diff --git a/src/ssb.js.c b/src/ssb.js.c
index df40aa7c..d49cac45 100644
--- a/src/ssb.js.c
+++ b/src/ssb.js.c
@@ -2046,25 +2046,31 @@ static JSValue _tf_ssb_private_message_encrypt(JSContext* context, JSValueConst
 	return result;
 }
 
-static JSValue _tf_ssb_private_message_decrypt(JSContext* context, JSValueConst this_val, int argc, JSValueConst* argv)
+typedef struct _private_message_decrypt_t
 {
-	JSValue result = JS_UNDEFINED;
-	const char* user = JS_ToCString(context, argv[0]);
-	const char* identity = JS_ToCString(context, argv[1]);
-	size_t message_size = 0;
-	const char* message = JS_ToCStringLen(context, &message_size, argv[2]);
+	const char* user;
+	const char* identity;
+	size_t message_size;
+	const char* message;
+	const char* decrypted;
+	size_t decrypted_size;
+	const char* error;
+	JSValue promise[2];
+} private_message_decrypt_t;
+
+static void _tf_ssb_private_message_decrypt_work(tf_ssb_t* ssb, void* user_data)
+{
+	private_message_decrypt_t* work = user_data;
 
 	uint8_t private_key[crypto_sign_SECRETKEYBYTES] = { 0 };
-
-	tf_ssb_t* ssb = JS_GetOpaque(this_val, _tf_ssb_classId);
 	sqlite3* db = tf_ssb_acquire_db_reader(ssb);
-	bool found = _tf_ssb_get_private_key_curve25519(db, user, identity, private_key);
+	bool found = _tf_ssb_get_private_key_curve25519(db, work->user, work->identity, private_key);
 	tf_ssb_release_db_reader(ssb, db);
 
 	if (found)
 	{
-		uint8_t* decoded = tf_malloc(message_size);
-		int decoded_length = tf_base64_decode(message, message_size - strlen(".box"), decoded, message_size);
+		uint8_t* decoded = tf_malloc(work->message_size);
+		int decoded_length = tf_base64_decode(work->message, work->message_size - strlen(".box"), decoded, work->message_size);
 		uint8_t* nonce = decoded;
 		uint8_t* public_key = decoded + crypto_box_NONCEBYTES;
 		if (public_key + crypto_secretbox_KEYBYTES < decoded + decoded_length)
@@ -2090,36 +2096,83 @@ static JSValue _tf_ssb_private_message_decrypt(JSContext* context, JSValueConst
 						uint8_t* key = out + 1;
 						if (crypto_secretbox_open_easy(decrypted, body, body_size, nonce, key) != -1)
 						{
-							result = JS_NewStringLen(context, (const char*)decrypted, body_size - crypto_secretbox_MACBYTES);
+							work->decrypted = (const char*)decrypted;
+							work->decrypted_size = body_size - crypto_secretbox_MACBYTES;
 						}
 						else
 						{
-							result = JS_ThrowInternalError(context, "Received key to open secret box containing message body, but it did not work.");
+							work->error = "Received key to open secret box containing message body, but it did not work.";
 						}
-						tf_free(decrypted);
 					}
 				}
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				result = JS_ThrowInternalError(context, "crypto_scalarmult failed.");
+				work->error = "crypto_scalarmult failed.";
 			}
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			result = JS_ThrowInternalError(context, "Encrypted message was not long enough to contains its one-time public key.");
+			work->error = "Encrypted message was not long enough to contains its one-time public key.";
 		}
 		tf_free(decoded);
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		result = JS_ThrowInternalError(context, "Private key not found for user %s with id %s.", user, identity);
+		work->error = "Private key not found for user.";
 	}
+}
 
-	JS_FreeCString(context, user);
-	JS_FreeCString(context, identity);
-	JS_FreeCString(context, message);
+static void _tf_ssb_private_message_decrypt_after_work(tf_ssb_t* ssb, int status, void* user_data)
+{
+	private_message_decrypt_t* work = user_data;
+	JSContext* context = tf_ssb_get_context(ssb);
+	JSValue error = JS_UNDEFINED;
+	if (work->error)
+	{
+		JSValue result = JS_ThrowInternalError(context, "%s", work->error);
+		error = JS_Call(context, work->promise[1], JS_UNDEFINED, 1, &result);
+		JS_FreeValue(context, result);
+	}
+	else if (work->decrypted)
+	{
+		JSValue result = JS_NewStringLen(context, work->decrypted, work->decrypted_size);
+		error = JS_Call(context, work->promise[0], JS_UNDEFINED, 1, &result);
+		JS_FreeValue(context, result);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		JSValue result = JS_UNDEFINED;
+		error = JS_Call(context, work->promise[0], JS_UNDEFINED, 1, &result);
+	}
+	tf_util_report_error(context, error);
+	JS_FreeValue(context, error);
+	JS_FreeValue(context, work->promise[0]);
+	JS_FreeValue(context, work->promise[1]);
+	JS_FreeCString(context, work->user);
+	JS_FreeCString(context, work->identity);
+	JS_FreeCString(context, work->message);
+	tf_free((void*)work->decrypted);
+	tf_free(work);
+}
 
+static JSValue _tf_ssb_private_message_decrypt(JSContext* context, JSValueConst this_val, int argc, JSValueConst* argv)
+{
+	tf_ssb_t* ssb = JS_GetOpaque(this_val, _tf_ssb_classId);
+	const char* user = JS_ToCString(context, argv[0]);
+	const char* identity = JS_ToCString(context, argv[1]);
+	size_t message_size = 0;
+	const char* message = JS_ToCStringLen(context, &message_size, argv[2]);
+
+	private_message_decrypt_t* work = tf_malloc(sizeof(private_message_decrypt_t));
+	*work = (private_message_decrypt_t) {
+		.user = user,
+		.identity = identity,
+		.message_size = message_size,
+		.message = message,
+	};
+	JSValue result = JS_NewPromiseCapability(context, work->promise);
+	tf_ssb_run_work(ssb, _tf_ssb_private_message_decrypt_work, _tf_ssb_private_message_decrypt_after_work, work);
 	return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ssb.tests.c b/src/ssb.tests.c
index ad620d27..186e5731 100644
--- a/src/ssb.tests.c
+++ b/src/ssb.tests.c
@@ -847,10 +847,11 @@ void tf_ssb_test_encrypt(const tf_test_options_t* options)
 		"async function main() {\n"
 		"	let a = await ssb.createIdentity('test');\n"
 		"	let b = await ssb.createIdentity('test');\n"
-		"	let c = await ssb.privateMessageEncrypt('test', a, [a, b], {'foo': 1});\n"
+		"	let c = await ssb.privateMessageEncrypt('test', a, [a, b], \"{'foo': 1}\");\n"
 		"	if (!c.endsWith('.box')) {\n"
 		"		exit(1);\n"
 		"	}\n"
+		"	print(await ssb.privateMessageDecrypt('test', a, c));\n"
 		"}\n"
 		"main().catch(() => exit(2));\n");