diff --git a/src/rdict.rs b/src/rdict.rs
index 781b32b..3723655 100644
--- a/src/rdict.rs
+++ b/src/rdict.rs
@@ -708,24 +708,27 @@ impl Rdict {
     /// Args:
     ///     wait (bool): whether to wait for the flush to finish.
     #[pyo3(signature = (wait = true))]
-    fn flush(&self, wait: bool) -> PyResult<()> {
+    fn flush(&self, wait: bool, py: Python) -> PyResult<()> {
         let db = self.get_db()?;
-        let mut f_opt = FlushOptions::new();
-        f_opt.set_wait(wait);
-        if let Some(cf) = &self.column_family {
-            db.flush_cf_opt(cf, &f_opt)
-        } else {
-            db.flush_opt(&f_opt)
-        }
+
+        py.allow_threads(|| {
+            let mut f_opt = FlushOptions::new();
+            f_opt.set_wait(wait);
+            if let Some(cf) = &self.column_family {
+                db.flush_cf_opt(cf, &f_opt)
+            } else {
+                db.flush_opt(&f_opt)
+            }
+        })
         .map_err(|e| PyException::new_err(e.into_string()))
     }
 
     /// Flushes the WAL buffer. If `sync` is set to `true`, also syncs
     /// the data to disk.
     #[pyo3(signature = (sync = true))]
-    fn flush_wal(&self, sync: bool) -> PyResult<()> {
+    fn flush_wal(&self, sync: bool, py: Python) -> PyResult<()> {
         let db = self.get_db()?;
-        db.flush_wal(sync)
+        py.allow_threads(|| db.flush_wal(sync))
             .map_err(|e| PyException::new_err(e.into_string()))
     }
 
@@ -977,25 +980,33 @@ impl Rdict {
     ///     alive. `del` or `close` all associated instances mentioned
     ///     above to actually shut down RocksDB.
     ///
-    fn close(&mut self) -> PyResult<()> {
+    fn close(&mut self, py: Python) -> PyResult<()> {
         // do not flush if readonly
         if let AccessTypeInner::ReadOnly { .. } | AccessTypeInner::Secondary { .. } =
             &self.access_type.0
         {
-            drop(self.column_family.take());
-            self.db.close();
+            py.allow_threads(|| {
+                drop(self.column_family.take());
+                self.db.close();
+            });
             return Ok(());
         }
-        let f_opt = &self.flush_opt;
-        let db = self.get_db()?;
-        let flush_wal_result = db.flush_wal(true);
-        let flush_result = if let Some(cf) = &self.column_family {
-            db.flush_cf_opt(cf, &f_opt.into())
-        } else {
-            db.flush_opt(&f_opt.into())
-        };
-        drop(self.column_family.take());
-        self.db.close();
+
+        let (flush_wal_result, flush_result) = py.allow_threads(|| {
+            let f_opt = &self.flush_opt;
+            let db = self.get_db()?;
+
+            let flush_wal_result = db.flush_wal(true);
+            let flush_result = if let Some(cf) = &self.column_family {
+                db.flush_cf_opt(cf, &f_opt.into())
+            } else {
+                db.flush_opt(&f_opt.into())
+            };
+            drop(self.column_family.take());
+            self.db.close();
+
+            Ok::<_, PyErr>((flush_wal_result, flush_result))
+        })?;
         match (flush_result, flush_wal_result) {
             (Ok(_), Ok(_)) => Ok(()),
             (Err(e), Ok(_)) => Err(PyException::new_err(e.to_string())),
@@ -1114,9 +1125,14 @@ impl Rdict {
     ///     options (rocksdict.Options): Rocksdb options object
     #[staticmethod]
     #[pyo3(signature = (path, options = OptionsPy::new(false)))]
-    fn destroy(path: &str, options: OptionsPy) -> PyResult<()> {
-        fs::remove_file(config_file(path)).ok();
-        DB::destroy(&options.inner_opt, path).map_err(|e| PyException::new_err(e.to_string()))
+    fn destroy(path: &str, options: OptionsPy, py: Python) -> PyResult<()> {
+        let inner_opt = options.inner_opt;
+
+        py.allow_threads(|| {
+            fs::remove_file(config_file(path)).ok();
+            DB::destroy(&inner_opt, path)
+        })
+        .map_err(|e| PyException::new_err(e.to_string()))
     }
 
     /// Repair the database.
@@ -1126,8 +1142,11 @@ impl Rdict {
     ///     options (rocksdict.Options): Rocksdb options object
     #[staticmethod]
     #[pyo3(signature = (path, options = OptionsPy::new(false)))]
-    fn repair(path: &str, options: OptionsPy) -> PyResult<()> {
-        DB::repair(&options.inner_opt, path).map_err(|e| PyException::new_err(e.to_string()))
+    fn repair(path: &str, options: OptionsPy, py: Python) -> PyResult<()> {
+        let inner_opt = options.inner_opt;
+
+        py.allow_threads(|| DB::repair(&inner_opt, path))
+            .map_err(|e| PyException::new_err(e.to_string()))
     }
 
     #[staticmethod]