diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 3e4f5b5f..8056e6fe 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@ tower-layer = "0.3"
 tower-http = { version = "0.1", features = ["add-extension", "map-response-body"] }
 sync_wrapper = "0.1.1"
 
-dyn-clone = "1.0"
-
 # optional dependencies
 tokio-tungstenite = { optional = true, version = "0.15" }
 sha-1 = { optional = true, version = "0.9.6" }
diff --git a/src/buffer.rs b/src/buffer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f76b8fd4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/buffer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,194 @@
+use futures_util::ready;
+use pin_project_lite::pin_project;
+use std::{
+    future::Future,
+    pin::Pin,
+    sync::Arc,
+    task::{Context, Poll},
+};
+use tokio::sync::{mpsc, oneshot, OwnedSemaphorePermit, Semaphore};
+use tokio_util::sync::PollSemaphore;
+use tower::ServiceExt;
+use tower_service::Service;
+
+/// A version of [`tower::buffer::Buffer`] which panicks on channel related errors, thus keeping
+/// the error type of the service.
+pub(crate) struct MpscBuffer<S, R>
+where
+    S: Service<R>,
+{
+    tx: mpsc::UnboundedSender<Msg<S, R>>,
+    semaphore: PollSemaphore,
+    permit: Option<OwnedSemaphorePermit>,
+}
+
+impl<S, R> Clone for MpscBuffer<S, R>
+where
+    S: Service<R>,
+{
+    fn clone(&self) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            tx: self.tx.clone(),
+            semaphore: self.semaphore.clone(),
+            permit: None,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<S, R> MpscBuffer<S, R>
+where
+    S: Service<R>,
+{
+    pub(crate) fn new(svc: S) -> Self
+    where
+        S: Send + 'static,
+        R: Send + 'static,
+        S::Error: Send + 'static,
+        S::Future: Send + 'static,
+    {
+        let (tx, rx) = mpsc::unbounded_channel::<Msg<S, R>>();
+        let semaphore = PollSemaphore::new(Arc::new(Semaphore::new(1024)));
+
+        tokio::spawn(run_worker(svc, rx));
+
+        Self {
+            tx,
+            semaphore,
+            permit: None,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+async fn run_worker<S, R>(mut svc: S, mut rx: mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<Msg<S, R>>)
+where
+    S: Service<R>,
+{
+    while let Some((req, reply_tx)) = rx.recv().await {
+        match svc.ready().await {
+            Ok(svc) => {
+                let future = svc.call(req);
+                let _ = reply_tx.send(WorkerReply::Future(future));
+            }
+            Err(err) => {
+                let _ = reply_tx.send(WorkerReply::Error(err));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+type Msg<S, R> = (
+    R,
+    oneshot::Sender<WorkerReply<<S as Service<R>>::Future, <S as Service<R>>::Error>>,
+);
+
+enum WorkerReply<F, E> {
+    Future(F),
+    Error(E),
+}
+
+impl<S, R> Service<R> for MpscBuffer<S, R>
+where
+    S: Service<R>,
+{
+    type Response = S::Response;
+    type Error = S::Error;
+    type Future = ResponseFuture<S::Future, S::Error>;
+
+    fn poll_ready(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), Self::Error>> {
+        if self.permit.is_some() {
+            return Poll::Ready(Ok(()));
+        }
+
+        let permit = ready!(self.semaphore.poll_acquire(cx))
+            .expect("buffer semaphore closed. This is a bug in axum and should never happen. Please file an issue");
+
+        self.permit = Some(permit);
+
+        Poll::Ready(Ok(()))
+    }
+
+    fn call(&mut self, req: R) -> Self::Future {
+        let permit = self
+            .permit
+            .take()
+            .expect("semaphore permit missing. Did you forget to call `poll_ready`?");
+
+        let (reply_tx, reply_rx) = oneshot::channel::<WorkerReply<S::Future, S::Error>>();
+
+        self.tx.send((req, reply_tx)).unwrap_or_else(|_| {
+            panic!("buffer worker not running. This is a bug in axum and should never happen. Please file an issue")
+        });
+
+        ResponseFuture {
+            state: State::Channel { reply_rx },
+            permit,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pin_project! {
+    pub(crate) struct ResponseFuture<F, E> {
+        #[pin]
+        state: State<F, E>,
+        permit: OwnedSemaphorePermit,
+    }
+}
+
+pin_project! {
+    #[project = StateProj]
+    enum State<F, E> {
+        Channel { reply_rx: oneshot::Receiver<WorkerReply<F, E>> },
+        Future { #[pin] future: F },
+    }
+}
+
+impl<F, E, T> Future for ResponseFuture<F, E>
+where
+    F: Future<Output = Result<T, E>>,
+{
+    type Output = Result<T, E>;
+
+    fn poll(mut self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Self::Output> {
+        loop {
+            let mut this = self.as_mut().project();
+
+            let new_state = match this.state.as_mut().project() {
+                StateProj::Channel { reply_rx } => {
+                    let msg = ready!(Pin::new(reply_rx).poll(cx))
+                        .expect("buffer worker not running. This is a bug in axum and should never happen. Please file an issue");
+
+                    match msg {
+                        WorkerReply::Future(future) => State::Future { future },
+                        WorkerReply::Error(err) => return Poll::Ready(Err(err)),
+                    }
+                }
+                StateProj::Future { future } => {
+                    return future.poll(cx);
+                }
+            };
+
+            this.state.set(new_state);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    #[allow(unused_imports)]
+    use super::*;
+    use tower::ServiceExt;
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_buffer() {
+        let mut svc = MpscBuffer::new(tower::service_fn(handle));
+
+        let res = svc.ready().await.unwrap().call(42).await.unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(res, "foo");
+    }
+
+    async fn handle(req: i32) -> Result<&'static str, std::convert::Infallible> {
+        assert_eq!(req, 42);
+        Ok("foo")
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 637e1100..082796f5 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1004,6 +1004,7 @@
 #[macro_use]
 pub(crate) mod macros;
 
+mod buffer;
 mod error;
 mod json;
 mod util;
diff --git a/src/routing/future.rs b/src/routing/future.rs
index bd08b8ea..6f6e9cfe 100644
--- a/src/routing/future.rs
+++ b/src/routing/future.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 //! Future types.
 
-use crate::{body::BoxBody, routing::FromEmptyRouter, util::CloneBoxService, BoxError};
+use crate::{body::BoxBody, buffer::MpscBuffer, routing::FromEmptyRouter, BoxError};
 use futures_util::ready;
 use http::{Request, Response};
 use pin_project_lite::pin_project;
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ use std::{
     pin::Pin,
     task::{Context, Poll},
 };
-use tower::{util::Oneshot, ServiceExt};
+use tower::{
+    util::{BoxService, Oneshot},
+    ServiceExt,
+};
 use tower_service::Service;
 
 pub use super::or::ResponseFuture as OrResponseFuture;
@@ -30,7 +33,10 @@ pin_project! {
     {
         #[pin]
         pub(super) inner: Oneshot<
-            CloneBoxService<Request<B>, Response<BoxBody>, E>,
+            MpscBuffer<
+                BoxService<Request<B>, Response<BoxBody>, E >,
+                Request<B>
+            >,
             Request<B>,
         >,
     }
diff --git a/src/routing/mod.rs b/src/routing/mod.rs
index ccf7597a..c8456618 100644
--- a/src/routing/mod.rs
+++ b/src/routing/mod.rs
@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@
 use self::future::{BoxRouteFuture, EmptyRouterFuture, NestedFuture, RouteFuture};
 use crate::{
     body::{box_body, BoxBody},
+    buffer::MpscBuffer,
     extract::{
         connect_info::{Connected, IntoMakeServiceWithConnectInfo},
         OriginalUri,
     },
     service::HandleError,
-    util::{ByteStr, CloneBoxService},
+    util::ByteStr,
     BoxError,
 };
 use bytes::Bytes;
@@ -23,7 +24,10 @@ use std::{
     sync::Arc,
     task::{Context, Poll},
 };
-use tower::{util::ServiceExt, ServiceBuilder};
+use tower::{
+    util::{BoxService, ServiceExt},
+    ServiceBuilder,
+};
 use tower_http::map_response_body::MapResponseBodyLayer;
 use tower_layer::Layer;
 use tower_service::Service;
@@ -252,7 +256,7 @@ impl<S> Router<S> {
     /// routes.
     pub fn boxed<ReqBody, ResBody>(self) -> Router<BoxRoute<ReqBody, S::Error>>
     where
-        S: Service<Request<ReqBody>, Response = Response<ResBody>> + Clone + Send + 'static,
+        S: Service<Request<ReqBody>, Response = Response<ResBody>> + Send + 'static,
         S::Error: Into<BoxError> + Send,
         S::Future: Send,
         ReqBody: Send + 'static,
@@ -261,8 +265,9 @@ impl<S> Router<S> {
     {
         self.map(|svc| {
             ServiceBuilder::new()
-                .layer_fn(|inner| BoxRoute { inner })
-                .layer_fn(CloneBoxService::new)
+                .layer_fn(BoxRoute)
+                .layer_fn(MpscBuffer::new)
+                .layer(BoxService::layer())
                 .layer(MapResponseBodyLayer::new(box_body))
                 .service(svc)
         })
@@ -828,15 +833,13 @@ type Captures = Vec<(String, String)>;
 /// A boxed route trait object.
 ///
 /// See [`Router::boxed`] for more details.
-pub struct BoxRoute<B = crate::body::Body, E = Infallible> {
-    inner: CloneBoxService<Request<B>, Response<BoxBody>, E>,
-}
+pub struct BoxRoute<B = crate::body::Body, E = Infallible>(
+    MpscBuffer<BoxService<Request<B>, Response<BoxBody>, E>, Request<B>>,
+);
 
