diff --git a/src/payload.jl b/src/payload.jl
index 6c4ac39..9730852 100644
--- a/src/payload.jl
+++ b/src/payload.jl
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ function _reenqueue_ordered!(queue::Channel{T}, waiting_room::Vector{T}, payload
         nrows = length(payload)
         payload = first(waiting_room)
         if payload.row_num == (nrows + row)
-            put!(queue, popfirst!(waiting_room))
+            _put_buffered_nolock!(queue, popfirst!(waiting_room))
         else
             break
         end
@@ -52,21 +52,63 @@ function _reorder!(queue::Channel{T}, waiting_room::Vector{T}, payload::T, expec
     row = payload.row_num
     if row == expected_row
         _reenqueue_ordered!(queue, waiting_room, payload)
-        return false
+        return false # doesn't need to wait
     end
     insertsorted!(waiting_room, payload, x->x.row_num)
-    return true
+    return true # needs to wait
 end
 
 Base.put!(o::PayloadOrderer{B,C}, x::ParsedPayload{B,C}) where {B,C} = put!(o.queue, x)
 Base.close(o::PayloadOrderer, excp::Exception=Base.closed_exception()) = close(o.queue, excp)
 Base.isopen(o::PayloadOrderer) = isopen(o.queue)
 
+# This is `take_buffered` from channels.jl, with the enclosing lock/unlock calls removed
+function _take_buffered_nolock!(c::Channel)
+    while isempty(c.data)
+        Base.check_channel_state(c)
+        wait(c.cond_take)
+    end
+    v = popfirst!(c.data)
+    Base._increment_n_avail(c, -1)
+    notify(c.cond_put, nothing, false, false) # notify only one, since only one slot has become available for a put!.
+    return v
+end
+
+# This is `put_buffered` from channels.jl, with the enclosing lock/unlock calls removed
+function _put_buffered_nolock!(c::Channel, v)
+    did_buffer = false
+    try
+        # Increment channel n_avail eagerly (before push!) to count data in the
+        # buffer as well as offers from tasks which are blocked in wait().
+        Base._increment_n_avail(c, 1)
+        while length(c.data) == c.sz_max
+            Base.check_channel_state(c)
+            wait(c.cond_put)
+        end
+        Base.check_channel_state(c)
+        push!(c.data, v)
+        did_buffer = true
+        # notify all, since some of the waiters may be on a "fetch" call.
+        notify(c.cond_take, nothing, true, false)
+    finally
+        # Decrement the available items if this task had an exception before pushing the
+        # item to the buffer (e.g., during `wait(c.cond_put)`):
+        did_buffer || Base._increment_n_avail(c, -1)
+    end
+    return v
+end
+
+# TODO: since we own our put and take methods, we can ditch the waiting room and just use the channls `data` field
 function Base.take!(o::PayloadOrderer) # Blocks until a the next payload in order arrives
-    payload = take!(o.queue)
-    while _reorder!(o.queue, o.waititng_room, payload, o.expected_row)
-        payload = take!(o.queue)
+    lock(o.queue)
+    try
+        payload = _take_buffered_nolock!(o.queue)
+        while _reorder!(o.queue, o.waititng_room, payload, o.expected_row)
+            payload = _take_buffered_nolock!(o.queue)
+        end
+        o.expected_row = last_row(payload) + 1
+        return payload
+    finally
+        unlock(o.queue)
     end
-    o.expected_row = last_row(payload) + 1
-    return payload
 end