diff --git a/src/core/worker.c b/src/core/worker.c
index 6338834413..db9977a91f 100644
--- a/src/core/worker.c
+++ b/src/core/worker.c
@@ -96,13 +96,10 @@ QuicWorkerInitialize(
     Worker->ExecutionContext.NextTimeUs = UINT64_MAX;
     Worker->ExecutionContext.Ready = TRUE;
 
-#ifndef _KERNEL_MODE // Not supported on kernel mode
     if (ExecProfile != QUIC_EXECUTION_PROFILE_TYPE_MAX_THROUGHPUT) {
         Worker->IsExternal = TRUE;
         CxPlatAddExecutionContext(&MsQuicLib.WorkerPool, &Worker->ExecutionContext, PartitionIndex);
-    } else
-#endif // _KERNEL_MODE
-    {
+    } else {
         uint16_t ThreadFlags;
         switch (ExecProfile) {
         default:
diff --git a/src/inc/quic_platform.h b/src/inc/quic_platform.h
index 4e56a87fd5..90938dbc20 100644
--- a/src/inc/quic_platform.h
+++ b/src/inc/quic_platform.h
@@ -436,20 +436,17 @@ typedef struct CXPLAT_WORKER_POOL {
 
 } CXPLAT_WORKER_POOL;
 
-#ifdef _KERNEL_MODE // Not supported on kernel mode
-#define CxPlatWorkerPoolInit(WorkerPool) UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(WorkerPool)
-#define CxPlatWorkerPoolUninit(WorkerPool) UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(WorkerPool)
-#else
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 void
 CxPlatWorkerPoolInit(
     _In_ CXPLAT_WORKER_POOL* WorkerPool
     );
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 void
 CxPlatWorkerPoolUninit(
     _In_ CXPLAT_WORKER_POOL* WorkerPool
     );
-#endif
 
 //
 // General purpose execution context abstraction layer. Used for driving worker
@@ -524,10 +521,7 @@ typedef struct CXPLAT_EXECUTION_CONTEXT {
 
 } CXPLAT_EXECUTION_CONTEXT;
 
-#ifdef _KERNEL_MODE // Not supported on kernel mode
-#define CxPlatAddExecutionContext(WorkerPool, Context, IdealProcessor) CXPLAT_FRE_ASSERT(FALSE)
-#define CxPlatWakeExecutionContext(Context) CXPLAT_FRE_ASSERT(FALSE)
-#else
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 void
 CxPlatAddExecutionContext(
     _In_ CXPLAT_WORKER_POOL* WorkerPool,
@@ -535,11 +529,11 @@ CxPlatAddExecutionContext(
     _In_ uint16_t Index // Into the execution config processor array
     );
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 void
 CxPlatWakeExecutionContext(
     _In_ CXPLAT_EXECUTION_CONTEXT* Context
     );
-#endif
 
 //
 // Test Interface for loading a self-signed certificate.
diff --git a/src/inc/quic_platform_winkernel.h b/src/inc/quic_platform_winkernel.h
index 065f5e192a..0745a00325 100644
--- a/src/inc/quic_platform_winkernel.h
+++ b/src/inc/quic_platform_winkernel.h
@@ -469,58 +469,142 @@ _CxPlatEventWaitWithTimeout(
 #define CxPlatEventWaitWithTimeout(Event, TimeoutMs) \
     (STATUS_SUCCESS == _CxPlatEventWaitWithTimeout(&Event, TimeoutMs))
 