 impl<B, E> Clone for BoxRoute<B, E> {
     fn clone(&self) -> Self {
-        BoxRoute {
-            inner: self.inner.clone(),
-        }
+        Self(self.0.clone())
     }
 }
 
@@ -862,7 +865,7 @@ where
     #[inline]
     fn call(&mut self, req: Request<B>) -> Self::Future {
         BoxRouteFuture {
-            inner: self.inner.clone().oneshot(req),
+            inner: self.0.clone().oneshot(req),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/util/mod.rs b/src/util.rs
similarity index 91%
rename from src/util/mod.rs
rename to src/util.rs
index 2bce6833..a731f741 100644
--- a/src/util/mod.rs
+++ b/src/util.rs
@@ -2,10 +2,6 @@ use bytes::Bytes;
 use pin_project_lite::pin_project;
 use std::ops::Deref;
 
-mod clone_box_service;
-
-pub(crate) use self::clone_box_service::CloneBoxService;
-
 /// A string like type backed by `Bytes` making it cheap to clone.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
 pub(crate) struct ByteStr(Bytes);
diff --git a/src/util/clone_box_service.rs b/src/util/clone_box_service.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index 1e70e3a5..00000000
--- a/src/util/clone_box_service.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,75 +0,0 @@
-use futures_util::future::BoxFuture;
-use std::future::Future;
-use std::task::{Context, Poll};
-use tower::ServiceExt;
-use tower_service::Service;
-
-/// A boxed Service that implements Clone
-///
-/// Could probably upstream this to tower
-pub(crate) struct CloneBoxService<T, U, E> {
-    inner: Box<
-        dyn CloneService<T, Response = U, Error = E, Future = BoxFuture<'static, Result<U, E>>>
-            + Send,
-    >,
-}
-
-impl<T, U, E> CloneBoxService<T, U, E> {
-    pub(crate) fn new<S>(inner: S) -> Self
-    where
-        S: Service<T, Response = U, Error = E> + Clone + Send + 'static,
-        S::Future: Send + 'static,
-    {
-        let inner = Box::new(inner.map_future(|f| Box::pin(f) as _));
-        Self { inner }
-    }
-}
-
-impl<T, U, E> Clone for CloneBoxService<T, U, E> {
-    fn clone(&self) -> Self {
-        Self {
-            inner: dyn_clone::clone_box(&*self.inner),
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-impl<T, U, E> Service<T> for CloneBoxService<T, U, E> {
-    type Response = U;
-    type Error = E;
-    type Future = BoxFuture<'static, Result<U, E>>;
-
-    fn poll_ready(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), Self::Error>> {
-        CloneService::poll_ready(&mut *self.inner, cx)
-    }
-
-    fn call(&mut self, req: T) -> Self::Future {
-        CloneService::call(&mut *self.inner, req)
-    }
-}
-
-trait CloneService<R>: dyn_clone::DynClone {
-    type Response;
-    type Error;
-    type Future: Future<Output = Result<Self::Response, Self::Error>>;
-
-    fn poll_ready(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), Self::Error>>;
-
-    fn call(&mut self, req: R) -> Self::Future;
-}
-
-impl<R, T> CloneService<R> for T
-where
-    T: Service<R> + Clone,
-{
-    type Response = T::Response;
-    type Error = T::Error;
-    type Future = T::Future;
-
-    fn poll_ready(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), Self::Error>> {
-        Service::poll_ready(self, cx)
-    }
-
-    fn call(&mut self, req: R) -> Self::Future {
-        Service::call(self, req)
-    }
-}