diff --git a/src/generators/Generator.ts b/src/generators/Generator.ts
index a8775d41b2..284f96b2c5 100644
--- a/src/generators/Generator.ts
+++ b/src/generators/Generator.ts
@@ -732,7 +732,7 @@ export default class Generator {
 					}
 				}
 
-				if (node.type === 'IfBlock') {
+				if (node.type === 'IfBlock' || node.type === 'AwaitBlock') {
 					node.metadata = contextualise(node.expression, contextDependencies, indexes);
 				}
 
diff --git a/src/generators/dom/preprocess.ts b/src/generators/dom/preprocess.ts
index 5778258155..7e0056b0ae 100644
--- a/src/generators/dom/preprocess.ts
+++ b/src/generators/dom/preprocess.ts
@@ -108,6 +108,48 @@ const preprocessors = {
 		node.var = block.getUniqueName(`text`);
 	},
 
+	AwaitBlock: (
+		generator: DomGenerator,
+		block: Block,
+		state: State,
+		node: Node,
+		inEachBlock: boolean,
+		elementStack: Node[],
+		componentStack: Node[],
+		stripWhitespace: boolean,
+		nextSibling: Node
+	) => {
+		cannotUseInnerHTML(node);
+
+		node.var = block.getUniqueName('await_block');
+		block.addDependencies(node.metadata.dependencies);
+
+		[
+			['pending', null],
+			['then', node.value],
+			['catch', node.error]
+		].forEach(([status, arg]) => {
+			const child = node[status];
+
+			const context = block.getUniqueName(arg || '_');
+			const contexts = new Map(block.contexts);
+			contexts.set(arg, context);
+
+			child._block = block.child({
+				comment: createDebuggingComment(child, generator),
+				name: generator.getUniqueName(`create_${status}_block`),
+				params: block.params.concat(context),
+				context,
+				contexts
+			});
+
+			child._state = getChildState(state);
+
+			preprocessChildren(generator, child._block, child._state, child, inEachBlock, elementStack, componentStack, stripWhitespace, nextSibling);
+			generator.blocks.push(child._block);
+		});
+	},
+
 	IfBlock: (
 		generator: DomGenerator,
 		block: Block,
diff --git a/src/generators/dom/visitors/AwaitBlock.ts b/src/generators/dom/visitors/AwaitBlock.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2ebca07831
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/generators/dom/visitors/AwaitBlock.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+import deindent from '../../../utils/deindent';
+import visit from '../visit';
+import { DomGenerator } from '../index';
+import Block from '../Block';
+import isDomNode from './shared/isDomNode';
+import { Node } from '../../../interfaces';
+import { State } from '../interfaces';
+
+export default function visitAwaitBlock(
+	generator: DomGenerator,
+	block: Block,
+	state: State,
+	node: Node,
+	elementStack: Node[],
+	componentStack: Node[]
+) {
+	const name = node.var;
+
+	const needsAnchor = node.next ? !isDomNode(node.next, generator) : !state.parentNode || !isDomNode(node.parent, generator);
+	const anchor = needsAnchor
+		? block.getUniqueName(`${name}_anchor`)
+		: (node.next && node.next.var) || 'null';
+
+	const params = block.params.join(', ');
+
+	block.contextualise(node.expression);
+	const { snippet } = node.metadata;
+
+	if (needsAnchor) {
+		block.addElement(
+			anchor,
+			`@createComment()`,
+			`@createComment()`,
+			state.parentNode
+		);
+	}
+
+	const promise = block.getUniqueName(`promise`);
+	const resolved = block.getUniqueName(`resolved`);
+	const status = block.getUniqueName(`status`);
+	const select_block_type = block.getUniqueName(`select_block_type`);
+	const await_block = block.getUniqueName(`await_block`);
+	const await_block_type = block.getUniqueName(`await_block_type`);
+	const token = block.getUniqueName(`token`);
+	const await_token = block.getUniqueName(`await_token`);
+	const update = block.getUniqueName(`update`);
+	const handle_promise = block.getUniqueName(`handle_promise`);
+	const value = block.getUniqueName(`value`);
+	const error = block.getUniqueName(`error`);
+	const create_pending_block = node.pending._block.name;
