers/AsyncCompletableSubscriberTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7ac34f1628
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/rx/observers/AsyncCompletableSubscriberTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2016 Netflix, Inc.
+ * 
+ * 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 rx.observers;
+
+import java.util.*;
+
+import org.junit.*;
+
+import rx.Completable;
+import rx.Observable;
+import rx.exceptions.TestException;
+
+public class AsyncCompletableSubscriberTest {
+
+    static final class TestCS extends AsyncCompletableSubscriber {
+        int started;
+        
+        int completions;
+        
+        final List<Throwable> errors = new ArrayList<Throwable>();
+        
+        @Override
+        protected void onStart() {
+            started++;
+        }
+        
+        @Override
+        public void onCompleted() {
+            completions++;
+            clear();
+        }
+        
+        @Override
+        public void onError(Throwable e) {
+            errors.add(e);
+            clear();
+        }
+    }
+    
+    @Test
+    public void normal() {
+        TestCS ts = new TestCS();
+        
+        Assert.assertFalse(ts.isUnsubscribed());
+        
+        Completable.complete().subscribe(ts);
+        
+        Assert.assertEquals(1, ts.started);
+        Assert.assertEquals(1, ts.completions);
+        Assert.assertEquals(ts.errors.toString(), 0, ts.errors.size());
+        Assert.assertTrue(ts.isUnsubscribed());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void error() {
+        TestCS ts = new TestCS();
+        
+        Assert.assertFalse(ts.isUnsubscribed());
+        
+        Completable.error(new TestException("Forced failure")).subscribe(ts);
+        
+        Assert.assertEquals(1, ts.started);
+        Assert.assertEquals(0, ts.completions);
+        Assert.assertEquals(ts.errors.toString(), 1, ts.errors.size());
+        Assert.assertTrue(ts.errors.get(0).toString(), ts.errors.get(0) instanceof TestException);
+        Assert.assertEquals("Forced failure", ts.errors.get(0).getMessage());
+        Assert.assertTrue(ts.isUnsubscribed());
+    }
+
+    
+    @Test
+    public void unsubscribed() {
+        TestCS ts = new TestCS();
+        ts.unsubscribe();
+        
+        Assert.assertTrue(ts.isUnsubscribed());
+        
+        Observable.range(1, 10).toCompletable().subscribe(ts);
+        
+        Assert.assertEquals(0, ts.started);
+        Assert.assertEquals(0, ts.completions);
+        Assert.assertEquals(ts.errors.toString(), 0, ts.errors.size());
+        Assert.assertTrue(ts.isUnsubscribed());
+    }
+}