diff --git a/source/adios2/engine/ssc/SscReader.cpp b/source/adios2/engine/ssc/SscReader.cpp
index 5bfeb22622..a645849f49 100644
--- a/source/adios2/engine/ssc/SscReader.cpp
+++ b/source/adios2/engine/ssc/SscReader.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ SscReader::SscReader(IO &io, const std::string &name, const Mode mode,
 
     helper::GetParameter(m_IO.m_Parameters, "MpiMode", m_MpiMode);
     helper::GetParameter(m_IO.m_Parameters, "Verbose", m_Verbosity);
+    helper::GetParameter(m_IO.m_Parameters, "Threading", m_Threading);
     helper::GetParameter(m_IO.m_Parameters, "OpenTimeoutSecs",
                          m_OpenTimeoutSecs);
 
@@ -105,9 +106,15 @@ StepStatus SscReader::BeginStep(const StepMode stepMode,
     if (m_CurrentStep == 0 || m_WriterDefinitionsLocked == false ||
         m_ReaderSelectionsLocked == false)
     {
-        StepStatus stepStatus;
-        BeginStepFlexible(stepStatus);
-        if (stepStatus == StepStatus::EndOfStream)
+        if (m_Threading && m_EndStepThread.joinable())
+        {
+            m_EndStepThread.join();
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            BeginStepFlexible(m_StepStatus);
+        }
+        if (m_StepStatus == StepStatus::EndOfStream)
         {
             return StepStatus::EndOfStream;
         }
@@ -326,6 +333,18 @@ void SscReader::EndStepFirstFlexible()
 
 void SscReader::EndStepConsequentFlexible() { MPI_Win_free(&m_MpiWin); }
 
+void SscReader::EndBeginStepFirstFlexible()
+{
+    EndStepFirstFlexible();
+    BeginStepFlexible(m_StepStatus);
+}
+
+void SscReader::EndBeginStepConsequentFlexible()
+{
+    EndStepConsequentFlexible();
+    BeginStepFlexible(m_StepStatus);
+}
+
 void SscReader::EndStep()
 {
     TAU_SCOPED_TIMER_FUNC();
@@ -347,11 +366,27 @@ void SscReader::EndStep()
     {
         if (m_CurrentStep == 0)
         {
-            EndStepFirstFlexible();
+            if (m_Threading)
+            {
+                m_EndStepThread =
+                    std::thread(&SscReader::EndBeginStepFirstFlexible, this);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                EndStepFirstFlexible();
+            }
         }
         else
         {
-            EndStepConsequentFlexible();
+            if (m_Threading)
+            {
+                m_EndStepThread = std::thread(
+                    &SscReader::EndBeginStepConsequentFlexible, this);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                EndStepConsequentFlexible();
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/source/adios2/engine/ssc/SscReader.h b/source/adios2/engine/ssc/SscReader.h
index ebeec290d8..22ee005d93 100644
--- a/source/adios2/engine/ssc/SscReader.h
+++ b/source/adios2/engine/ssc/SscReader.h
@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ class SscReader : public Engine
     MPI_Win m_MpiWin;
     MPI_Group m_MpiAllWritersGroup;
     MPI_Comm m_StreamComm;
-    std::string m_MpiMode = "twosided";
     std::vector<MPI_Request> m_MpiRequests;
+    StepStatus m_StepStatus;
+    std::thread m_EndStepThread;
 
     int m_StreamRank;
     int m_StreamSize;
@@ -68,6 +69,8 @@ class SscReader : public Engine
     void EndStepFixed();
     void EndStepFirstFlexible();
     void EndStepConsequentFlexible();
+    void EndBeginStepFirstFlexible();
+    void EndBeginStepConsequentFlexible();
 
 #define declare_type(T)                                                        \
     void DoGetSync(Variable<T> &, T *) final;                                  \
@@ -94,6 +97,8 @@ class SscReader : public Engine
 
     int m_Verbosity = 0;
     int m_OpenTimeoutSecs = 10;
+    bool m_Threading = false;
+    std::string m_MpiMode = "twosided";
 };
 
 } // end namespace engine