diff --git a/arch/PKGBUILD b/arch/PKGBUILD
index a60a851..18cdc92 100644
--- a/arch/PKGBUILD
+++ b/arch/PKGBUILD
@@ -21,4 +21,6 @@ package() {
   cd $srcdir/$pkgname
   install -Dm644 pure.zsh \
     "$pkgdir/usr/share/zsh/functions/Prompts/prompt_pure_setup"
+  install -Dm644 async.zsh \
+    "$pkgdir/usr/share/zsh/functions/async"
 }
diff --git a/async.plugin.zsh b/async.plugin.zsh
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..27d2d7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/async.plugin.zsh
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+async.zsh
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/async.zsh b/async.zsh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..43a7b31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/async.zsh
@@ -0,0 +1,244 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env zsh
+
+#
+# zsh-async
+#
+# version: 0.2.1
+# author: Mathias Fredriksson
+# url: https://github.com/mafredri/zsh-async
+#
+
+# Wrapper for jobs executed by the async worker, gives output in parseable format with execution time
+_async_job() {
+	# store start time
+	local start=$EPOCHREALTIME
+
+	# run the command
+	local out
+	out=$($* 2>&1)
+	local ret=$?
+
+	# Grab mutex lock
+	read -ep >/dev/null
+
+	# return output (<job_name> <return_code> <output> <duration>)
+	print -r -N -n -- $1 $ret "$out" $(( $EPOCHREALTIME - $start ))$'\0'
+
+	# Unlock mutex
+	print -p "t"
+}
+
+# The background worker manages all tasks and runs them without interfering with other processes
+_async_worker() {
+	local -A storage
+	local unique=0
+
+	# Process option parameters passed to worker
+	while getopts "np:u" opt; do
+		case "$opt" in
+		# Use SIGWINCH since many others seem to cause zsh to freeze, e.g. ALRM, INFO, etc.
+		n) trap 'kill -WINCH $ASYNC_WORKER_PARENT_PID' CHLD;;
+		p) ASYNC_WORKER_PARENT_PID=$OPTARG;;
+		u) unique=1;;
+		esac
+	done
+
+	# Create a mutex for writing to the terminal through coproc
+	coproc cat
+	# Insert token into coproc
+	print -p "t"
+
+	while read -r cmd; do
+		# Separate on spaces into an array
+		cmd=(${=cmd})
+		local job=$cmd[1]
+
+		# Check for non-job commands sent to worker
+		case "$job" in
+		_killjobs)
+			kill ${${(v)jobstates##*:*:}%=*} &>/dev/null
+			continue
+			;;
+		esac
+
+		# If worker should perform unique jobs
+		if ((unique)); then
+			# Check if a previous job is still running, if yes, let it finnish
+			for pid in ${${(v)jobstates##*:*:}%\=*}; do
+				if [[ "${storage[$job]}" == "$pid" ]]; then
+					continue 2
+				fi
+			done
+		fi
+
+		# run task in background
+		_async_job $cmd &
+		# store pid because zsh job manager is extremely unflexible (show jobname as non-unique '$job')...
+		storage[$job]=$!
+	done
+}
+
+#
+#  Get results from finnished jobs and pass it to the to callback function. This is the only way to reliably return the
+#  job name, return code, output and execution time and with minimal effort.
+#
+# usage:
+# 	async_process_results <worker_name> <callback_function>
+#
+# callback_function is called with the following parameters:
+# 	$1 = job name, e.g. the function passed to async_job
+# 	$2 = return code
+# 	$3 = resulting output from execution
+# 	$4 = execution time, floating point e.g. 2.05 seconds
+#
+async_process_results() {
+	integer count=0
+	local -a items
+	local IFS=$'\0'
+
+	typeset -gA ASYNC_PROCESS_BUFFER
+	# Read output from zpty and parse it if available
+	while zpty -rt $1 line 2>/dev/null; do
+		# Remove unwanted \r from output
+		ASYNC_PROCESS_BUFFER[$1]+=${line//$'\r'$'\n'/$'\n'}
+		# Split buffer on null characters, preserve empty elements
+		items=("${(@)=ASYNC_PROCESS_BUFFER[$1]}")
+		# Remove last element since it's due to the return string separator structure
+		items=("${(@)items[1,${#items}-1]}")
+
+		# Continue until we receive all information
+		(( ${#items} % 4 )) && continue
+
+		# Work through all results
+		while ((${#items} > 0)); do
+			eval '$2 "${(@)=items[1,4]}"'
+			shift 4 items
+			count+=1
+		done
+
+		# Empty the buffer
+		ASYNC_PROCESS_BUFFER[$1]=""
+	done
+
