diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 617d54e9b2bd..39052b728d44 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2720,7 +2720,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "libp2p-kad"
-version = "0.45.2"
+version = "0.45.3"
 dependencies = [
  "arrayvec",
  "async-std",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 346b316d4dc6..032088e6a81d 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ libp2p-floodsub = { version = "0.44.0", path = "protocols/floodsub" }
 libp2p-gossipsub = { version = "0.46.1", path = "protocols/gossipsub" }
 libp2p-identify = { version = "0.44.1", path = "protocols/identify" }
 libp2p-identity = { version = "0.2.8" }
-libp2p-kad = { version = "0.45.2", path = "protocols/kad" }
+libp2p-kad = { version = "0.45.3", path = "protocols/kad" }
 libp2p-mdns = { version = "0.45.1", path = "protocols/mdns" }
 libp2p-memory-connection-limits = { version = "0.2.0", path = "misc/memory-connection-limits" }
 libp2p-metrics = { version = "0.14.1", path = "misc/metrics" }
diff --git a/protocols/kad/CHANGELOG.md b/protocols/kad/CHANGELOG.md
index 4740e4b1f958..b86ed4119f85 100644
--- a/protocols/kad/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/protocols/kad/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+## 0.45.3 - unreleased
+
+- Fix a bug in `Handler::poll` that could result in the handling of events, received
+  by `on_behaviour_event`, to be delayed or completely blocked.
+  See [PR 4961](https://github.com/libp2p/rust-libp2p/pull/4961).
+
 ## 0.45.2
 
 - Ensure `Multiaddr` handled and returned by `Behaviour` are `/p2p` terminated.
diff --git a/protocols/kad/Cargo.toml b/protocols/kad/Cargo.toml
index 1e4c788cf003..f4ad83972b42 100644
--- a/protocols/kad/Cargo.toml
+++ b/protocols/kad/Cargo.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name = "libp2p-kad"
 edition = "2021"
 rust-version = { workspace = true }
 description = "Kademlia protocol for libp2p"
-version = "0.45.2"
+version = "0.45.3"
 authors = ["Parity Technologies <admin@parity.io>"]
 license = "MIT"
 repository = "https://github.com/libp2p/rust-libp2p"
diff --git a/protocols/kad/src/handler.rs b/protocols/kad/src/handler.rs
index 318261d8d219..86a8aaef958c 100644
--- a/protocols/kad/src/handler.rs
+++ b/protocols/kad/src/handler.rs
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ pub struct Handler {
 
     /// List of outbound substreams that are waiting to become active next.
     /// Contains the request we want to send, and the user data if we expect an answer.
-    pending_messages: VecDeque<(KadRequestMsg, QueryId)>,
+    pending_messages: WakeableVecDeque<(KadRequestMsg, QueryId)>,
 
     /// List of active inbound substreams with the state they are in.
     inbound_substreams: SelectAll<InboundSubstreamState>,
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ impl ConnectionHandler for Handler {
             }
             HandlerIn::FindNodeReq { key, query_id } => {
                 let msg = KadRequestMsg::FindNode { key };
-                self.pending_messages.push_back((msg, query_id));
+                self.pending_messages.push((msg, query_id));
             }
             HandlerIn::FindNodeRes {
                 closer_peers,
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ impl ConnectionHandler for Handler {
             } => self.answer_pending_request(request_id, KadResponseMsg::FindNode { closer_peers }),
             HandlerIn::GetProvidersReq { key, query_id } => {
                 let msg = KadRequestMsg::GetProviders { key };
-                self.pending_messages.push_back((msg, query_id));
+                self.pending_messages.push((msg, query_id));
             }
             HandlerIn::GetProvidersRes {
                 closer_peers,
@@ -646,15 +646,15 @@ impl ConnectionHandler for Handler {
                 query_id,
             } => {
                 let msg = KadRequestMsg::AddProvider { key, provider };
-                self.pending_messages.push_back((msg, query_id));
+                self.pending_messages.push((msg, query_id));
             }
             HandlerIn::GetRecord { key, query_id } => {
                 let msg = KadRequestMsg::GetValue { key };
-                self.pending_messages.push_back((msg, query_id));
+                self.pending_messages.push((msg, query_id));
             }
             HandlerIn::PutRecord { record, query_id } => {
                 let msg = KadRequestMsg::PutValue { record };
-                self.pending_messages.push_back((msg, query_id));
+                self.pending_messages.push((msg, query_id));
             }
             HandlerIn::GetRecordRes {
                 record,
@@ -760,11 +760,14 @@ impl ConnectionHandler for Handler {
             }
 
             if self.outbound_substreams.len() < MAX_NUM_STREAMS {
-                if let Some((msg, id)) = self.pending_messages.pop_front() {
-                    self.queue_new_stream(id, msg);
-                    return Poll::Ready(ConnectionHandlerEvent::OutboundSubstreamRequest {
-                        protocol: SubstreamProtocol::new(self.protocol_config.clone(), ()),
-                    });
+                match self.pending_messages.poll_unpin(cx) {
+                    Poll::Ready((msg, id)) => {
+                        self.queue_new_stream(id, msg);
+                        return Poll::Ready(ConnectionHandlerEvent::OutboundSubstreamRequest {
+                            protocol: SubstreamProtocol::new(self.protocol_config.clone(), ()),
+                        });
+                    }
+                    Poll::Pending => {}
                 }
             }
 
@@ -1051,6 +1054,40 @@ fn process_kad_response(event: KadResponseMsg, query_id: QueryId) -> HandlerEven
     }
 }
 
+struct WakeableVecDeque<T> {
+    inner: VecDeque<T>,
+    empty_waker: Option<Waker>,
+}
+
+impl<T> Default for WakeableVecDeque<T> {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            inner: Default::default(),
+            empty_waker: Default::default(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> WakeableVecDeque<T> {
+    fn push(&mut self, value: T) {
+        self.inner.push_back(value);
+
+        if let Some(waker) = self.empty_waker.take() {
+            waker.wake();
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn poll_unpin(&mut self, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<T> {
+        match self.inner.pop_front() {
+            Some(value) => Poll::Ready(value),
+            None => {
+                self.empty_waker = Some(cx.waker().clone());
+                Poll::Pending
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;