diff --git a/pkg/features/kube_features.go b/pkg/features/kube_features.go
index 5b9e4bdc79d..0948b9becbd 100644
--- a/pkg/features/kube_features.go
+++ b/pkg/features/kube_features.go
@@ -632,6 +632,13 @@ const (
 	// which improves the scheduling latency when the preemption involves in.
 	SchedulerAsyncPreemption featuregate.Feature = "SchedulerAsyncPreemption"
 
+	// owner: @macsko
+	// kep: http://kep.k8s.io/5142
+	//
+	// Improves scheduling queue behavior by popping pods from the backoffQ when the activeQ is empty.
+	// This allows to process potentially schedulable pods ASAP, eliminating a penalty effect of the backoff queue.
+	SchedulerPopFromBackoffQ featuregate.Feature = "SchedulerPopFromBackoffQ"
+
 	// owner: @atosatto @yuanchen8911
 	// kep: http://kep.k8s.io/3902
 	//
diff --git a/pkg/features/versioned_kube_features.go b/pkg/features/versioned_kube_features.go
index 7ea7c0e9fa5..892a446ca20 100644
--- a/pkg/features/versioned_kube_features.go
+++ b/pkg/features/versioned_kube_features.go
@@ -660,6 +660,10 @@ var defaultVersionedKubernetesFeatureGates = map[featuregate.Feature]featuregate
 		{Version: version.MustParse("1.32"), Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Alpha},
 	},
 
+	SchedulerPopFromBackoffQ: {
+		{Version: version.MustParse("1.33"), Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
+	},
+
 	SchedulerQueueingHints: {
 		{Version: version.MustParse("1.28"), Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 		{Version: version.MustParse("1.32"), Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
diff --git a/test/compatibility_lifecycle/reference/versioned_feature_list.yaml b/test/compatibility_lifecycle/reference/versioned_feature_list.yaml
index 0c9e20cc924..ee51176a235 100644
--- a/test/compatibility_lifecycle/reference/versioned_feature_list.yaml
+++ b/test/compatibility_lifecycle/reference/versioned_feature_list.yaml
@@ -1149,6 +1149,12 @@
     lockToDefault: false
     preRelease: Alpha
     version: "1.32"
+- name: SchedulerPopFromBackoffQ
+  versionedSpecs:
+  - default: true
+    lockToDefault: false
+    preRelease: Beta
+    version: "1.33"
 - name: SchedulerQueueingHints
   versionedSpecs:
   - default: false