+	# If we processed any results, return success
+	(( $count )) && return 0
+
+	# No results were processed
+	return 1
+}
+
+#
+# Start a new asynchronous job on specified worker, assumes the worker is running.
+#
+# usage:
+# 	async_job <worker_name> <my_function> [<function_params>]
+#
+async_job() {
+	local worker=$1; shift
+	zpty -w $worker $*
+}
+
+# This function traps notification signals and calls all registered callbacks
+_async_notify_trap() {
+	for k in ${(k)ASYNC_CALLBACKS}; do
+		async_process_results "${k}" "${ASYNC_CALLBACKS[$k]}"
+	done
+}
+
+#
+# Register a callback for completed jobs. As soon as a job is finnished, async_process_results will be called with the
+# specified callback function. This requires that a worker is initialized with the -n (notify) option.
+#
+# usage:
+# 	async_register_callback <worker_name> <callback_function>
+#
+async_register_callback() {
+	typeset -gA ASYNC_CALLBACKS
+
+	ASYNC_CALLBACKS[$1]="${*[2,${#*}]}"
+
+	trap '_async_notify_trap' WINCH
+}
+
+#
+# Unregister the callback for a specific worker.
+#
+# usage:
+# 	async_unregister_callback <worker_name>
+#
+async_unregister_callback() {
+	typeset -gA ASYNC_CALLBACKS
+
+	unset "ASYNC_CALLBACKS[$1]"
+}
+
+#
+# Flush all current jobs running on a worker. This will terminate any and all running processes under the worker, use
+# with caution.
+#
+# usage:
+# 	async_flush_jobs <worker_name>
+#
+async_flush_jobs() {
+	zpty -t $worker &>/dev/null || return 1
+
+	# Send kill command to worker
+	zpty -w $1 "_killjobs"
+
+	# Clear all output buffers
+	while zpty -r $1 line; do done
+
+	# Clear any partial buffers
+	typeset -gA ASYNC_PROCESS_BUFFER
+	ASYNC_PROCESS_BUFFER[$1]=""
+}
+
+#
+# Start a new async worker with optional parameters, a worker can be told to only run unique tasks and to notify a
+# process when tasks are complete.
+#
+# usage:
+# 	async_start_worker <worker_name> [-u] [-n] [-p <pid>]
+#
+# opts:
+# 	-u unique (only unique job names can run)
+# 	-n notify through SIGWINCH signal
+# 	-p pid to notify (defaults to current pid)
+#
+async_start_worker() {
+	local worker=$1; shift
+	zpty -t $worker &>/dev/null || zpty -b $worker _async_worker -p $$ $* || async_stop_worker $worker
+}
+
+#
+# Stop one or multiple workers that are running, all unfetched and incomplete work will be lost.
+#
+# usage:
+# 	async_stop_worker <worker_name_1> [<worker_name_2>]
+#
+async_stop_worker() {
+	local ret=0
+	for worker in $*; do
+		async_unregister_callback $worker
+		zpty -d $worker 2>/dev/null || ret=$?
+	done
+
+	return $ret
+}
+
+#
+# Initialize the required modules for zsh-async. To be called before using the zsh-async library.
+#
+# usage:
+# 	async_init
+#
+async_init() {
+	zmodload zsh/zpty
+	zmodload zsh/datetime
+}
+
+async() {
+	async_init
+}
+
+async "$*"
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 9623e25..74b7200 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     "node": ">=0.10.0"
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "postinstall": "dest=/usr/local/share/zsh/site-functions/; mkdir -p $dest && ln -sf \"$PWD/pure.zsh\" $dest/prompt_pure_setup || echo 'Could not automagically symlink the prompt. Check out the readme on how to do it manually: https://github.com/sindresorhus/pure#manually'"
+    "postinstall": "dest=/usr/local/share/zsh/site-functions/; mkdir -p $dest && ln -sf \"$PWD/pure.zsh\" $dest/prompt_pure_setup && ln -sf \"$PWD/async.zsh\" $dest/async || echo 'Could not automagically symlink the prompt. Check out the readme on how to do it manually: https://github.com/sindresorhus/pure#manually'"
   },
   "files": [
     "pure.zsh"
diff --git a/pure.zsh b/pure.zsh
index 9f0e821..748b6c5 100644
--- a/pure.zsh
+++ b/pure.zsh
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@
 # %n => username
 # %m => shortname host
 # %(?..) => prompt conditional - %(condition.true.false)
+# terminal codes:
+# \e7   => save cursor position
+# \e[2A => move cursor 2 lines up
+# \e[1G => go to position 1 in terminal
+# \e8   => restore cursor position
+# \e[K  => clears everything after the cursor on the current line
 