+	const create_then_block = node.then._block.name;
+	const create_catch_block = node.catch._block.name;
+
+	const conditions = [];
+	if (node.metadata.dependencies) {
+		conditions.push(
+			`(${node.metadata.dependencies.map(dep => `'${dep}' in changed`).join(' || ')})`
+		);
+	}
+
+	conditions.push(`${promise} !== (${promise} = ${snippet})`);
+
+	block.addVariable(await_block);
+	block.addVariable(await_block_type);
+	block.addVariable(await_token);
+	block.addVariable(promise);
+	block.addVariable(resolved);
+
+	block.builders.init.addBlock(deindent`
+		function ${handle_promise}(${promise}, ${params}) {
+			var ${token} = ${await_token} = {};
+
+			if (@isPromise(${promise})) {
+				${promise}.then(function(${value}) {
+					if (${token} !== ${await_token}) return;
+					${await_block}.u();
+					${await_block}.d();
+					${await_block} = (${await_block_type} = ${create_then_block})(${params}, ${resolved} = ${value}, #component);
+					${await_block}.c();
+					${await_block}.m(${anchor}.parentNode, ${anchor});
+				}, function (${error}) {
+					if (${token} !== ${await_token}) return;
+					${await_block}.u();
+					${await_block}.d();
+					${await_block} = (${await_block_type} = ${create_catch_block})(${params}, ${resolved} = ${error}, #component);
+					${await_block}.c();
+					${await_block}.m(${anchor}.parentNode, ${anchor});
+				});
+
+				// if we previously had a then/catch block, destroy it
+				if (${await_block_type} !== ${create_pending_block}) {
+					if (${await_block}) ${await_block}.d();
+					${await_block} = (${await_block_type} = ${create_pending_block})(${params}, ${resolved} = null, #component);
+					return true;
+				}
+			} else {
+				if (${await_block_type} !== ${create_then_block}) {
+					if (${await_block}) ${await_block}.d();
+					${await_block} = (${await_block_type} = ${create_then_block})(${params}, ${resolved} = promise, #component);
+					return true;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		${handle_promise}(${promise} = ${snippet}, ${params});
+	`);
+
+	block.builders.create.addBlock(deindent`
+		${await_block}.c();
+	`);
+
+	block.builders.claim.addBlock(deindent`
+		${await_block}.l(${state.parentNodes});
+	`);
+
+	const targetNode = state.parentNode || '#target';
+	const anchorNode = state.parentNode ? 'null' : 'anchor';
+
+	block.builders.mount.addBlock(deindent`
+		${await_block}.m(${targetNode}, ${anchor});
+	`);
+
+	block.builders.destroy.addBlock(deindent`
+		${await_token} = null;
+		${await_block}.d();
+	`);
+
+	[node.pending, node.then, node.catch].forEach(status => {
+		status.children.forEach(child => {
+			visit(generator, status._block, status._state, child, elementStack, componentStack);
+		});
+	});
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/generators/dom/visitors/index.ts b/src/generators/dom/visitors/index.ts
index 74a272d1dd..fb0da9e0bc 100644
--- a/src/generators/dom/visitors/index.ts
+++ b/src/generators/dom/visitors/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import AwaitBlock from './AwaitBlock';
 import EachBlock from './EachBlock';
 import Element from './Element/Element';
 import IfBlock from './IfBlock';
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@ import Text from './Text';
 import { Visitor } from '../interfaces';
 
 const visitors: Record<string, Visitor> = {
+	AwaitBlock,
 	EachBlock,
 	Element,
 	IfBlock,
diff --git a/src/parse/state/mustache.ts b/src/parse/state/mustache.ts
index 49d22322b1..10b6751af3 100644
--- a/src/parse/state/mustache.ts
+++ b/src/parse/state/mustache.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import { Parser } from '../index';
 import { Node } from '../../interfaces';
 
 function trimWhitespace(block: Node, trimBefore: boolean, trimAfter: boolean) {
+	if (!block.children) return; // AwaitBlock
+
 	const firstChild = block.children[0];
 	const lastChild = block.children[block.children.length - 1];
 
