diff --git a/examples/swipl-module-example/src/lib.rs b/examples/swipl-module-example/src/lib.rs
index 15564582a1..74a7c457b1 100644
--- a/examples/swipl-module-example/src/lib.rs
+++ b/examples/swipl-module-example/src/lib.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ use swipl::prelude::*;
 use std::cmp::Ordering;
 use std::io::{self, Write};
 use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::thread::sleep;
+use std::time::Duration;
 
 predicates! {
     semidet fn unify_with_foo(_context, term) {
@@ -112,6 +114,18 @@ predicates! {
 
         context.try_or_die(writeln!(stream, "こんにちは! 🫡"))
     }
+
+    semidet fn sleep_n_secs(context, n_term) {
+        let n: u64 = n_term.get_ex()?;
+        for  _ in 0..n {
+            sleep(Duration::from_secs(1));
+            // this handle_signals ensures that every second the user
+            // is able to safely interrupt this sleep.
+            context.handle_signals()?;
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }
 
 #[arc_blob("moo")]
@@ -161,4 +175,6 @@ pub extern "C" fn install() {
     register_unify_with_bar_baz();
 
     register_stream_write_hello();
+
+    register_sleep_n_secs();
 }
diff --git a/swipl/src/context.rs b/swipl/src/context.rs
index 73b26b878d..8d8e05fa49 100644
--- a/swipl/src/context.rs
+++ b/swipl/src/context.rs
@@ -301,6 +301,32 @@ impl<'a, T: ContextType> Context<'a, T> {
             WritablePrologStream::new(current_output)
         }
     }
+
+    /// Handle any outstanding synchronous signals, including user interrupts.
+    ///
+    /// This could return PrologError::Exception, which should
+    /// normally be propagated all the way back to SWI-Prolog. In
+    /// particular, the raised exception will be a term containing the
+    /// atom '$aborted' for the case where a user interrupts.
+    ///
+    /// This should be regularly called for long-running foreign code.
+    /// SWI-Prolog handles signals synchronously at safe points, and
+    /// therefore will never do so while a foreign predicate is
+    /// running. The most visible outcome of this is that long-running
+    /// predicates can normally not be interrupted by the user when
+    /// they press ctrl-c once.
+    ///
+    /// On success, the number of outstanding signals handled is
+    /// returned.
+    pub fn handle_signals(&self) -> PrologResult<u32> {
+        let result: i32 = unsafe { PL_handle_signals() };
+
+        if result == -1 {
+            Err(PrologError::Exception)
+        } else {
+            Ok(result as u32)
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 trait ContextParent {