 
 # turns seconds into human readable time
@@ -32,27 +38,27 @@ prompt_pure_human_time() {
 	echo "${seconds}s"
 }
 
-# fastest possible way to check if repo is dirty
-prompt_pure_git_dirty() {
-	# check if we're in a git repo
-	[[ "$(command git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree 2>/dev/null)" == "true" ]] || return
-	# check if it's dirty
-	[[ "$PURE_GIT_UNTRACKED_DIRTY" == 0 ]] && local umode="-uno" || local umode="-unormal"
-	command test -n "$(git status --porcelain --ignore-submodules ${umode})"
-
-	(($? == 0)) && echo '*'
-}
-
 # displays the exec time of the last command if set threshold was exceeded
-prompt_pure_cmd_exec_time() {
+prompt_pure_check_cmd_exec_time() {
 	local stop=$EPOCHSECONDS
-	local start=${cmd_timestamp:-$stop}
+	local start=${prompt_pure_cmd_timestamp:-$stop}
 	integer elapsed=$stop-$start
 	(($elapsed > ${PURE_CMD_MAX_EXEC_TIME:=5})) && prompt_pure_human_time $elapsed
 }
 
+prompt_pure_check_git_arrows() {
+	# check if there is an upstream configured for this branch
+	command git rev-parse --abbrev-ref @'{u}' &>/dev/null || return
+
+	local arrows=""
+	(( $(command git rev-list --right-only --count HEAD...@'{u}' 2>/dev/null) > 0 )) && arrows='⇣'
+	(( $(command git rev-list --left-only --count HEAD...@'{u}' 2>/dev/null) > 0 )) && arrows+='⇡'
+	# output the arrows
+	[[ "$arrows" != "" ]] && echo " ${arrows}"
+}
+
 prompt_pure_preexec() {
-	cmd_timestamp=$EPOCHSECONDS
+	prompt_pure_cmd_timestamp=$EPOCHSECONDS
 
 	# shows the current dir and executed command in the title when a process is active
 	print -Pn "\e]0;"
@@ -66,38 +72,155 @@ prompt_pure_string_length() {
 	echo $(( ${#${(S%%)1//(\%([KF1]|)\{*\}|\%[Bbkf])}} - 1 ))
 }
 
+prompt_pure_preprompt_render() {
+	# check that no command is currently running, the prompt will otherwise be rendered in the wrong place
+	[[ -n ${prompt_pure_cmd_timestamp+x} && "$1" != "precmd" ]] && return
+
+	# set color for git branch/dirty status, change color if dirty checking has been delayed
+	local git_color=242
+	[[ -n ${prompt_pure_git_delay_dirty_check+x} ]] && git_color=red
+
+	# construct prompt, beginning with path
+	local prompt="%F{blue}%~%f"
+	# git info
+	prompt+="%F{$git_color}${vcs_info_msg_0_}${prompt_pure_git_dirty}%f"
+	# git pull/push arrows
+	prompt+="%F{cyan}${prompt_pure_git_arrows}%f"
+	# username and machine if applicable
+	prompt+=$prompt_pure_username
+	# execution time
+	prompt+="%F{yellow}${prompt_pure_cmd_exec_time}%f"
+
+	# if executing through precmd, do not perform fancy terminal editing
+	if [[ "$1" == "precmd" ]]; then
+		print -P "\n${prompt}"
+	else
+		# only redraw if prompt has changed
+		[[ "${prompt_pure_last_preprompt}" != "${prompt}" ]] || return
+
+		# calculate length of prompt for redraw purposes
+		local prompt_length=$(prompt_pure_string_length $prompt)
+		local lines=$(( $prompt_length / $COLUMNS + 1 ))
+
+		# disable clearing of line if last char of prompt is last column of terminal
+		local clr="\e[K"
+		(( $prompt_length * $lines == $COLUMNS - 1 )) && clr=""
+
+		# modify previous prompt
+		print -Pn "\e7\e[${lines}A\e[1G${prompt}${clr}\e8"
+	fi
+
+	# store previous prompt for comparison
+	prompt_pure_last_preprompt=$prompt
+}
+
 prompt_pure_precmd() {
+	# store exec time for when preprompt gets re-rendered
+	prompt_pure_cmd_exec_time=$(prompt_pure_check_cmd_exec_time)
+
+	# by making sure that prompt_pure_cmd_timestamp is defined here the async functions are prevented from interfering
+	# with the initial preprompt rendering
+	prompt_pure_cmd_timestamp=
+
+	# check for git arrows
+	prompt_pure_git_arrows=$(prompt_pure_check_git_arrows)
+
 	# shows the full path in the title
 	print -Pn '\e]0;%~\a'
 
