diff --git a/internal/queue/simple.go b/internal/queue/simple.go
index 9307183f2..0a19cfbf4 100644
--- a/internal/queue/simple.go
+++ b/internal/queue/simple.go
@@ -24,38 +24,67 @@ import (
 	"codeberg.org/gruf/go-list"
 )
 
+// frequency of GC cycles
+// per no. unlocks. i.e.
+// every 'gcfreq' unlocks.
+const gcfreq = 1024
+
 // SimpleQueue provides a simple concurrency safe
 // queue using generics and a memory pool of list
 // elements to reduce overall memory usage.
 type SimpleQueue[T any] struct {
 	l list.List[T]
-	p []*list.Elem[T]
+	p elemPool[T]
 	w chan struct{}
 	m sync.Mutex
+	n uint32 // pop counter (safely wraps around)
 }
 
 // Push will push given value to the queue.
 func (q *SimpleQueue[T]) Push(value T) {
 	q.m.Lock()
-	elem := q.alloc()
+
+	// Wrap in element.
+	elem := q.p.alloc()
 	elem.Value = value
+
+	// Push new elem to queue.
 	q.l.PushElemFront(elem)
+
 	if q.w != nil {
+		// Notify any goroutines
+		// blocking on q.Wait(),
+		// or on PopCtx(...).
 		close(q.w)
 		q.w = nil
 	}
+
 	q.m.Unlock()
 }
 
 // Pop will attempt to pop value from the queue.
 func (q *SimpleQueue[T]) Pop() (value T, ok bool) {
 	q.m.Lock()
+
+	// Check for a tail (i.e. not empty).
 	if ok = (q.l.Tail != nil); ok {
+
+		// Extract value.
 		tail := q.l.Tail
 		value = tail.Value
+
+		// Remove tail.
 		q.l.Remove(tail)
-		q.free(tail)
+		q.p.free(tail)
+
+		// Every 'gcfreq' pops perform
+		// a garbage collection to keep
+		// us squeaky clean :]
+		if q.n++; q.n%gcfreq == 0 {
+			q.p.GC()
+		}
 	}
+
 	q.m.Unlock()
 	return
 }
@@ -105,7 +134,14 @@ func (q *SimpleQueue[T]) PopCtx(ctx context.Context) (value T, ok bool) {
 
 	// Remove element.
 	q.l.Remove(elem)
-	q.free(elem)
+	q.p.free(elem)
+
+	// Every 'gcfreq' pops perform
+	// a garbage collection to keep
+	// us squeaky clean :]
+	if q.n++; q.n%gcfreq == 0 {
+		q.p.GC()
+	}
 
 	// Done with lock.
 	q.m.Unlock()
@@ -121,21 +157,45 @@ func (q *SimpleQueue[T]) Len() int {
 	return l
 }
 
-// alloc will allocate new list element (relying on memory pool).
-func (q *SimpleQueue[T]) alloc() *list.Elem[T] {
-	if len(q.p) > 0 {
-		elem := q.p[len(q.p)-1]
-		q.p = q.p[:len(q.p)-1]
-		return elem
-	}
-	return new(list.Elem[T])
+// elemPool is a very simple
+// list.Elem[T] memory pool.
+type elemPool[T any] struct {
+	current []*list.Elem[T]
+	victim  []*list.Elem[T]
 }
 
-// free will free list element and release to pool.
-func (q *SimpleQueue[T]) free(elem *list.Elem[T]) {
+func (p *elemPool[T]) alloc() *list.Elem[T] {
+	// First try the current queue
+	if l := len(p.current) - 1; l >= 0 {
+		mu := p.current[l]
+		p.current = p.current[:l]
+		return mu
+	}
+
+	// Next try the victim queue.
+	if l := len(p.victim) - 1; l >= 0 {
+		mu := p.victim[l]
+		p.victim = p.victim[:l]
+		return mu
+	}
+
+	// Lastly, alloc new.
+	mu := new(list.Elem[T])
+	return mu
+}
+
+// free will release given element to pool.
+func (p *elemPool[T]) free(elem *list.Elem[T]) {
 	var zero T
 	elem.Next = nil
 	elem.Prev = nil
 	elem.Value = zero
-	q.p = append(q.p, elem)
+	p.current = append(p.current, elem)
+}
+
+// GC will clear out unused entries from the elemPool.
+func (p *elemPool[T]) GC() {
+	current := p.current
+	p.current = nil
+	p.victim = current
 }