diff --git a/pkg/util/workqueue/delaying_queue.go b/pkg/util/workqueue/delaying_queue.go
index 5fef16740f3..68098c5b895 100644
--- a/pkg/util/workqueue/delaying_queue.go
+++ b/pkg/util/workqueue/delaying_queue.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ package workqueue
 
 import (
 	"sort"
-	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util"
@@ -40,38 +39,35 @@ func NewDelayingQueue() DelayingInterface {
 
 func newDelayingQueue(clock util.Clock) DelayingInterface {
 	ret := &delayingType{
-		Type:        New(),
-		clock:       clock,
-		waitingCond: sync.NewCond(&sync.Mutex{}),
+		Interface:       New(),
+		clock:           clock,
+		heartbeat:       time.Tick(maxWait),
+		stopCh:          make(chan struct{}),
+		waitingForAddCh: make(chan waitFor, 1000),
 	}
 
 	go ret.waitingLoop()
-	go ret.heartbeat()
 
 	return ret
 }
 
-// delayingType wraps a Type and provides delayed re-enquing
+// delayingType wraps an Interface and provides delayed re-enquing
 type delayingType struct {
-	*Type
+	Interface
 
 	// clock tracks time for delayed firing
 	clock util.Clock
 
+	// stopCh lets us signal a shutdown to the waiting loop
+	stopCh chan struct{}
+
+	// heartbeat ensures we wait no more than maxWait before firing
+	heartbeat <-chan time.Time
+
 	// waitingForAdd is an ordered slice of items to be added to the contained work queue
 	waitingForAdd []waitFor
-	// waitingLock synchronizes access to waitingForAdd
-	waitingLock sync.Mutex
-	// waitingCond is used to notify the adding go func that it needs to check for items to add
-	waitingCond *sync.Cond
-
-	// nextCheckTime is used to decide whether to add a notification timer.  If the requested time
-	// is beyond the time we're already waiting for, we don't add a new timer thread
-	nextCheckTime *time.Time
-	// nextCheckLock serializes access to the notification time
-	nextCheckLock sync.Mutex
-	// nextCheckCancel is a channel to close to cancel the notification
-	nextCheckCancel chan struct{}
+	// waitingForAddCh is a buffered channel that feeds waitingForAdd
+	waitingForAddCh chan waitFor
 }
 
 // waitFor holds the data to add and the time it should be added
@@ -82,25 +78,28 @@ type waitFor struct {
 
 // ShutDown gives a way to shut off this queue
 func (q *delayingType) ShutDown() {
-	q.Type.ShutDown()
-	q.waitingCond.Broadcast()
+	q.Interface.ShutDown()
+	close(q.stopCh)
 }
 
+// AddAfter adds the given item to the work queue after the given delay
 func (q *delayingType) AddAfter(item interface{}, duration time.Duration) {
-	q.waitingLock.Lock()
-	defer q.waitingLock.Unlock()
-	waitEntry := waitFor{data: item, readyAt: q.clock.Now().Add(duration)}
+	// don't add if we're already shutting down
+	if q.ShuttingDown() {
+		return
+	}
 
-	insertionIndex := sort.Search(len(q.waitingForAdd), func(i int) bool {
-		return waitEntry.readyAt.Before(q.waitingForAdd[i].readyAt)
-	})
+	// immediately add things with no delay
+	if duration <= 0 {
+		q.Add(item)
+		return
+	}
 
-	tail := q.waitingForAdd[insertionIndex:]
-	q.waitingForAdd = append(make([]waitFor, 0, len(q.waitingForAdd)+1), q.waitingForAdd[:insertionIndex]...)
-	q.waitingForAdd = append(q.waitingForAdd, waitEntry)
-	q.waitingForAdd = append(q.waitingForAdd, tail...)
-
-	q.notifyAt(waitEntry.readyAt)
+	select {
+	case <-q.stopCh:
+		// unblock if ShutDown() is called
+	case q.waitingForAddCh <- waitFor{data: item, readyAt: q.clock.Now().Add(duration)}:
+	}
 }
 
