diff --git a/warcprox/__init__.py b/warcprox/__init__.py
index 60ca2ef..bc1365c 100644
--- a/warcprox/__init__.py
+++ b/warcprox/__init__.py
@@ -168,13 +168,24 @@ class BaseStandardPostfetchProcessor(BasePostfetchProcessor):
 class BaseBatchPostfetchProcessor(BasePostfetchProcessor):
     MAX_BATCH_SIZE = 500
     MAX_BATCH_SEC = 10
+    MIN_BATCH_SEC = 0.5
 
     def _get_process_put(self):
         batch = []
         start = time.time()
 
-        while (len(batch) < self.MAX_BATCH_SIZE
-               and time.time() - start < self.MAX_BATCH_SEC):
+        while True:
+            if len(batch) >= self.MAX_BATCH_SIZE:
+                break  # full batch
+
+            elapsed = time.time() - start
+            if elapsed >= self.MAX_BATCH_SEC:
+                break  # been batching for a while
+
+            if (elapsed >= self.MIN_BATCH_SEC and self.outq
+                    and len(self.outq.queue) == 0):
+                break  # next processor is waiting on us
+
             try:
                 batch.append(self.inq.get(block=True, timeout=0.5))
             except queue.Empty: