diff --git a/work_queue/src/work_queue.c b/work_queue/src/work_queue.c
index 7c74896b40..c4e095d207 100644
--- a/work_queue/src/work_queue.c
+++ b/work_queue/src/work_queue.c
@@ -205,6 +205,7 @@ struct work_queue {
 
 	int wait_for_workers;             /* wait for these many workers before dispatching tasks at start of execution. */
 	int attempt_schedule_depth;		  /* number of submitted tasks to attempt scheduling before we continue to retrievals */
+	int ht_dispatch; 				  /* internal flag determining whether to iterate the whole ready list or rotate through attempt_schedule_depth */
 
 	work_queue_category_mode_t allocation_default_mode;
 
@@ -2000,20 +2001,27 @@ static int expire_waiting_tasks(struct work_queue *q)
 
 	int tasks_considered = 0;
 	double current_time = timestamp_get() / ONE_SECOND;
-	while( (t = list_rotate(q->ready_list)) ) {
-		if(tasks_considered > q->attempt_schedule_depth) {
+	
+	void *(*list_iter_fn)(struct list*) = q->ht_dispatch ? list_rotate : list_next_item;
+
+	if(!q->ht_dispatch){
+			list_first_item(q->ready_list);
+	}
+	
+	while( (t = list_iter_fn(q->ready_list)) ) {
+		if((tasks_considered > q->attempt_schedule_depth) && q->ht_dispatch) {
 			return expired;
 		}
 		if(t->resources_requested->end > 0 && t->resources_requested->end <= current_time) {
 			update_task_result(t, WORK_QUEUE_RESULT_TASK_TIMEOUT);
 			change_task_state(q, t, WORK_QUEUE_TASK_RETRIEVED);
 			expired++;
-			list_pop_tail(q->ready_list);
+			list_remove_item(q->ready_list);
 		} else if(t->max_retries > 0 && t->try_count > t->max_retries) {
 			update_task_result(t, WORK_QUEUE_RESULT_MAX_RETRIES);
 			change_task_state(q, t, WORK_QUEUE_TASK_RETRIEVED);
 			expired++;
-			list_pop_tail(q->ready_list);
+			list_remove_item(q->ready_list);
 		}
 		tasks_considered++;
 	}
@@ -4589,8 +4597,14 @@ static int send_one_task( struct work_queue *q )
 	int tasks_considered = 0;
 	timestamp_t now = timestamp_get();
 
-	while( (t = list_rotate(q->ready_list)) ) {
-		if(tasks_considered++ > q->attempt_schedule_depth) {
+	void *(*list_iter_fn)(struct list*) = q->ht_dispatch ? list_rotate : list_next_item;
+	
+	if(!q->ht_dispatch){
+			list_first_item(q->ready_list);
+	}
+
+	while( (t = list_iter_fn(q->ready_list)) ) {
+		if((tasks_considered++ > q->attempt_schedule_depth) && q->ht_dispatch) {
 			return 0;
 		}
 
@@ -4612,7 +4626,8 @@ static int send_one_task( struct work_queue *q )
 		}
 
 		// Otherwise, remove it from the ready list and start it:
-		list_pop_tail(q->ready_list);
+		list_remove_item(q->ready_list);
+
 		commit_task_to_worker(q,w,t);
 		return 1;
 	}
@@ -5928,6 +5943,7 @@ struct work_queue *work_queue_ssl_create(int port, const char *key, const char *
 
 	q->wait_for_workers = 0;
 	q->attempt_schedule_depth = 100;
+	q->ht_dispatch = 1; 
 
 	q->proportional_resources = 1;
 	q->proportional_whole_tasks = 1;
@@ -6411,6 +6427,9 @@ void push_task_to_ready_list( struct work_queue *q, struct work_queue_task *t )
 
 	if(by_priority) {
 		list_push_priority(q->ready_list, work_queue_task_priority, t);
+		if(t->priority){
+			q->ht_dispatch = 0;	
+		}
 	} else {
 		list_push_head(q->ready_list,t);
 	}