 // maxWait keeps a max bound on the wait time.  It's just insurance against weird things happening.
@@ -112,115 +111,83 @@ const maxWait = 10 * time.Second
 func (q *delayingType) waitingLoop() {
 	defer utilruntime.HandleCrash()
 
+	// Make a placeholder channel to use when there are no items in our list
+	never := make(<-chan time.Time)
+
 	for {
-		if q.shuttingDown {
+		if q.Interface.ShuttingDown() {
+			// discard waiting entries
+			q.waitingForAdd = nil
 			return
 		}
 
-		func() {
-			q.waitingCond.L.Lock()
-			defer q.waitingCond.L.Unlock()
-			q.waitingCond.Wait()
+		now := q.clock.Now()
 
-			if q.shuttingDown {
-				return
+		// Add ready entries
+		readyEntries := 0
+		for _, entry := range q.waitingForAdd {
+			if entry.readyAt.After(now) {
+				break
 			}
-
-			q.waitingLock.Lock()
-			defer q.waitingLock.Unlock()
-
-			nextReadyCheck := time.Time{}
-			itemsAdded := 0
-
-			for _, queuedItem := range q.waitingForAdd {
-				nextReadyCheck = queuedItem.readyAt
-				if queuedItem.readyAt.After(q.clock.Now()) {
-					break
-				}
-				q.Type.Add(queuedItem.data)
-				itemsAdded++
-			}
-
-			switch itemsAdded {
-			case 0:
-				// no change
-			case len(q.waitingForAdd):
-				// consumed everything
-				q.waitingForAdd = make([]waitFor, 0, len(q.waitingForAdd))
-
-			default:
-				// consumed some
-				q.waitingForAdd = q.waitingForAdd[itemsAdded:]
-
-				if len(q.waitingForAdd) > 0 {
-					q.notifyAt(nextReadyCheck)
-				}
-			}
-		}()
-	}
-}
-
-// heartbeat forces a check every maxWait seconds
-func (q *delayingType) heartbeat() {
-	defer utilruntime.HandleCrash()
-
-	for {
-		if q.shuttingDown {
-			return
+			q.Add(entry.data)
+			readyEntries++
 		}
+		q.waitingForAdd = q.waitingForAdd[readyEntries:]
 
-		ch := q.clock.After(maxWait)
-		<-ch
-		q.waitingCond.Broadcast()
-	}
-}
-
-// clearNextCheckTimeIf resets the nextCheckTime if it matches the expected value to ensure that the subsequent notification will take effect.
-func (q *delayingType) clearNextCheckTimeIf(nextReadyCheck time.Time) {
-	q.nextCheckLock.Lock()
-	defer q.nextCheckLock.Unlock()
-
-	if q.nextCheckTime != nil && *q.nextCheckTime == nextReadyCheck {
-		q.nextCheckTime = nil
-	}
-}
-
-// notifyAt: if the requested nextReadyCheck is sooner than the current check, then a new go func is
-// spawned to notify the condition that the waitingLoop is waiting for after the time is up.  The previous go func
-// is cancelled
-func (q *delayingType) notifyAt(nextReadyCheck time.Time) {
-	q.nextCheckLock.Lock()
-	defer q.nextCheckLock.Unlock()
-
-	now := q.clock.Now()
-	if (q.nextCheckTime != nil && (nextReadyCheck.After(*q.nextCheckTime) || nextReadyCheck == *q.nextCheckTime)) || nextReadyCheck.Before(now) {
-		return
-	}
-
-	duration := nextReadyCheck.Sub(now)
-	q.nextCheckTime = &nextReadyCheck
-	ch := q.clock.After(duration)
-
-	newCancel := make(chan struct{})
-	oldCancel := q.nextCheckCancel
-	// always cancel the old notifier
-	if oldCancel != nil {
-		close(oldCancel)
-	}
-	q.nextCheckCancel = newCancel
-
-	go func() {
-		defer utilruntime.HandleCrash()
+		// Set up a wait for the first item's readyAt (if one exists)
+		nextReadyAt := never
+		if len(q.waitingForAdd) > 0 {
+			nextReadyAt = q.clock.After(q.waitingForAdd[0].readyAt.Sub(now))
+		}
 
 		select {
-		case <-ch:
-			// we only have one of these go funcs active at a time.  If we hit our timer, then clear
-			// the check time so that the next add will win
-			q.clearNextCheckTimeIf(nextReadyCheck)
-			q.waitingCond.Broadcast()
+		case <-q.stopCh:
+			return
 
-		case <-newCancel:
-			// do nothing, cancelled
+		case <-q.heartbeat:
+			// continue the loop, which will add ready items
+
+		case <-nextReadyAt:
+			// continue the loop, which will add ready items
+
+		case waitEntry := <-q.waitingForAddCh:
+			if waitEntry.readyAt.After(q.clock.Now()) {
+				q.waitingForAdd = insert(q.waitingForAdd, waitEntry)
+			} else {
+				q.Add(waitEntry.data)
+			}
+
+			drained := false
+			for !drained {
+				select {
+				case waitEntry := <-q.waitingForAddCh:
+					if waitEntry.readyAt.After(q.clock.Now()) {
+						q.waitingForAdd = insert(q.waitingForAdd, waitEntry)
+					} else {
+						q.Add(waitEntry.data)
+					}
+				default:
+					drained = true
+				}
+			}
 		}
-	}()
+	}
+}
+
+// inserts the given entry into the sorted entries list
+// same semantics as append()... the given slice may be modified,
+// and the returned value should be used
+func insert(entries []waitFor, entry waitFor) []waitFor {
+	insertionIndex := sort.Search(len(entries), func(i int) bool {
+		return entry.readyAt.Before(entries[i].readyAt)
+	})
+
+	// grow by 1
+	entries = append(entries, waitFor{})
+	// shift items from the insertion point to the end
+	copy(entries[insertionIndex+1:], entries[insertionIndex:])
+	// insert the record
+	entries[insertionIndex] = entry
+
+	return entries
 }
diff --git a/pkg/util/workqueue/delaying_queue_test.go b/pkg/util/workqueue/delaying_queue_test.go
index d0b2fcc1484..cc2eb165c6d 100644
--- a/pkg/util/workqueue/delaying_queue_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/workqueue/delaying_queue_test.go
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ func TestSimpleQueue(t *testing.T) {
 	first := "foo"
 
 	q.AddAfter(first, 50*time.Millisecond)
+	if err := waitForWaitingQueueToFill(q); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected err: %v", err)
+	}
 
 	if q.Len() != 0 {
 		t.Errorf("should not have added")
@@ -40,14 +43,7 @@ func TestSimpleQueue(t *testing.T) {
 
 	fakeClock.Step(60 * time.Millisecond)
 
-	err := wait.Poll(1*time.Millisecond, 30*time.Millisecond, func() (done bool, err error) {
-		if q.Len() == 1 {
-			return true, nil
-		}
-
-		return false, nil
-	})
-	if err != nil {
+	if err := waitForAdded(q, 1); err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("should have added")
 	}
 	item, _ := q.Get()
@@ -56,7 +52,7 @@ func TestSimpleQueue(t *testing.T) {
 	// step past the next heartbeat
 	fakeClock.Step(10 * time.Second)
 
-	err = wait.Poll(1*time.Millisecond, 30*time.Millisecond, func() (done bool, err error) {
+	err := wait.Poll(1*time.Millisecond, 30*time.Millisecond, func() (done bool, err error) {
 		if q.Len() > 0 {
 			return false, fmt.Errorf("added to queue")
 		}
@@ -82,21 +78,18 @@ func TestAddTwoFireEarly(t *testing.T) {
 
 	q.AddAfter(first, 1*time.Second)
 	q.AddAfter(second, 50*time.Millisecond)
+	if err := waitForWaitingQueueToFill(q); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected err: %v", err)
+	}
 
 	if q.Len() != 0 {
 		t.Errorf("should not have added")
 	}
 
 	fakeClock.Step(60 * time.Millisecond)
-	err := wait.Poll(1*time.Millisecond, 30*time.Millisecond, func() (done bool, err error) {
-		if q.Len() == 1 {
-			return true, nil
-		}
 