+//
+// TODO: Publish and document the following APIs
+//
+
+// ACCESS_MASK
+#define IO_COMPLETION_QUERY_STATE   0x0001
+#define IO_COMPLETION_MODIFY_STATE  0x0002  // winnt
+#define IO_COMPLETION_ALL_ACCESS (STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED|SYNCHRONIZE|0x3) // winnt
+
+typedef struct _FILE_IO_COMPLETION_INFORMATION {
+    PVOID               KeyContext;
+    PVOID               ApcContext;
+    IO_STATUS_BLOCK     IoStatusBlock;
+} FILE_IO_COMPLETION_INFORMATION, *PFILE_IO_COMPLETION_INFORMATION;
+
+// copied from zwapi.h
+NTSYSAPI
+NTSTATUS
+NTAPI
+ZwCreateIoCompletion (
+    OUT         PHANDLE IoCompletionHandle,
+    IN          ACCESS_MASK DesiredAccess,
+    IN OPTIONAL POBJECT_ATTRIBUTES ObjectAttributes,
+    IN OPTIONAL ULONG Count
+    );
+
+NTSYSAPI
+NTSTATUS
+NTAPI
+ZwSetIoCompletion (
+    IN HANDLE IoCompletionHandle,
+    IN PVOID KeyContext,
+    IN PVOID ApcContext,
+    IN NTSTATUS IoStatus,
+    IN ULONG_PTR IoStatusInformation
+    );
+
+NTSYSAPI
+NTSTATUS
+NTAPI
+ZwRemoveIoCompletionEx (
+    IN HANDLE IoCompletionHandle,
+    OUT PFILE_IO_COMPLETION_INFORMATION IoCompletionInformation,
+    IN ULONG Count,
+    OUT PULONG NumEntriesRemoved,
+    IN PLARGE_INTEGER Timeout OPTIONAL,
+    IN BOOLEAN Alertable
+    );
+
 //
 // Event Queue Interfaces
 //
 
-typedef KEVENT CXPLAT_EVENTQ; // Event queue
-typedef void* CXPLAT_CQE;
+typedef HANDLE CXPLAT_EVENTQ;
+typedef FILE_IO_COMPLETION_INFORMATION CXPLAT_CQE;
+
+typedef
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
+void
+(CXPLAT_EVENT_COMPLETION)(
+    _In_ CXPLAT_CQE* Cqe
+    );
+typedef CXPLAT_EVENT_COMPLETION *CXPLAT_EVENT_COMPLETION_HANDLER;
 
+typedef struct CXPLAT_SQE {
+    CXPLAT_EVENT_COMPLETION_HANDLER Completion;
+} CXPLAT_SQE;
+
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 inline
 BOOLEAN
 CxPlatEventQInitialize(
     _Out_ CXPLAT_EVENTQ* queue
     )
 {
-    KeInitializeEvent(queue, SynchronizationEvent, FALSE);
-    return TRUE;
+    return NT_SUCCESS(ZwCreateIoCompletion(queue, IO_COMPLETION_ALL_ACCESS, NULL, 0));
 }
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 inline
 void
 CxPlatEventQCleanup(
     _In_ CXPLAT_EVENTQ* queue
     )
 {
-    UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(queue);
+    NtClose(*queue);
 }
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 inline
 BOOLEAN
-_CxPlatEventQEnqueue(
-    _In_ CXPLAT_EVENTQ* queue
+CxPlatEventQEnqueue(
+    _In_ CXPLAT_EVENTQ* queue,
+    _In_ CXPLAT_SQE* sqe
     )
 {
-    KeSetEvent(queue, IO_NO_INCREMENT, FALSE);
-    return TRUE;
+    return NT_SUCCESS(ZwSetIoCompletion(*queue, NULL, sqe, STATUS_SUCCESS, 0));
 }
 
-#define CxPlatEventQEnqueue(queue, sqe) _CxPlatEventQEnqueue(queue)
-
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 inline
 uint32_t
 CxPlatEventQDequeue(
     _In_ CXPLAT_EVENTQ* queue,
-    _Out_ CXPLAT_CQE* events,
+    _Out_writes_to_(count, return) CXPLAT_CQE* events,
     _In_ uint32_t count,
     _In_ uint32_t wait_time // milliseconds
     )
 {
-    UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(count);
-    *events = NULL;
-    return STATUS_SUCCESS == _CxPlatEventWaitWithTimeout(queue, wait_time) ? 1 : 0;
+    NTSTATUS status;
+    ULONG entriesRemoved;
+    if (wait_time == UINT32_MAX) {
+        status =
+            ZwRemoveIoCompletionEx(
+                *queue,
+                events,
+                count,
+                &entriesRemoved,
+                NULL,
+                FALSE);
+    } else {
+        LARGE_INTEGER timeout;
+        timeout.QuadPart = -10000LL * wait_time;
+        status =
+            ZwRemoveIoCompletionEx(
+                *queue,
+                events,
+                count,
+                &entriesRemoved,
+                &timeout,
+                FALSE);
+    }
+    return NT_SUCCESS(status) ? entriesRemoved : 0;
 }
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 inline
 void
 CxPlatEventQReturn(
@@ -533,12 +617,46 @@ CxPlatEventQReturn(
 }
 
