diff --git a/internal/p2p/pqueue.go b/internal/p2p/pqueue.go
index d5051325f..cc6e5b8a3 100644
--- a/internal/p2p/pqueue.go
+++ b/internal/p2p/pqueue.go
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ func (s *pqScheduler) start() {
 func (s *pqScheduler) process() {
 	defer s.done.Close()
 
+LOOP:
 	for {
 		select {
 		case e := <-s.enqueueCh:
@@ -247,21 +248,24 @@ func (s *pqScheduler) process() {
 
 			for s.pq.Len() > 0 {
 				pqEnv = heap.Pop(s.pq).(*pqEnvelope)
-				s.size -= pqEnv.size
-
-				// deduct the Envelope size from all the relevant cumulative sizes
-				for i := 0; i < len(s.chDescs) && pqEnv.priority <= uint(s.chDescs[i].Priority); i++ {
-					s.sizes[uint(s.chDescs[i].Priority)] -= pqEnv.size
-				}
-
-				s.metrics.PeerSendBytesTotal.With(
-					"chID", chIDStr,
-					"peer_id", string(pqEnv.envelope.To),
-					"message_type", s.metrics.ValueToMetricLabel(pqEnv.envelope.Message)).Add(float64(pqEnv.size))
 				select {
 				case s.dequeueCh <- pqEnv.envelope:
+					s.size -= pqEnv.size
+
+					// deduct the Envelope size from all the relevant cumulative sizes
+					for i := 0; i < len(s.chDescs) && pqEnv.priority <= uint(s.chDescs[i].Priority); i++ {
+						s.sizes[uint(s.chDescs[i].Priority)] -= pqEnv.size
+					}
+
+					s.metrics.PeerSendBytesTotal.With(
+						"chID", chIDStr,
+						"peer_id", string(pqEnv.envelope.To),
+						"message_type", s.metrics.ValueToMetricLabel(pqEnv.envelope.Message)).Add(float64(pqEnv.size))
 				case <-s.closer.Done():
 					return
+				default:
+					heap.Push(s.pq, pqEnv)
+					continue LOOP
 				}
 			}