diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 32ebe05c07..9ac2659eac 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ android:
   - tools
   - platform-tools
   - build-tools-27.0.3
-  - android-27
+  - android-28
   - extra-google-google_play_services
   - extra-android-m2repository
   - extra-android-support
diff --git a/blessedDeps.gradle b/blessedDeps.gradle
index 6a7f2db8d5..da02d21a5c 100644
--- a/blessedDeps.gradle
+++ b/blessedDeps.gradle
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
 rootProject.ext.JAVA_SOURCE_VERSION = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
 rootProject.ext.JAVA_TARGET_VERSION = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
 
-rootProject.ext.TARGET_SDK_VERSION = 27
-rootProject.ext.COMPILE_SDK_VERSION = 27
+rootProject.ext.TARGET_SDK_VERSION = 28
+rootProject.ext.COMPILE_SDK_VERSION = 28
 rootProject.ext.MIN_SDK_VERSION = 14
 rootProject.ext.MIN_SDK_VERSION_LITHO = 15
 
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index e4c111cb88..c879b98aab 100755
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 buildscript {
 
   ext.KOTLIN_VERSION = "1.2.60"
-  ext.ANDROID_PLUGIN_VERSION = "3.1.3"
+  ext.ANDROID_PLUGIN_VERSION = "3.1.4"
 
   repositories {
     google()
diff --git a/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/AsyncEpoxyController.java b/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/AsyncEpoxyController.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b720b12747
--- /dev/null
+++ b/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/AsyncEpoxyController.java
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+package com.airbnb.epoxy;
+
+import android.os.Handler;
+
+import static com.airbnb.epoxy.EpoxyAsyncUtil.MAIN_THREAD_HANDLER;
+import static com.airbnb.epoxy.EpoxyAsyncUtil.getAsyncBackgroundHandler;
+
+/**
+ * A subclass of {@link EpoxyController} that makes it easy to do model building and diffing in
+ * the background.
+ * <p>
+ * See https://github.com/airbnb/epoxy/wiki/Epoxy-Controller#asynchronous-support
+ */
+public abstract class AsyncEpoxyController extends EpoxyController {
+
+  /**
+   * A new instance that does model building and diffing asynchronously.
+   */
+  public AsyncEpoxyController() {
+    this(true);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @param enableAsync True to do model building and diffing asynchronously, false to do them
+   *                    both on the main thread.
+   */
+  public AsyncEpoxyController(boolean enableAsync) {
+    this(true, true);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Individually control whether model building and diffing are done async or on the main thread.
+   */
+  public AsyncEpoxyController(boolean enableAsyncModelBuilding, boolean enableAsyncDiffing) {
+    super(getHandler(enableAsyncModelBuilding), getHandler(enableAsyncDiffing));
+  }
+
+  private static Handler getHandler(boolean enableAsync) {
+    return enableAsync ? getAsyncBackgroundHandler() : MAIN_THREAD_HANDLER;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/AsyncEpoxyDiffer.java b/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/AsyncEpoxyDiffer.java
index 98190a8a32..24f1e9674d 100644
--- a/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/AsyncEpoxyDiffer.java
+++ b/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/AsyncEpoxyDiffer.java
@@ -162,7 +162,9 @@ private void onRunCompleted(
       @Nullable final DiffResult result
   ) {
 