@@ -39,7 +41,7 @@ export default function mustache(parser: Parser) {
 		let block = parser.current();
 		let expected;
 
-		if (block.type === 'ElseBlock' || block.type === 'ThenBlock' || block.type === 'CatchBlock') {
+		if (block.type === 'ElseBlock' || block.type === 'PendingBlock' || block.type === 'ThenBlock' || block.type === 'CatchBlock') {
 			block.end = start;
 			parser.stack.pop();
 			block = parser.current();
@@ -72,7 +74,7 @@ export default function mustache(parser: Parser) {
 		}
 
 		// strip leading/trailing whitespace as necessary
-		if (!block.children.length) parser.error(`Empty block`, block.start);
+		if (block.children && !block.children.length) parser.error(`Empty block`, block.start);
 
 		const charBefore = parser.template[block.start - 1];
 		const charAfter = parser.template[parser.index];
@@ -134,10 +136,13 @@ export default function mustache(parser: Parser) {
 
 		parser.stack.push(block.else);
 	} else if (parser.eat('then')) {
-		// {{then}} is valid by itself — we need to check that a)
-		// we're inside an await block, and b) there's an expression
-		const awaitBlock = parser.current();
-		if (awaitBlock.type === 'AwaitBlock') {
+		// TODO DRY out this and the next section
+		const pendingBlock = parser.current();
+		if (pendingBlock.type === 'PendingBlock') {
+			pendingBlock.end = start;
+			parser.stack.pop();
+			const awaitBlock = parser.current();
+
 			parser.requireWhitespace();
 			awaitBlock.value = parser.readIdentifier();
 
@@ -195,13 +200,40 @@ export default function mustache(parser: Parser) {
 
 		const expression = readExpression(parser);
 
-		const block: Node = {
-			start,
-			end: null,
-			type,
-			expression,
-			children: [],
-		};
+		const block: Node = type === 'AwaitBlock' ?
+			{
+				start,
+				end: null,
+				type,
+				expression,
+				value: null,
+				error: null,
+				pending: {
+					start,
+					end: null,
+					type: 'PendingBlock',
+					children: []
+				},
+				then: {
+					start: null,
+					end: null,
+					type: 'ThenBlock',
+					children: []
+				},
+				catch: {
+					start: null,
+					end: null,
+					type: 'CatchBlock',
+					children: []
+				},
+			} :
+			{
+				start,
+				end: null,
+				type,
+				expression,
+				children: [],
+			};
 
 		parser.allowWhitespace();
 
@@ -255,6 +287,10 @@ export default function mustache(parser: Parser) {
 
 		parser.current().children.push(block);
 		parser.stack.push(block);
+
+		if (type === 'AwaitBlock') {
+			parser.stack.push(block.pending);
+		}
 	} else if (parser.eat('yield')) {
 		// {{yield}}
 		// TODO deprecate
diff --git a/src/shared/index.js b/src/shared/index.js
index f9d0f91998..7f01391128 100644
--- a/src/shared/index.js
+++ b/src/shared/index.js
@@ -187,6 +187,14 @@ export function _unmount() {
 	this._fragment.u();
 }
 