 inline
-void*
-CxPlatCqeUserData(
+BOOLEAN
+CxPlatSqeInitialize(
+    _In_ CXPLAT_EVENTQ* queue,
+    _In_ CXPLAT_EVENT_COMPLETION_HANDLER completion,
+    _Out_ CXPLAT_SQE* sqe
+    )
+{
+    UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(queue);
+    sqe->Completion = completion;
+    return TRUE;
+}
+
+inline
+void
+CxPlatSqeInitializeEx(
+    _In_ CXPLAT_EVENT_COMPLETION_HANDLER completion,
+    _Out_ CXPLAT_SQE* sqe
+    )
+{
+    sqe->Completion = completion;
+}
+
+inline
+void
+CxPlatSqeCleanup(
+    _In_ CXPLAT_EVENTQ* queue,
+    _In_ CXPLAT_SQE* sqe
+    )
+{
+    UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(queue);
+    UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(sqe);
+}
+
+inline
+CXPLAT_SQE*
+CxPlatCqeGetSqe(
     _In_ const CXPLAT_CQE* cqe
     )
 {
-    return *cqe;
+    return (CXPLAT_SQE*)cqe->ApcContext;
 }
 
 //
diff --git a/src/platform/datapath_winkernel.c b/src/platform/datapath_winkernel.c
index 57d7862ea3..5db933e6b3 100644
--- a/src/platform/datapath_winkernel.c
+++ b/src/platform/datapath_winkernel.c
@@ -640,7 +640,6 @@ DataPathInitialize(
     _Out_ CXPLAT_DATAPATH* *NewDataPath
     )
 {
-    UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(WorkerPool);
     QUIC_STATUS Status;
     WSK_CLIENT_NPI WskClientNpi = { NULL, &WskAppDispatch };
     uint32_t DatapathLength;
@@ -669,6 +668,11 @@ DataPathInitialize(
         }
     }
 
+    if (!CxPlatWorkerPoolLazyStart(WorkerPool, Config)) {
+        Status = QUIC_STATUS_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+        goto Exit;
+    }
+
     DatapathLength =
         sizeof(CXPLAT_DATAPATH) +
         CxPlatProcCount() * sizeof(CXPLAT_DATAPATH_PROC_CONTEXT);
diff --git a/src/platform/platform.kernel.vcxproj b/src/platform/platform.kernel.vcxproj
index 6e1f4506de..db94c8b944 100644
--- a/src/platform/platform.kernel.vcxproj
+++ b/src/platform/platform.kernel.vcxproj
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
     <ClCompile Include="hashtable.c" />
     <ClCompile Include="pcp.c" />
     <ClCompile Include="platform_winkernel.c" />
+    <ClCompile Include="platform_worker.c" />
     <ClCompile Include="storage_winkernel.c" />
     <ClCompile Include="tls_schannel.c" />
     <ClCompile Include="toeplitz.c" />
diff --git a/src/platform/platform_internal.h b/src/platform/platform_internal.h
index 4930ceb614..3458b18b06 100644
--- a/src/platform/platform_internal.h
+++ b/src/platform/platform_internal.h
@@ -759,6 +759,7 @@ CxPlatCryptUninitialize(
 // Platform Worker APIs
 //
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 BOOLEAN
 CxPlatWorkerPoolLazyStart(
     _In_ CXPLAT_WORKER_POOL* WorkerPool,
diff --git a/src/platform/platform_worker.c b/src/platform/platform_worker.c
index 78a139c098..48bcb810cf 100644
--- a/src/platform/platform_worker.c
+++ b/src/platform/platform_worker.c
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ WakeCompletion(
     UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(Cqe);
 }
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 void
 CxPlatUpdateExecutionContexts(
     _In_ CXPLAT_WORKER* Worker
@@ -136,6 +137,7 @@ UpdatePollCompletion(
     CxPlatUpdateExecutionContexts(Worker);
 }
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 void
 CxPlatWorkerPoolInit(
     _In_ CXPLAT_WORKER_POOL* WorkerPool
@@ -149,6 +151,7 @@ CxPlatWorkerPoolInit(
 #pragma warning(push)
 #pragma warning(disable:6385)
 #pragma warning(disable:6386) // SAL is confused about the worker size
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 BOOLEAN
 CxPlatWorkerPoolLazyStart(
     _In_ CXPLAT_WORKER_POOL* WorkerPool,
@@ -173,7 +176,7 @@ CxPlatWorkerPoolLazyStart(
     CXPLAT_DBG_ASSERT(WorkerPool->WorkerCount > 0 && WorkerPool->WorkerCount <= UINT16_MAX);
 
