diff --git a/keiko-sql/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/q/sql/SqlQueue.kt b/keiko-sql/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/q/sql/SqlQueue.kt
index b8aa7512e0a..d4af10659ea 100644
--- a/keiko-sql/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/q/sql/SqlQueue.kt
+++ b/keiko-sql/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/q/sql/SqlQueue.kt
@@ -281,22 +281,13 @@ class SqlQueue(
       return
     }
 
-    candidates.shuffle()
-
-    var position = 0
-    var passes = 0
-    while (changed < maxMessages && position < candidates.size && passes < 3) {
-      passes++
-      val sliceNext = min(maxMessages - 1 - changed, candidates.size - 1 - position)
-      val ids = candidates.slice(IntRange(position, position + sliceNext))
-      when (sliceNext) {
-        0 -> position++
-        else -> position += sliceNext
-      }
+    var chunkedCandidates = candidates.sorted().chunked(maxMessages)
+    chunkedCandidates = if (chunkedCandidates.size > 3) chunkedCandidates.subList(0, 3) else chunkedCandidates
 
+    chunkedCandidates.forEach {
       changed += jooq.update(queueTable)
         .set(lockedField, "$lockId:$now")
-        .where(idField.`in`(*ids.toTypedArray()), lockedField.eq("0"))
+        .where(idField.`in`(*it.toTypedArray()), lockedField.eq("0"))
         .execute()
     }