+export function isPromise(value) {
+	return value && typeof value.then === 'function';
+}
+
+export var PENDING = {};
+export var SUCCESS = {};
+export var FAILURE = {};
+
 export var proto = {
 	destroy: destroy,
 	get: get,
diff --git a/test/parser/samples/await-then-catch/output.json b/test/parser/samples/await-then-catch/output.json
index baf2df5fdf..4f149e6a0c 100644
--- a/test/parser/samples/await-then-catch/output.json
+++ b/test/parser/samples/await-then-catch/output.json
@@ -15,24 +15,42 @@
 					"end": 19,
 					"name": "thePromise"
 				},
-				"children": [
-					{
-						"start": 23,
-						"end": 40,
-						"type": "Element",
-						"name": "p",
-						"attributes": [],
-						"children": [
-							{
-								"start": 26,
-								"end": 36,
-								"type": "Text",
-								"data": "loading..."
-							}
-						]
-					}
-				],
 				"value": "theValue",
+				"error": "theError",
+				"pending": {
+					"start": 21,
+					"end": 41,
+					"type": "PendingBlock",
+					"children": [
+						{
+							"start": 21,
+							"end": 23,
+							"type": "Text",
+							"data": "\n\t"
+						},
+						{
+							"start": 23,
+							"end": 40,
+							"type": "Element",
+							"name": "p",
+							"attributes": [],
+							"children": [
+								{
+									"start": 26,
+									"end": 36,
+									"type": "Text",
+									"data": "loading..."
+								}
+							]
+						},
+						{
+							"start": 40,
+							"end": 41,
+							"type": "Text",
+							"data": "\n"
+						}
+					]
+				},
 				"then": {
 					"start": 41,
 					"end": 93,
@@ -78,7 +96,6 @@
 						}
 					]
 				},
-				"error": "theError",
 				"catch": {
 					"start": 93,
 					"end": 148,
diff --git a/test/runtime/index.js b/test/runtime/index.js
index 122fe645b6..b4f0b6b5ea 100644
--- a/test/runtime/index.js
+++ b/test/runtime/index.js
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ describe("runtime", () => {
 			throw new Error("Forgot to remove `solo: true` from test");
 		}
 
-		(config.skip ? it.skip : config.solo ? it.only : it)(`${dir} (${shared ? 'shared' : 'inline'} helpers)`, () => {
+		(config.skip ? it.skip : config.solo ? it.only : it)(`${dir} (${shared ? 'shared' : 'inline'} helpers)`, async () => {
 			if (failed.has(dir)) {
 				// this makes debugging easier, by only printing compiled output once
 				throw new Error('skipping test, already failed');
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ describe("runtime", () => {
 				}
 
 				if (config.test) {
-					config.test(assert, component, target, window, raf);
+					await config.test(assert, component, target, window, raf);
 				} else {
 					component.destroy();
 					assert.equal(target.innerHTML, "");
diff --git a/test/runtime/samples/await-then-catch/_config.js b/test/runtime/samples/await-then-catch/_config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3c60bd64c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/runtime/samples/await-then-catch/_config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+let fulfil;
+
+let thePromise = new Promise(f => {
+	fulfil = f;
+});
+
+export default {
+	solo: true,
+
+	data: {
+		thePromise
+	},
+
+	html: `
+		<p>loading...</p>
+	`,
+
+	async test(assert, component, target) {
+		fulfil(42);
+		await thePromise;
+
+		assert.htmlEqual(target.innerHTML, `
+			<p>the value is 42</p>
+		`);
+
+		let reject;
+
+		thePromise = new Promise((f, r) => {
+			reject = r;
+		});
+
+		component.set({
+			thePromise
+		});
+
+		assert.htmlEqual(target.innerHTML, `
+			<p>loading...</p>
+		`);
+
+		reject(new Error('something broke'));
+		await thePromise;
+
+		assert.htmlEqual(target.innerHTML, `
+			<p>oh no! something broke</p>
+		`);
+	}
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/runtime/samples/await-then-catch/main.html b/test/runtime/samples/await-then-catch/main.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..36489b9043
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/runtime/samples/await-then-catch/main.html
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{{#await thePromise}}
+	<p>loading...</p>
+{{then theValue}}
+	<p>the value is {{theValue}}</p>
+{{catch theError}}
+	<p>oh no! {{theError.message}}</p>
+{{/await}}
\ No newline at end of file