-    MainThreadExecutor.INSTANCE.execute(new Runnable() {
+    // We use an asynchronous handler so that the Runnable can be posted directly back to the main
+    // thread without waiting on view invalidation synchronization.
+    MainThreadExecutor.ASYNC_INSTANCE.execute(new Runnable() {
       @Override
       public void run() {
         final boolean dispatchResult = tryLatchList(newList, runGeneration);
diff --git a/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/EpoxyAsyncUtil.java b/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/EpoxyAsyncUtil.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2bf449b421
--- /dev/null
+++ b/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/EpoxyAsyncUtil.java
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+package com.airbnb.epoxy;
+
+import android.os.Build;
+import android.os.Handler;
+import android.os.HandlerThread;
+import android.os.Looper;
+import android.os.Message;
+import android.support.annotation.MainThread;
+import android.support.annotation.Nullable;
+
+import java.lang.reflect.Constructor;
+
+/**
+ * Various helpers for running Epoxy operations off the main thread.
+ */
+public final class EpoxyAsyncUtil {
+  private EpoxyAsyncUtil() {
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * A Handler class that uses the main thread's Looper.
+   */
+  public static final Handler MAIN_THREAD_HANDLER =
+      createHandler(Looper.getMainLooper(), false);
+
+  /**
+   * A Handler class that uses the main thread's Looper. Additionally, this handler calls
+   * {@link Message#setAsynchronous(boolean)} for
+   * each {@link Message} that is sent to it or {@link Runnable} that is posted to it
+   */
+  public static final Handler AYSNC_MAIN_THREAD_HANDLER =
+      createHandler(Looper.getMainLooper(), true);
+
+  private static Handler asyncBackgroundHandler;
+
+  /**
+   * A Handler class that uses a separate background thread dedicated to Epoxy. Additionally,
+   * this handler calls {@link Message#setAsynchronous(boolean)} for
+   * each {@link Message} that is sent to it or {@link Runnable} that is posted to it
+   */
+  @MainThread
+  public static Handler getAsyncBackgroundHandler() {
+    // This is initialized lazily so we don't create the thread unless it will be used.
+    // It isn't synchronized so it should only be accessed on the main thread.
+    if (asyncBackgroundHandler == null) {
+      asyncBackgroundHandler = createHandler(buildBackgroundLooper("epoxy"), true);
+    }
+
+    return asyncBackgroundHandler;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Create a Handler with the given Looper
+   *
+   * @param async If true the Handler will calls {@link Message#setAsynchronous(boolean)} for
+   *              each {@link Message} that is sent to it or {@link Runnable} that is posted to it.
+   */
+  public static Handler createHandler(Looper looper, boolean async) {
+    if (!async) {
+      return new Handler(looper);
+    }
+
+    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 28) {
+      return Handler.createAsync(looper);
+    }
+
+    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 17) {
+      Constructor<Handler> handlerConstructor = asyncHandlerConstructor();
+      if (handlerConstructor != null) {
+        try {
+          return handlerConstructor.newInstance(looper, null, true);
+        } catch (Throwable e) {
+          // Fallback
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    return new Handler(looper);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Create a new looper that runs on a new background thread.
+   */
+  public static Looper buildBackgroundLooper(String threadName) {
+    HandlerThread handlerThread = new HandlerThread(threadName);
+    handlerThread.start();
+    return handlerThread.getLooper();
+  }
+
+  @Nullable
+  private static Constructor<Handler> asyncHandlerConstructor() {
+    try {
+      //noinspection JavaReflectionMemberAccess
+      return Handler.class.getConstructor(
+          Looper.class,
+          Handler.Callback.class,
+          Boolean.class
+      );
+    } catch (Throwable e) {
+      return null;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/MainThreadExecutor.java b/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/MainThreadExecutor.java
index 01ec806f4a..a1eaeec191 100644
--- a/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/MainThreadExecutor.java
+++ b/epoxy-adapter/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/MainThreadExecutor.java
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 package com.airbnb.epoxy;
 
-import android.os.Handler;
 import android.os.Looper;
 
+import static com.airbnb.epoxy.EpoxyAsyncUtil.createHandler;
+
 class MainThreadExecutor extends HandlerExecutor {
-  static final MainThreadExecutor INSTANCE = new MainThreadExecutor();
+  static final MainThreadExecutor INSTANCE = new MainThreadExecutor(false);
+  static final MainThreadExecutor ASYNC_INSTANCE = new MainThreadExecutor(true);
 
-  MainThreadExecutor() {
-    super(new Handler(Looper.getMainLooper()));
+  MainThreadExecutor(boolean async) {
+    super(createHandler(Looper.getMainLooper(), async));
   }
 }
+
+
diff --git a/epoxy-sample/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/sample/SampleController.java b/epoxy-sample/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/sample/SampleController.java
index 6a37d3ec1a..34e8702935 100644
--- a/epoxy-sample/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/sample/SampleController.java
+++ b/epoxy-sample/src/main/java/com/airbnb/epoxy/sample/SampleController.java
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 package com.airbnb.epoxy.sample;
 
-import android.os.Handler;
-import android.os.HandlerThread;
-
 import com.airbnb.epoxy.AutoModel;
 import com.airbnb.epoxy.TypedEpoxyController;
 import com.airbnb.epoxy.sample.models.CarouselModelGroup;
@@ -10,6 +7,8 @@
 
 import java.util.List;
 
+import static com.airbnb.epoxy.EpoxyAsyncUtil.getAsyncBackgroundHandler;
+
 public class SampleController extends TypedEpoxyController<List<CarouselData>> {
   public interface AdapterCallbacks {
     void onAddCarouselClicked();
@@ -31,18 +30,10 @@ public interface AdapterCallbacks {
 
   private final AdapterCallbacks callbacks;
 
-  private static final Handler BACKGROUND_HANDLER;
-
-  static {
-    HandlerThread handlerThread = new HandlerThread("epoxy");
-    handlerThread.start();
-    BACKGROUND_HANDLER = new Handler(handlerThread.getLooper());
-  }
-
   SampleController(AdapterCallbacks callbacks) {
     // Demonstrating how model building and diffing can be done in the background.
     // You can control them separately by passing in separate handler, as shown below.
-    super(BACKGROUND_HANDLER, BACKGROUND_HANDLER);
+    super(getAsyncBackgroundHandler(), getAsyncBackgroundHandler());
 //    super(new Handler(), BACKGROUND_HANDLER);
 //    super(BACKGROUND_HANDLER, new Handler());