diff --git a/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_app_delegate.mm b/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_app_delegate.mm
index 6a09f549ef5..b6ad5b03a80 100644
--- a/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_app_delegate.mm
+++ b/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_app_delegate.mm
@@ -87,11 +87,12 @@
 }
 
 - (void)applicationDidEnterBackground:(UIApplication *)application {
+	// Start the background task before sending the application entered background event.
+	// This is because this event will be handled in a separate thread and it will likely
+	// no be started before we return from this function.
+	[[iOS7AppDelegate iPhoneView] beginBackgroundSaveStateTask];
+
 	[_view applicationEnteredBackground];
-	// Add a delay so that the app continues running and gives time for the scummvm thread to
-	// poll the events and call saveState(). The application says we have 5 seconds to do things
-	// in this function before the app is terminated. Wait 2 seconds as it should be sufficient.
-	usleep(2000000);
 }
 
 - (void)applicationWillEnterForeground:(UIApplication *)application {
diff --git a/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_osys_events.cpp b/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_osys_events.cpp
index 4e07798104a..c29f2beb871 100644
--- a/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_osys_events.cpp
+++ b/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_osys_events.cpp
@@ -393,14 +393,6 @@ void OSystem_iOS7::handleEvent_applicationResumed() {
 	rebuildSurface();
 }
 
-void OSystem_iOS7::handleEvent_applicationEnteredBackground() {
-	saveState();
-}
-
-void OSystem_iOS7::handleEvent_applicationEnteredForeground() {
-	restoreState();
-}
-
 void  OSystem_iOS7::handleEvent_keyPressed(Common::Event &event, int keyPressed) {
 	int ascii = keyPressed;
 	//printf("key: %i\n", keyPressed);
diff --git a/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_osys_main.cpp b/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_osys_main.cpp
index 1d250093465..77bd37f0572 100644
--- a/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_osys_main.cpp
+++ b/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_osys_main.cpp
@@ -246,9 +246,9 @@ void OSystem_iOS7::suspendLoop() {
 			if (event.type == kInputApplicationResumed)
 				done = true;
 			else if (event.type == kInputApplicationEnteredBackground)
-				saveState();
+				handleEvent_applicationEnteredBackground();
 			else if (event.type == kInputApplicationEnteredForeground)
-				restoreState();
+				handleEvent_applicationEnteredForeground();
 		}
 		usleep(100000);
 	}
diff --git a/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_osys_misc.mm b/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_osys_misc.mm
index 1f9232c12ed..3634b583ce3 100644
--- a/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_osys_misc.mm
+++ b/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_osys_misc.mm
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 #include <UIKit/UIKit.h>
 #include <SystemConfiguration/SCNetworkReachability.h>
 #include "common/translation.h"
+#include "backends/platform/ios7/ios7_app_delegate.h"
+#include "backends/platform/ios7/ios7_video.h"
 
 static inline void execute_on_main_thread_async(void (^block)(void)) {
 	if ([NSThread currentThread] == [NSThread mainThread]) {
@@ -108,3 +110,13 @@ bool OSystem_iOS7::isConnectionLimited() {
 	CFRelease(ref);
 	return (flags & kSCNetworkReachabilityFlagsIsWWAN);
 }
+
+void OSystem_iOS7::handleEvent_applicationEnteredBackground() {
+	[[iOS7AppDelegate iPhoneView] beginBackgroundSaveStateTask];
+	saveState();
+	[[iOS7AppDelegate iPhoneView] endBackgroundSaveStateTask];
+}
+
+void OSystem_iOS7::handleEvent_applicationEnteredForeground() {
+	restoreState();
+}
diff --git a/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_video.h b/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_video.h
index 733372ffe11..1ed79f1f98a 100644
--- a/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_video.h
+++ b/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_video.h
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ typedef struct {
 	SoftKeyboard *_keyboardView;
 	BOOL _keyboardVisible;
 
+	UIBackgroundTaskIdentifier _backgroundSaveStateTask;
+
 	EAGLContext *_context;
 	GLuint _viewRenderbuffer;
 	GLuint _viewFramebuffer;
@@ -132,6 +134,9 @@ typedef struct {
 - (void)applicationEnteredBackground;
 - (void)applicationEnteredForeground;
 
+- (void) beginBackgroundSaveStateTask;
+- (void) endBackgroundSaveStateTask;
+
 - (bool)fetchEvent:(InternalEvent *)event;
 
 @end
diff --git a/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_video.mm b/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_video.mm
index 5973f125643..cdc13dc228c 100644
--- a/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_video.mm
+++ b/backends/platform/ios7/ios7_video.mm
@@ -421,6 +421,8 @@ uint getSizeNextPOT(uint size) {
 - (id)initWithFrame:(struct CGRect)frame {
 	self = [super initWithFrame: frame];
 
+	_backgroundSaveStateTask = UIBackgroundTaskInvalid;
+
 #if defined(USE_SCALERS) || defined(USE_HQ_SCALERS)
 	InitScalers(565);
 #endif
@@ -1115,4 +1117,19 @@ uint getSizeNextPOT(uint size) {
 	[self addEvent:InternalEvent(kInputApplicationEnteredForeground, 0, 0)];
 }
 
+- (void) beginBackgroundSaveStateTask {
+	if (_backgroundSaveStateTask == UIBackgroundTaskInvalid) {
+		_backgroundSaveStateTask = [[UIApplication sharedApplication] beginBackgroundTaskWithExpirationHandler:^{
+			[self endBackgroundSaveStateTask];
+		}];
+	}
+}
+
+- (void) endBackgroundSaveStateTask {
+	if (_backgroundSaveStateTask != UIBackgroundTaskInvalid) {
+		[[UIApplication sharedApplication] endBackgroundTask: _backgroundSaveStateTask];
+		_backgroundSaveStateTask = UIBackgroundTaskInvalid;
+	}
+}
+
 @end