diff --git a/vfs/rc.go b/vfs/rc.go
index 12b7df051..72060984b 100644
--- a/vfs/rc.go
+++ b/vfs/rc.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/cache"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/rc"
+	"github.com/rclone/rclone/vfs/vfscache/writeback"
 )
 
 const getVFSHelp = ` 
@@ -485,3 +486,63 @@ func rcQueue(ctx context.Context, in rc.Params) (out rc.Params, err error) {
 	}
 	return vfs.cache.Queue(), nil
 }
+
+func init() {
+	rc.Add(rc.Call{
+		Path:  "vfs/queue-set-expiry",
+		Title: "Set the expiry time for an item queued for upload.",
+		Help: strings.ReplaceAll(`
+
+Use this to adjust the |expiry| time for an item in the upload queue.
+You will need to read the |id| of the item using |vfs/queue| before
+using this call.
+
+You can then set |expiry| to a floating point number of seconds from
+now when the item is eligible for upload. If you want the item to be
+uploaded as soon as possible then set it to a large negative number (eg
+-1000000000). If you want the upload of the item to be delayed
+for a long time then set it to a large positive number.
+
+Setting the |expiry| of an item which has already has started uploading
+will have no effect - the item will carry on being uploaded.
+
+This will return an error if called with |--vfs-cache-mode| off or if
+the |id| passed is not found.
+
+This takes the following parameters
+
+- |fs| - select the VFS in use (optional)
+- |id| - a numeric ID as returned from |vfs/queue|
+- |expiry| - a new expiry time as floating point seconds
+
+This returns an empty result on success, or an error.
+
+`, "|", "`") + getVFSHelp,
+		Fn: rcQueueSetExpiry,
+	})
+}
+
+func rcQueueSetExpiry(ctx context.Context, in rc.Params) (out rc.Params, err error) {
+	vfs, err := getVFS(in)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if vfs.cache == nil {
+		return nil, rc.NewErrParamInvalid(errors.New("can't call this unless using the VFS cache"))
+	}
+
+	// Read input values
+	id, err := in.GetInt64("id")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	expiry, err := in.GetFloat64("expiry")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	// Set expiry
+	expiryTime := time.Now().Add(time.Duration(float64(time.Second) * expiry))
+	err = vfs.cache.QueueSetExpiry(writeback.Handle(id), expiryTime)
+	return nil, err
+}
diff --git a/vfs/vfscache/cache.go b/vfs/vfscache/cache.go
index dbd408cae..a0af31bd1 100644
--- a/vfs/vfscache/cache.go
+++ b/vfs/vfscache/cache.go
@@ -177,6 +177,11 @@ func (c *Cache) Queue() (out rc.Params) {
 	return out
 }
 
+// QueueSetExpiry updates the expiry of a single item in the upload queue
+func (c *Cache) QueueSetExpiry(id writeback.Handle, expiry time.Time) error {
+	return c.writeback.SetExpiry(id, expiry)
+}
+
 // createDir creates a directory path, along with any necessary parents
 func createDir(dir string) error {
 	return file.MkdirAll(dir, 0700)
diff --git a/vfs/vfscache/cache_test.go b/vfs/vfscache/cache_test.go
index 20ebee2e7..9f8abfa64 100644
--- a/vfs/vfscache/cache_test.go
+++ b/vfs/vfscache/cache_test.go
@@ -741,3 +741,13 @@ func TestCacheQueue(t *testing.T) {
 	_, ok := queue.([]writeback.QueueInfo)
 	require.True(t, ok)
 }
+
+func TestCacheQueueSetExpiry(t *testing.T) {
+	_, c := newTestCache(t)
+
+	// Check this returns the correct error when called so we know
+	// it is plumbed in correctly. The actual tests are done in
+	// writeback.
+	err := c.QueueSetExpiry(123123, time.Now())
+	assert.Equal(t, writeback.ErrorIDNotFound, err)
+}
diff --git a/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback.go b/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback.go
index cf3380d4f..6212bfec9 100644
--- a/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback.go
+++ b/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback.go
@@ -511,3 +511,26 @@ func (wb *WriteBack) Queue() []QueueInfo {
 
 	return items
 }
+
+// ErrorIDNotFound is returned from SetExpiry when the item is not found
+var ErrorIDNotFound = errors.New("id not found in queue")
+
+// SetExpiry sets the expiry time for an item in the writeback queue.
+//
+// id should be as returned from the Queue call
+//
+// If the item isn't found then it will return ErrorIDNotFound
+func (wb *WriteBack) SetExpiry(id Handle, expiry time.Time) error {
+	wb.mu.Lock()
+	defer wb.mu.Unlock()
+
+	wbItem, ok := wb.lookup[id]
+	if !ok {
+		return ErrorIDNotFound
+	}
+
+	// Update the expiry with the user requested value
+	wb.items._update(wbItem, expiry)
+	wb._resetTimer()
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback_test.go b/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback_test.go
index b862e283e..872d19e71 100644
--- a/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback_test.go
+++ b/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback_test.go
@@ -545,6 +545,50 @@ func TestWriteBackQueue(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, []QueueInfo{}, queue)
 }
 
+func TestWriteBackSetExpiry(t *testing.T) {
+	wb, cancel := newTestWriteBack(t)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	err := wb.SetExpiry(123123123, time.Now())
+	assert.Equal(t, ErrorIDNotFound, err)
+
+	pi := newPutItem(t)
+
+	id := wb.Add(0, "one", 10, true, pi.put)
+	wbItem := wb.lookup[id]
+
+	// get the expiry time with locking so we don't cause races
+	getExpiry := func() time.Time {
+		wb.mu.Lock()
+		defer wb.mu.Unlock()
+		return wbItem.expiry
+	}
+
+	expiry := time.Until(getExpiry()).Seconds()
+	assert.Greater(t, expiry, 0.0)
+	assert.Less(t, expiry, 1.0)
+
+	newExpiry := time.Now().Add(100 * time.Second)
+	require.NoError(t, wb.SetExpiry(wbItem.id, newExpiry))
+	assert.Equal(t, newExpiry, getExpiry())
+
+	// This starts the transfer
+	newExpiry = time.Now().Add(-100 * time.Second)
+	require.NoError(t, wb.SetExpiry(wbItem.id, newExpiry))
+	assert.Equal(t, newExpiry, getExpiry())
+
+	<-pi.started
+
+	expiry = time.Until(getExpiry()).Seconds()
+	assert.LessOrEqual(t, expiry, -100.0)
+
+	pi.finish(nil) // transfer successful
+	waitUntilNoTransfers(t, wb)
+
+	expiry = time.Until(getExpiry()).Seconds()
+	assert.LessOrEqual(t, expiry, -100.0)
+}
+
 // Test queuing more than fs.Config.Transfers
 func TestWriteBackMaxQueue(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()