diff --git a/apps/emqx_retainer/include/emqx_retainer.hrl b/apps/emqx_retainer/include/emqx_retainer.hrl
index d25aecc6b..dbaf8937e 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_retainer/include/emqx_retainer.hrl
+++ b/apps/emqx_retainer/include/emqx_retainer.hrl
@@ -16,5 +16,6 @@
 
 -define(APP, emqx_retainer).
 -define(TAB, ?APP).
+-define(POOL, retainer_worker_pool).
 -record(retained, {topic, msg, expiry_time}).
 
diff --git a/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer.erl b/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer.erl
index 84e49c5be..281aacb6b 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer.erl
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ on_session_subscribed(_, _, #{share := ShareName}) when ShareName =/= undefined
     ok;
 on_session_subscribed(_, Topic, #{rh := Rh, is_new := IsNew}) ->
     case Rh =:= 0 orelse (Rh =:= 1 andalso IsNew) of
-        true -> emqx_pool:async_submit(fun ?MODULE:dispatch/2, [self(), Topic]);
+        true -> emqx_pool:async_submit(?POOL, fun ?MODULE:dispatch/2, [self(), Topic]);
         _ -> ok
     end.
 
diff --git a/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer_sup.erl b/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer_sup.erl
index 550858afa..01e8770e6 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer_sup.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer_sup.erl
@@ -18,21 +18,36 @@
 
 -behaviour(supervisor).
 
--export([start_link/1]).
+-include("emqx_retainer.hrl").
 
+-export([start_link/1]).
 -export([init/1]).
 
 start_link(Env) ->
 	supervisor:start_link({local, ?MODULE}, ?MODULE, [Env]).
 
 init([Env]) ->
-	{ok, {{one_for_one, 10, 3600},
-          [#{id       => retainer,
-             start    => {emqx_retainer, start_link, [Env]},
-             restart  => permanent,
-             shutdown => 5000,
-             type     => worker,
-             modules  => [emqx_retainer]} || not is_managed_by_modules()]}}.
+    Retainer = #{
+        id => retainer,
+        start => {emqx_retainer, start_link, [Env]},
+        restart => permanent,
+        shutdown => 5000,
+        type => worker,
+        modules => [emqx_retainer]
+    },
+    WorkerPool = #{
+      id => ?POOL,
+      start => {emqx_pool_sup, start_link, [?POOL, random, {emqx_pool, start_link, []}]},
+      restart => permanent,
+      shutdown => 5000,
+      type => supervisor,
+      modules => [emqx_pool_sup]
+    },
+    ChildSpecs = case is_managed_by_modules() of
+        false -> [Retainer, WorkerPool];
+        true -> [WorkerPool]
+    end,
+	{ok, {{one_for_one, 10, 3600}, ChildSpecs}}.
 
 -ifdef(EMQX_ENTERPRISE).
 
diff --git a/src/emqx_pool.erl b/src/emqx_pool.erl
index ae1ed1d23..0872b4186 100644
--- a/src/emqx_pool.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_pool.erl
@@ -28,8 +28,10 @@
 
 -export([ submit/1
         , submit/2
+        , submit/3
         , async_submit/1
         , async_submit/2
+        , async_submit/3
         ]).
 
 -ifdef(TEST).
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@
 %% @doc Start pool.
 -spec(start_link(atom(), pos_integer()) -> startlink_ret()).
 start_link(Pool, Id) ->
-    gen_server:start_link({local, emqx_misc:proc_name(?MODULE, Id)},
+    gen_server:start_link({local, emqx_misc:proc_name(Pool, Id)},
                           ?MODULE, [Pool, Id], [{hibernate_after, 1000}]).
 
 %% @doc Submit work to the pool.
@@ -68,9 +70,9 @@ submit(Task) ->
 submit(Fun, Args) ->
     call({submit, {Fun, Args}}).
 
-%% @private
-call(Req) ->
-    gen_server:call(worker(), Req, infinity).
+-spec(submit(atom(), fun(), list(any())) -> any()).
+submit(Pool, Fun, Args) ->
+    call(Pool, {submit, {Fun, Args}}).
 
 %% @doc Submit work to the pool asynchronously.
 -spec(async_submit(task()) -> ok).
@@ -81,14 +83,30 @@ async_submit(Task) ->
 async_submit(Fun, Args) ->
     cast({async_submit, {Fun, Args}}).
 
+-spec(async_submit(atom(), fun(), list(any())) -> ok).
+async_submit(Pool, Fun, Args) ->
+    cast(Pool, {async_submit, {Fun, Args}}).
+
+%% @private
+call(Req) ->
+    gen_server:call(worker(), Req, infinity).
+
+call(Pool, Req) ->
+    gen_server:call(worker(Pool), Req, infinity).
+
 %% @private
 cast(Msg) ->
     gen_server:cast(worker(), Msg).
+cast(Pool, Msg) ->
+    gen_server:cast(worker(Pool), Msg).
 
 %% @private
 worker() ->
     gproc_pool:pick_worker(?POOL).
 
+worker(Pool) ->
+    gproc_pool:pick_worker(Pool).
+
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% gen_server callbacks
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------