-		return false, nil
-	})
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("should have added")
+	if err := waitForAdded(q, 1); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected err: %v", err)
 	}
 	item, _ := q.Get()
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(item, second) {
@@ -106,15 +99,8 @@ func TestAddTwoFireEarly(t *testing.T) {
 	q.AddAfter(third, 2*time.Second)
 
 	fakeClock.Step(1 * time.Second)
-	err = wait.Poll(1*time.Millisecond, 30*time.Millisecond, func() (done bool, err error) {
-		if q.Len() == 1 {
-			return true, nil
-		}
-
-		return false, nil
-	})
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("should have added")
+	if err := waitForAdded(q, 1); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected err: %v", err)
 	}
 	item, _ = q.Get()
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(item, first) {
@@ -122,15 +108,8 @@ func TestAddTwoFireEarly(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	fakeClock.Step(2 * time.Second)
-	err = wait.Poll(1*time.Millisecond, 30*time.Millisecond, func() (done bool, err error) {
-		if q.Len() == 1 {
-			return true, nil
-		}
-
-		return false, nil
-	})
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("should have added")
+	if err := waitForAdded(q, 1); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected err: %v", err)
 	}
 	item, _ = q.Get()
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(item, third) {
@@ -138,3 +117,61 @@ func TestAddTwoFireEarly(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 }
+
+func TestCopyShifting(t *testing.T) {
+	fakeClock := util.NewFakeClock(time.Now())
+	q := newDelayingQueue(fakeClock)
+
+	first := "foo"
+	second := "bar"
+	third := "baz"
+
+	q.AddAfter(first, 1*time.Second)
+	q.AddAfter(second, 500*time.Millisecond)
+	q.AddAfter(third, 250*time.Millisecond)
+	if err := waitForWaitingQueueToFill(q); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected err: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if q.Len() != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("should not have added")
+	}
+
+	fakeClock.Step(2 * time.Second)
+
+	if err := waitForAdded(q, 3); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected err: %v", err)
+	}
+	actualFirst, _ := q.Get()
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(actualFirst, third) {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", third, actualFirst)
+	}
+	actualSecond, _ := q.Get()
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(actualSecond, second) {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", second, actualSecond)
+	}
+	actualThird, _ := q.Get()
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(actualThird, first) {
+		t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", first, actualThird)
+	}
+}
+
+func waitForAdded(q DelayingInterface, depth int) error {
+	return wait.Poll(1*time.Millisecond, 10*time.Second, func() (done bool, err error) {
+		if q.Len() == depth {
+			return true, nil
+		}
+
+		return false, nil
+	})
+}
+
+func waitForWaitingQueueToFill(q DelayingInterface) error {
+	return wait.Poll(1*time.Millisecond, 10*time.Second, func() (done bool, err error) {
+		if len(q.(*delayingType).waitingForAddCh) == 0 {
+			return true, nil
+		}
+
+		return false, nil
+	})
+}
diff --git a/pkg/util/workqueue/queue.go b/pkg/util/workqueue/queue.go
index cbdaac12519..40f2ba2fa7a 100644
--- a/pkg/util/workqueue/queue.go
+++ b/pkg/util/workqueue/queue.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ type Interface interface {
 	Get() (item interface{}, shutdown bool)
 	Done(item interface{})
 	ShutDown()
+	ShuttingDown() bool
 }
 
 // New constructs a new workqueue (see the package comment).
@@ -143,3 +144,10 @@ func (q *Type) ShutDown() {
 	q.shuttingDown = true
 	q.cond.Broadcast()
 }
+
+func (q *Type) ShuttingDown() bool {
+	q.cond.L.Lock()
+	defer q.cond.L.Unlock()
+
+	return q.shuttingDown
+}