diff --git a/py/obj.c b/py/obj.c
index 322a302f97aac..bd2aaf9d26494 100644
--- a/py/obj.c
+++ b/py/obj.c
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ const char *mp_obj_get_type_str(mp_const_obj_t o_in) {
 void mp_obj_print_helper(const mp_print_t *print, mp_obj_t o_in, mp_print_kind_t kind) {
     // There can be data structures nested too deep, or just recursive
     MP_STACK_CHECK();
+    #ifdef RUN_BACKGROUND_TASKS
+    RUN_BACKGROUND_TASKS;
+    #endif
 #ifndef NDEBUG
     if (o_in == MP_OBJ_NULL) {
         mp_print_str(print, "(nil)");
diff --git a/py/stream.c b/py/stream.c
index 08c749cc30133..1d25f64706c2a 100644
--- a/py/stream.c
+++ b/py/stream.c
@@ -341,6 +341,9 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t stream_readall(mp_obj_t self_in) {
             p = vstr_extend(&vstr, DEFAULT_BUFFER_SIZE);
             current_read = DEFAULT_BUFFER_SIZE;
         }
+        #ifdef RUN_BACKGROUND_TASKS
+        RUN_BACKGROUND_TASKS;
+        #endif
     }
 
     vstr.len = total_size;
diff --git a/shared-module/os/__init__.c b/shared-module/os/__init__.c
index 313893d977f2c..8060eec4f33c4 100644
--- a/shared-module/os/__init__.c
+++ b/shared-module/os/__init__.c
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ mp_obj_t common_hal_os_listdir(const char* path) {
     while ((next = mp_iternext(iter_obj)) != MP_OBJ_STOP_ITERATION) {
         // next[0] is the filename.
         mp_obj_list_append(dir_list, mp_obj_subscr(next, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(0), MP_OBJ_SENTINEL));
+        RUN_BACKGROUND_TASKS;
     }
     return dir_list;
 }