diff --git a/src/xdist/remote.py b/src/xdist/remote.py
index 21e3893b..32dae34b 100644
--- a/src/xdist/remote.py
+++ b/src/xdist/remote.py
@@ -62,10 +62,13 @@ def __init__(self, config, channel):
         self.testrunuid = config.workerinput["testrunuid"]
         self.log = Producer(f"worker-{self.workerid}", enabled=config.option.debug)
         self.channel = channel
-        self.torun = channel.gateway.execmodel.queue.Queue()
+        self.torun = self._make_queue()
         self.nextitem_index = None
         config.pluginmanager.register(self)
 
+    def _make_queue(self):
+        return channel.gateway.execmodel.queue.Queue()
+
     def sendevent(self, name, **kwargs):
         self.log("sending", name, kwargs)
         self.channel.send((name, kwargs))
@@ -110,6 +113,20 @@ def handle_command(self, command):
                 self.torun.put(i)
         elif name == "shutdown":
             self.torun.put(None)
+        elif name == "steal":
+            old_queue, self.torun = self.torun, self._make_queue()
+            stolen = []
+            steal_set = set(kwargs["indices"])
+            try:
+                while 1:
+                    i = old_queue.get_nowait()
+                    if i in steal_set:
+                        stolen.append(i)
+                    else:
+                        self.torun.put(i)
+            except self.channel.gateway.execmodel.queue.Empty:
+                pass
+            self.sendevent("unscheduled", indices=stolen)
 
     @pytest.hookimpl
     def pytest_runtestloop(self, session):
diff --git a/testing/test_remote.py b/testing/test_remote.py
index 8742ee5c..cb8f6b7f 100644
--- a/testing/test_remote.py
+++ b/testing/test_remote.py
@@ -220,6 +220,57 @@ def test_process_from_remote_error_handling(
         ev = worker.popevent()
         assert ev.name == "errordown"
 
+    def test_steal_work(self, worker: WorkerSetup, unserialize_report) -> None:
+        worker.pytester.makepyfile(
+            """
+            import time
+            def test_func(): time.sleep(1)
+            def test_func2(): pass
+            def test_func3(): pass
+            def test_func4(): pass
+        """
+        )
+        worker.setup()
+        ev = worker.popevent("collectionfinish")
+        ids = ev.kwargs["ids"]
+        assert len(ids) == 4
+        worker.sendcommand("runtests_all")
+
+        # wait for test_func setup
+        ev = worker.popevent("testreport")
+        rep = unserialize_report(ev.kwargs["data"])
+        assert rep.nodeid.endswith("::test_func")
+        assert rep.when == "setup"
+
+        worker.sendcommand("steal", indices=[1, 2])
+        ev = worker.popevent("unscheduled")
+        assert ev.kwargs["indices"] == [2]
+
+        reports = [
+            ("test_func", "call"),
+            ("test_func", "teardown"),
+            ("test_func2", "setup"),
+            ("test_func2", "call"),
+            ("test_func2", "teardown"),
+        ]
+
+        for func, when in reports:
+            ev = worker.popevent("testreport")
+            rep = unserialize_report(ev.kwargs["data"])
+            assert rep.nodeid.endswith(f"::{func}")
+            assert rep.when == when
+
+        worker.sendcommand("shutdown")
+
+        for when in ["setup", "call", "teardown"]:
+            ev = worker.popevent("testreport")
+            rep = unserialize_report(ev.kwargs["data"])
+            assert rep.nodeid.endswith("::test_func4")
+            assert rep.when == when
+
+        ev = worker.popevent("workerfinished")
+        assert "workeroutput" in ev.kwargs
+
 
 def test_remote_env_vars(pytester: pytest.Pytester) -> None:
     pytester.makepyfile(