     const size_t WorkersSize = sizeof(CXPLAT_WORKER) * WorkerPool->WorkerCount;
-    WorkerPool->Workers = (CXPLAT_WORKER*)CXPLAT_ALLOC_PAGED(WorkersSize, QUIC_POOL_PLATFORM_WORKER);
+    WorkerPool->Workers = (CXPLAT_WORKER*)CXPLAT_ALLOC_NONPAGED(WorkersSize, QUIC_POOL_PLATFORM_WORKER);
     if (WorkerPool->Workers == NULL) {
         QuicTraceEvent(
             AllocFailure,
@@ -302,6 +305,7 @@ CxPlatWorkerPoolLazyStart(
 }
 #pragma warning(pop)
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 void
 CxPlatWorkerPoolUninit(
     _In_ CXPLAT_WORKER_POOL* WorkerPool
@@ -339,6 +343,8 @@ CxPlatWorkerPoolUninit(
     CxPlatLockUninitialize(&WorkerPool->WorkerLock);
 }
 
+#ifndef _KERNEL_MODE // Not supported on kernel mode
+
 #define DYNAMIC_POOL_PROCESSING_PERIOD  1000000 // 1 second
 #define DYNAMIC_POOL_PRUNE_COUNT        8
 
@@ -401,6 +407,8 @@ CxPlatProcessDynamicPoolAllocators(
     CxPlatLockRelease(&Worker->ECLock);
 }
 
+#endif // _KERNEL_MODE
+
 CXPLAT_EVENTQ*
 CxPlatWorkerPoolGetEventQ(
     _In_ const CXPLAT_WORKER_POOL* WorkerPool,
@@ -412,6 +420,7 @@ CxPlatWorkerPoolGetEventQ(
     return &WorkerPool->Workers[Index].EventQ;
 }
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 void
 CxPlatAddExecutionContext(
     _In_ CXPLAT_WORKER_POOL* WorkerPool,
@@ -435,6 +444,7 @@ CxPlatAddExecutionContext(
     }
 }
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 void
 CxPlatWakeExecutionContext(
     _In_ CXPLAT_EXECUTION_CONTEXT* Context
@@ -446,6 +456,7 @@ CxPlatWakeExecutionContext(
     }
 }
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 void
 CxPlatUpdateExecutionContexts(
     _In_ CXPLAT_WORKER* Worker
@@ -467,6 +478,7 @@ CxPlatUpdateExecutionContexts(
     }
 }
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 void
 CxPlatRunExecutionContexts(
     _In_ CXPLAT_WORKER* Worker,
@@ -524,6 +536,7 @@ CxPlatRunExecutionContexts(
     }
 }
 
+_IRQL_requires_max_(PASSIVE_LEVEL)
 void
 CxPlatProcessEvents(
     _In_ CXPLAT_WORKER* Worker,
@@ -591,10 +604,12 @@ CXPLAT_THREAD_CALLBACK(CxPlatWorkerThread, Context)
             State.NoWorkCount = 0;
         }
 
+#ifndef _KERNEL_MODE // Unnecessary on kernel mode
         if (State.TimeNow - State.LastPoolProcessTime > DYNAMIC_POOL_PROCESSING_PERIOD) {
             CxPlatProcessDynamicPoolAllocators(Worker);
             State.LastPoolProcessTime = State.TimeNow;
         }
+#endif // _KERNEL_MODE
     }
 
     Worker->Running = FALSE;