diff --git a/wlauto/instrumentation/screenon/__init__.py b/wlauto/instrumentation/screenon/__init__.py
index 892acb46..bd0bd451 100644
--- a/wlauto/instrumentation/screenon/__init__.py
+++ b/wlauto/instrumentation/screenon/__init__.py
@@ -13,24 +13,68 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 #
 # pylint: disable=unused-argument
-from wlauto import Instrument
+import time
+import threading
+
+from wlauto import Instrument, Parameter
 from wlauto.exceptions import InstrumentError
 
 
+class ScreenMonitor(threading.Thread):
+
+    def __init__(self, device, polling_period):
+        super(ScreenMonitor, self).__init__()
+        self.device = device
+        self.polling_period = polling_period
+        self.stop_event = threading.Event()
+
+    def run(self):
+        last_poll = time.time()
+        while not self.stop_event.is_set():
+            time.sleep(1)
+            if (time.time() - last_poll) >= self.polling_period:
+                self.device.ensure_screen_is_on()
+                last_poll = time.time()
+
+    def stop(self):
+        self.stop_event.set()
+        self.join()
+
+
 class ScreenOnInstrument(Instrument):
+    # pylint: disable=attribute-defined-outside-init
 
     name = 'screenon'
 
     description = """
     Ensure screen is on before each iteration on Android devices.
 
-    A very basic instrument that checks that the screen is on on android devices.
+    A very basic instrument that checks that the screen is on on android devices. Optionally,
+    it call poll the device periodically to ensure that the screen is still on.
 
     """
 
+    parameters = [
+        Parameter('polling_period', kind=int,
+                  description="""
+                  Set this to a non-zero value to enable periodic (every
+                  ``polling_period`` seconds) polling of the screen on
+                  the device to ensure it is on during a run.
+                  """),
+    ]
+
     def initialize(self, context):
+        self.monitor = None
         if self.device.platform != 'android':
             raise InstrumentError('screenon instrument currently only supports Android devices.')
 
     def slow_setup(self, context):   # slow to run before most other setups
         self.device.ensure_screen_is_on()
+        if self.polling_period:
+            self.monitor = ScreenMonitor(self.device, self.polling_period)
+            self.monitor.start()
+
+    def teardown(self, context):
+        if self.polling_period:
+            self.monitor.stop()
+