-	# git info
+	# get vcs info
 	vcs_info
 
-	local prompt_pure_preprompt="\n%F{blue}%~%F{242}$vcs_info_msg_0_`prompt_pure_git_dirty`$prompt_pure_username%f%F{yellow}`prompt_pure_cmd_exec_time`%f"
-	print -P $prompt_pure_preprompt
+	# preform async git dirty check and fetch
+	prompt_pure_async_tasks
 
-	# check async if there is anything to pull
-	(( ${PURE_GIT_PULL:-1} )) && {
-		# check if we're in a git repo
-		[[ "$(command git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree 2>/dev/null)" == "true" ]] &&
-		# make sure working tree is not $HOME
-		[[ "$(command git rev-parse --show-toplevel)" != "$HOME" ]] &&
-		# check check if there is anything to pull
-		# set GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0 to disable auth prompting for git fetch (git 2.3+)
-		GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0 command git -c gc.auto=0 fetch &>/dev/null &&
-		# check if there is an upstream configured for this branch
-		command git rev-parse --abbrev-ref @'{u}' &>/dev/null && {
-			local arrows=''
-			(( $(command git rev-list --right-only --count HEAD...@'{u}' 2>/dev/null) > 0 )) && arrows='⇣'
-			(( $(command git rev-list --left-only --count HEAD...@'{u}' 2>/dev/null) > 0 )) && arrows+='⇡'
-			print -Pn "\e7\e[A\e[1G\e[`prompt_pure_string_length $prompt_pure_preprompt`C%F{cyan}${arrows}%f\e8"
-		}
-	} &!
+	# print the preprompt
+	prompt_pure_preprompt_render "precmd"
 
-	# reset value since `preexec` isn't always triggered
-	unset cmd_timestamp
+	# remove the prompt_pure_cmd_timestamp, indicating that precmd has completed
+	unset prompt_pure_cmd_timestamp
 }
 
+# fastest possible way to check if repo is dirty
+prompt_pure_async_git_dirty() {
+	local untracked_dirty=$2
+	local umode="-unormal"
+	[[ "$untracked_dirty" == "0" ]] && umode="-uno"
+
+	cd "$1"
+	command test -n "$(git status --porcelain --ignore-submodules ${umode})"
+	(($? == 0)) && echo "*"
+}
+
+prompt_pure_async_git_fetch() {
+	cd "$1"
+
+	# set GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0 to disable auth prompting for git fetch (git 2.3+)
+	GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0 command git -c gc.auto=0 fetch
+}
+
+prompt_pure_async_tasks() {
+	# initialize async worker
+	((!${prompt_pure_async_init:-0})) && {
+		async_start_worker "prompt_pure" -u -n
+		async_register_callback "prompt_pure" prompt_pure_async_callback
+		prompt_pure_async_init=1
+	}
+
+	# get the current git working tree, empty if not inside a git directory
+	local working_tree="$(command git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null)"
+
+	# check if the working tree changed, it is prefixed with "x" to prevent variable resolution in path
+	if [ "${prompt_pure_current_working_tree:-x}" != "x${working_tree}" ]; then
+		# stop any running async jobs
+		async_flush_jobs "prompt_pure"
+
+		# reset git preprompt variables, switching working tree
+		unset prompt_pure_git_dirty
+		unset prompt_pure_git_delay_dirty_check
+
+		# set the new working tree, prefixed with "x"
+		prompt_pure_current_working_tree="x${working_tree}"
+	fi
+
+	# only perform tasks inside git working tree
+	[[ "${working_tree}" != "" ]] || return
+
+	# tell worker to do a git fetch
+	async_job "prompt_pure" prompt_pure_async_git_fetch $working_tree
+
+	# if dirty checking is sufficiently fast, tell worker to check it again, or wait for timeout
+	local dirty_check=$(( $EPOCHSECONDS - ${prompt_pure_git_delay_dirty_check:-0} ))
+	if (( $dirty_check > ${PURE_GIT_DELAY_DIRTY_CHECK:-1800} )); then
+		unset prompt_pure_git_delay_dirty_check
+		(( ${PURE_GIT_PULL:-1} )) &&
+		# make sure working tree is not $HOME
+		[[ "${working_tree}" != "$HOME" ]] &&
+		# check check if there is anything to pull
+		async_job "prompt_pure" prompt_pure_async_git_dirty $working_tree $PURE_GIT_UNTRACKED_DIRTY
+	fi
+}
+
+prompt_pure_async_callback() {
+	local job=$1
+	local output=$3
+	local exec_time=$4
+
+	case "${job}" in
+		prompt_pure_async_git_dirty)
+			prompt_pure_git_dirty=$output
+			prompt_pure_preprompt_render
+
+			# when prompt_pure_git_delay_dirty_check is set, the git info is displayed in a different color, this is why the
+			# prompt is rendered before the variable is (potentially) set
+			(( $exec_time > 2 )) && prompt_pure_git_delay_dirty_check=$EPOCHSECONDS
+			;;
+		prompt_pure_async_git_fetch)
+			prompt_pure_git_arrows=$(prompt_pure_check_git_arrows)
+			prompt_pure_preprompt_render
+			;;
+	esac
+}
 
