diff --git a/ipykernel/kernelbase.py b/ipykernel/kernelbase.py
index af051067b..5a988d37e 100644
--- a/ipykernel/kernelbase.py
+++ b/ipykernel/kernelbase.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 
 CONTROL_PRIORITY = 1
 SHELL_PRIORITY = 10
+ABORT_PRIORITY = 20
 
 
 class Kernel(SingletonConfigurable):
@@ -791,11 +792,16 @@ def _abort_queues(self):
             stream.flush()
         self._aborting = True
 
-        def stop_aborting(f):
-            self.log.info("Finishing abort")
-            self._aborting = False
+        self.schedule_dispatch(
+            ABORT_PRIORITY,
+            self._dispatch_abort,
+        )
 
-        self.io_loop.add_future(gen.sleep(self.stop_on_error_timeout), stop_aborting)
+    @gen.coroutine
+    def _dispatch_abort(self):
+        self.log.info("Finishing abort")
+        yield gen.sleep(self.stop_on_error_timeout)
+        self._aborting = False
 
     def _send_abort_reply(self, stream, msg, idents):
         """Send a reply to an aborted request"""