diff --git a/core/future.hh b/core/future.hh
index b4d79e5a70..1d124987cd 100644
--- a/core/future.hh
+++ b/core/future.hh
@@ -260,6 +260,8 @@ struct ready_future_marker {};
 struct ready_future_from_tuple_marker {};
 struct exception_future_marker {};
 
+extern __thread size_t future_avail_count;
+
 template <typename... T>
 class future {
     promise<T...>* _promise;
@@ -284,6 +286,24 @@ private:
     future_state<T...>* state() noexcept {
         return _promise ? _promise->_state : &_local_state;
     }
+    template <typename Func>
+    void schedule(Func&& func) noexcept {
+        struct task_with_ready_state final : task {
+            task_with_ready_state(Func&& func, future_state<T...>&& state) : _state(std::move(state)), _func(std::move(func)) {}
+            virtual void run() noexcept override {
+                _func(_state);
+            }
+            future_state<T...> _state;
+            Func _func;
+        };
+        if (state()->available()) {
+            ::schedule(std::make_unique<task_with_ready_state>(std::move(func), std::move(*state())));
+        } else {
+            _promise->schedule(std::move(func));
+            _promise->_future = nullptr;
+            _promise = nullptr;
+        }
+    }
 public:
     using value_type = std::tuple<T...>;
     using promise_type = promise<T...>;
@@ -328,7 +348,7 @@ public:
     template <typename Func>
     future<> then(Func&& func,
             std::enable_if_t<std::is_same<std::result_of_t<Func(T&&...)>, void>::value, void*> = nullptr) noexcept {
-        if (state()->available()) {
+        if (state()->available() && (++future_avail_count % 256)) {
             try {
                 apply(std::move(func), std::move(state()->get()));
                 return make_ready_future<>();
@@ -338,7 +358,8 @@ public:
         }
         promise<> pr;
         auto fut = pr.get_future();
-        _promise->schedule([pr = std::move(pr), func = std::forward<Func>(func)] (auto& state) mutable {
+
+        schedule([pr = std::move(pr), func = std::forward<Func>(func)] (auto& state) mutable {
             try {
                 apply(std::move(func), state.get());
                 pr.set_value();
@@ -346,8 +367,6 @@ public:
                 pr.set_exception(std::current_exception());
             }
         });
-        _promise->_future = nullptr;
-        _promise = nullptr;
         return fut;
     }
 
@@ -366,7 +385,7 @@ public:
     then(Func&& func,
             std::enable_if_t<is_future<std::result_of_t<Func(T&&...)>>::value, void*> = nullptr) noexcept {
         using P = typename std::result_of_t<Func(T&&...)>::promise_type;
-        if (state()->available()) {
+        if (state()->available() && (++future_avail_count % 256)) {
             try {
                 return apply(std::move(func), std::move(state()->get()));
             } catch (...) {
@@ -377,7 +396,7 @@ public:
         }
         P pr;
         auto next_fut = pr.get_future();
-        _promise->schedule([func = std::forward<Func>(func), pr = std::move(pr)] (auto& state) mutable {
+        schedule([func = std::forward<Func>(func), pr = std::move(pr)] (auto& state) mutable {
             try {
                 auto result = state.get();
                 auto next_fut = apply(std::move(func), std::move(result));
@@ -386,8 +405,6 @@ public:
                 pr.set_exception(std::current_exception());
             }
         });
-        _promise->_future = nullptr;
-        _promise = nullptr;
         return next_fut;
     }
 
diff --git a/core/reactor.cc b/core/reactor.cc
index 92daa222dd..bb730a5bc5 100644
--- a/core/reactor.cc
+++ b/core/reactor.cc
@@ -703,5 +703,6 @@ void smp::join_all()
     }
 }
 
+__thread size_t future_avail_count = 0;
 
 thread_local reactor engine;