 prompt_pure_setup() {
 	# prevent percentage showing up
@@ -109,6 +232,7 @@ prompt_pure_setup() {
 	zmodload zsh/datetime
 	autoload -Uz add-zsh-hook
 	autoload -Uz vcs_info
+	autoload -Uz async && async
 
 	add-zsh-hook precmd prompt_pure_precmd
 	add-zsh-hook preexec prompt_pure_preexec
@@ -119,10 +243,10 @@ prompt_pure_setup() {
 	zstyle ':vcs_info:git*' actionformats ' %b|%a'
 
 	# show username@host if logged in through SSH
-	[[ "$SSH_CONNECTION" != '' ]] && prompt_pure_username=' %n@%m'
+	[[ "$SSH_CONNECTION" != '' ]] && prompt_pure_username=' %F{242}%n@%m%f'
 
 	# show username@host if root, with username in white
-	[[ $UID -eq 0 ]] && prompt_pure_username=' %F{white}%n%F{242}@%m'
+	[[ $UID -eq 0 ]] && prompt_pure_username=' %F{white}%n%f%F{242}@%m%f'
 
 	# prompt turns red if the previous command didn't exit with 0
 	PROMPT="%(?.%F{magenta}.%F{red})${PURE_PROMPT_SYMBOL:-❯}%f "
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 339f70b..b969ca9 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -43,10 +43,13 @@ That's it. Skip to [Getting started](#getting-started).
 
 2. Symlink `pure.zsh` to somewhere in [`$fpath`](http://www.refining-linux.org/archives/46/ZSH-Gem-12-Autoloading-functions/) with the name `prompt_pure_setup`.
 
+3. Symlink `async.zsh` in `$fpath` with the name `async`.
+
 #### Example
 
 ```sh
 $ ln -s "$PWD/pure.zsh" /usr/local/share/zsh/site-functions/prompt_pure_setup
+$ ln -s "$PWD/async.zsh" /usr/local/share/zsh/site-functions/async
 ```
 *Run `echo $fpath` to see possible locations.*
 
@@ -61,6 +64,7 @@ Then install the theme there:
 
 ```sh
 $ ln -s "$PWD/pure.zsh" "$HOME/.zfunctions/prompt_pure_setup"
+$ ln -s "$PWD/async.zsh" "$HOME/.zfunctions/async"
 ```
 
 
@@ -89,6 +93,10 @@ Set `PURE_GIT_PULL=0` to prevent Pure from checking whether the current Git remo
 
 Set `PURE_GIT_UNTRACKED_DIRTY=0` to not include untracked files in dirtiness check. Only really useful on extremely huge repos like the WebKit repo.
 
+### `PURE_GIT_DELAY_DIRTY_CHECK`
+
+Time in seconds to delay git dirty checking for large repositories (git status takes > 2 seconds). The check is performed asynchronously, this is to save CPU. Defaults to `1800` seconds.
+
 ### `PURE_PROMPT_SYMBOL`
 
 Defines the prompt symbol. The default value is `❯`.