diff --git a/plugins/in_emitter/emitter.c b/plugins/in_emitter/emitter.c
index 62886d1346c..532a629b924 100644
--- a/plugins/in_emitter/emitter.c
+++ b/plugins/in_emitter/emitter.c
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
 
 #define DEFAULT_EMITTER_RING_BUFFER_FLUSH_FREQUENCY 2000
 
+/* return values */
+#define FLB_EMITTER_BUSY     3
+
 struct em_chunk {
     flb_sds_t tag;
     struct msgpack_sbuffer mp_sbuf;  /* msgpack sbuffer        */
@@ -39,6 +42,7 @@ struct em_chunk {
 };
 
 struct flb_emitter {
+    int coll_fd;                        /* collector id */
     struct mk_list chunks;              /* list of all pending chunks */
     struct flb_input_instance *ins;     /* input instance */
     struct flb_ring_buffer *msgs;       /* ring buffer for cross-thread messages */
@@ -97,7 +101,6 @@ int static do_in_emitter_add_record(struct em_chunk *ec,
         em_chunk_destroy(ec);
         return -1;
     }
-    /* Release the echunk */
     em_chunk_destroy(ec);
     return 0;
 }
@@ -118,6 +121,12 @@ int in_emitter_add_record(const char *tag, int tag_len,
     ctx = (struct flb_emitter *) in->context;
     ec = NULL;
 
+    /* Restricted by mem_buf_limit */
+    if (flb_input_buf_paused(ctx->ins) == FLB_TRUE) {
+        flb_plg_debug(ctx->ins, "emitter memory buffer limit reached. Not accepting record.");
+        return FLB_EMITTER_BUSY;
+    }
+
     /* Use the ring buffer first if it exists */
     if (ctx->msgs) {
         memset(&temporary_chunk, 0, sizeof(struct em_chunk));
@@ -161,8 +170,7 @@ int in_emitter_add_record(const char *tag, int tag_len,
 
     /* Append raw msgpack data */
     msgpack_sbuffer_write(&ec->mp_sbuf, buf_data, buf_size);
-
-    return do_in_emitter_add_record(ec, in);
+    return 0;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -191,6 +199,34 @@ static int in_emitter_ingest_ring_buffer(struct flb_input_instance *in,
     return ret;
 }
 
+static int cb_queue_chunks(struct flb_input_instance *in,
+                           struct flb_config *config, void *data)
+{
+    int ret;
+    struct mk_list *tmp;
+    struct mk_list *head;
+    struct em_chunk *echunk;
+    struct flb_emitter *ctx;
+
+    /* Get context */
+    ctx = (struct flb_emitter *) data;
+
+    /* Try to enqueue chunks under our limits */
+    mk_list_foreach_safe(head, tmp, &ctx->chunks) {
+        echunk = mk_list_entry(head, struct em_chunk, _head);
+
+        /* Associate this backlog chunk to this instance into the engine */
+        ret = do_in_emitter_add_record(echunk, in);
+        if (ret == -1) {
+            flb_error("[in_emitter] error registering chunk with tag: %s",
+                      echunk->tag);
+            continue;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 static int in_emitter_start_ring_buffer(struct flb_input_instance *in, struct flb_emitter *ctx)
 {
     if (ctx->ring_buffer_size <= 0) {
@@ -257,6 +293,15 @@ static int cb_emitter_init(struct flb_input_instance *in,
             return -1;
         }
     }
+    else{
+        ret = flb_input_set_collector_time(in, cb_queue_chunks, 0, 50000000, config);
+        if (ret < 0) {
+            flb_error("[in_emitter] could not create collector");
+            flb_free(ctx);
+            return -1;
+        }
+        ctx->coll_fd = ret;
+    }
 
     /* export plugin context */
     flb_input_set_context(in, ctx);
@@ -264,6 +309,18 @@ static int cb_emitter_init(struct flb_input_instance *in,
     return 0;
 }
 
+static void cb_emitter_pause(void *data, struct flb_config *config)
+{
+    struct flb_emitter *ctx = data;
+    flb_input_collector_pause(ctx->coll_fd, ctx->ins);
+}
+
+static void cb_emitter_resume(void *data, struct flb_config *config)
+{
+    struct flb_emitter *ctx = data;
+    flb_input_collector_resume(ctx->coll_fd, ctx->ins);
+}
+
 static int cb_emitter_exit(void *data, struct flb_config *config)
 {
     struct mk_list *tmp;
@@ -312,8 +369,8 @@ struct flb_input_plugin in_emitter_plugin = {
     .cb_ingest    = NULL,
     .cb_flush_buf = NULL,
     .config_map   = config_map,
-    .cb_pause     = NULL,
-    .cb_resume    = NULL,
+    .cb_pause     = cb_emitter_pause,
+    .cb_resume    = cb_emitter_resume,
     .cb_exit      = cb_emitter_exit,
 
     /* This plugin can only be configured and invoked by the Engine only */