diff --git a/dsqueue.go b/dsqueue.go
index 8aef441..b4db352 100644
--- a/dsqueue.go
+++ b/dsqueue.go
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ type DSQueue struct {
 	enqueue      chan []byte
 	clear        chan chan<- int
 	closeTimeout time.Duration
+	empty        chan struct{}
 	getn         chan getRequest
 	name         string
 }
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ func New(ds datastore.Batching, name string, options ...Option) *DSQueue {
 		enqueue:      make(chan []byte),
 		clear:        make(chan chan<- int),
 		closeTimeout: cfg.closeTimeout,
+		empty:        make(chan struct{}),
 		getn:         make(chan getRequest),
 		name:         name,
 	}
@@ -94,6 +96,13 @@ func (q *DSQueue) Close() error {
 	return err
 }
 
+// Empty returns a channel that is signaled when the queue is empty. This is
+// useful for exiting select when there are currently no more queued items to
+// read.
+func (q *DSQueue) Empty() <-chan struct{} {
+	return q.empty
+}
+
 // Put puts an item into the queue.
 func (q *DSQueue) Put(item []byte) (err error) {
 	if len(item) == 0 {
@@ -118,13 +127,13 @@ type getResponse struct {
 	err   error
 }
 
+// Deprecated: Use Out and Empty in a select loop to read as many items as
+// wanted or until an empty signal returned.
+//
 // GetN retrieves up to n items that are currently available in the queue. If
 // there are no items currently available, then none are returned and GetN does
 // not wait for any.
 //
-// GetN is used to poll the DSQueue for items and return batches of those
-// items. This is the most efficient way of fetching currently available items.
-//
 // GetN and Out can both be used to read items from the DSQueue, but they
 // should not be used concurrently as items will be returned by one or the
 // other indeterminately.
@@ -222,6 +231,7 @@ func (q *DSQueue) worker(ctx context.Context, bufferSize, dedupCacheSize int, id
 	var (
 		commit  bool
 		dsEmpty bool
+		empty   chan struct{}
 		err     error
 		idle    bool
 	)
@@ -271,6 +281,9 @@ func (q *DSQueue) worker(ctx context.Context, bufferSize, dedupCacheSize int, id
 		var dequeue chan []byte
 		if item != nil {
 			dequeue = q.dequeue
+			empty = nil
+		} else {
+			empty = q.empty
 		}
 
 		select {
@@ -301,6 +314,8 @@ func (q *DSQueue) worker(ctx context.Context, bufferSize, dedupCacheSize int, id
 			if bufferSize != 0 && inBuf.Len() >= bufferSize {
 				commit = true
 			}
+		case empty <- struct{}{}:
+
 		case getRequest := <-q.getn:
 			n := getRequest.n
 			rspChan := getRequest.rsp
diff --git a/dsqueue_test.go b/dsqueue_test.go
index a6f3768..c0abfbc 100644
--- a/dsqueue_test.go
+++ b/dsqueue_test.go
@@ -103,6 +103,69 @@ func TestBasicOperation(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestReadUntilEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	ds := sync.MutexWrap(datastore.NewMapDatastore())
+	q := dsqueue.New(ds, dsqName, dsqueue.WithBufferSize(5), dsqueue.WithDedupCacheSize(0))
+	defer q.Close()
+
+	cids := random.Cids(29)
+	for _, c := range cids {
+		q.Put(c.Bytes())
+	}
+
+	var i int
+
+loop:
+	for {
+		select {
+		case outItem := <-q.Out():
+			outCid, err := cid.Parse(outItem)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			if outCid != cids[i] {
+				t.Fatal("retrieved items out of order")
+			}
+			i++
+		case <-q.Empty():
+			break loop
+		}
+	}
+
+	if i != len(cids) {
+		t.Fatalf("dequeued wrond number of items, expected %d, got %d", len(cids), i)
+	}
+
+	// Check still empty.
+	select {
+	case <-q.Empty():
+	case <-q.Out():
+		t.Fatal("should not have any more data")
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("did not receive empty signal")
+	}
+
+	q.Put(cids[0].Bytes())
+
+	// Check for data item.
+	select {
+	case <-q.Out():
+	case <-q.Empty():
+		t.Fatal("should not have received empty signal")
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("did not receive any data")
+	}
+
+	// Check for empty.
+	select {
+	case <-q.Empty():
+	case <-q.Out():
+		t.Fatal("should not have any more data")
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("did not receive empty signal")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestGetN(t *testing.T) {
 	ds := sync.MutexWrap(datastore.NewMapDatastore())
 	queue := dsqueue.New(ds, dsqName, dsqueue.WithBufferSize(5), dsqueue.WithDedupCacheSize(0))