diff --git a/src/stratifier.c b/src/stratifier.c
index 695cf6fa..ee8009ab 100644
--- a/src/stratifier.c
+++ b/src/stratifier.c
@@ -796,6 +796,34 @@ static void _ckdbq_add(ckpool_t *ckp, const int idtype, json_t *val, const char
 
 #define ckdbq_add(ckp, idtype, val) _ckdbq_add(ckp, idtype, val, __FILE__, __func__, __LINE__)
 
+/* Append a bulk list already created to the ssends list */
+static void ssend_bulk_append(sdata_t *sdata, ckmsg_t *bulk_send, const int messages)
+{
+	ckmsgq_t *ssends = sdata->ssends;
+
+	mutex_lock(ssends->lock);
+	ssends->messages += messages;
+	DL_CONCAT(ssends->msgs, bulk_send);
+	pthread_cond_signal(ssends->cond);
+	mutex_unlock(ssends->lock);
+}
+
+/* As ssend_bulk_append but for high priority messages to be put at the front
+ * of the list. */
+static void ssend_bulk_prepend(sdata_t *sdata, ckmsg_t *bulk_send, const int messages)
+{
+	ckmsgq_t *ssends = sdata->ssends;
+	ckmsg_t *tmp;
+
+	mutex_lock(ssends->lock);
+	tmp = ssends->msgs;
+	ssends->msgs = bulk_send;
+	ssends->messages += messages;
+	DL_CONCAT(ssends->msgs, tmp);
+	pthread_cond_signal(ssends->cond);
+	mutex_unlock(ssends->lock);
+}
+
 static void stratum_add_send(sdata_t *sdata, json_t *val, const int64_t client_id,
 			     const int msg_type);
 
@@ -803,6 +831,7 @@ static void send_node_workinfo(sdata_t *sdata, const workbase_t *wb)
 {
 	stratum_instance_t *client;
 	ckmsg_t *bulk_send = NULL;
+	int messages = 0;
 
 	ck_rlock(&sdata->instance_lock);
 	if (sdata->node_instances) {
@@ -845,20 +874,15 @@ static void send_node_workinfo(sdata_t *sdata, const workbase_t *wb)
 			msg->client_id = client->id;
 			client_msg->data = msg;
 			DL_APPEND(bulk_send, client_msg);
+			messages++;
 		}
 		json_decref(wb_val);
 	}
 	ck_runlock(&sdata->instance_lock);
 
 	if (bulk_send) {
-		ckmsgq_t *ssends = sdata->ssends;
-
 		LOGINFO("Sending workinfo to mining nodes");
-
-		mutex_lock(ssends->lock);
-		DL_CONCAT(ssends->msgs, bulk_send);
-		pthread_cond_signal(ssends->cond);
-		mutex_unlock(ssends->lock);
+		ssend_bulk_prepend(sdata, bulk_send, messages);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1274,8 +1298,8 @@ static void send_node_block(sdata_t *sdata, const char *enonce1, const char *non
 			    const double diff, const int64_t client_id)
 {
 	stratum_instance_t *client;
+	int64_t skip, messages = 0;
 	ckmsg_t *bulk_send = NULL;
-	int64_t skip;
 
 	/* Don't send the block back to a remote node if that's where it was
 	 * found. */
@@ -1309,20 +1333,15 @@ static void send_node_block(sdata_t *sdata, const char *enonce1, const char *non
 			msg->client_id = client->id;
 			client_msg->data = msg;
 			DL_APPEND(bulk_send, client_msg);
+			messages++;
 		}
 		json_decref(val);
 	}
 	ck_runlock(&sdata->instance_lock);
 
 	if (bulk_send) {
-		ckmsgq_t *ssends = sdata->ssends;
-
 		LOGNOTICE("Sending block to mining nodes");
-
-		mutex_lock(ssends->lock);
-		DL_CONCAT(ssends->msgs, bulk_send);
-		pthread_cond_signal(ssends->cond);
-		mutex_unlock(ssends->lock);
+		ssend_bulk_prepend(sdata, bulk_send, messages);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -2543,7 +2562,7 @@ static void stratum_broadcast(sdata_t *sdata, json_t *val, const int msg_type)
 	stratum_instance_t *client, *tmp;
 	ckmsg_t *bulk_send = NULL;
 	time_t now_t = time(NULL);
-	ckmsgq_t *ssends;
+	int messages = 0;
 
 	if (unlikely(!val)) {
 		LOGERR("Sent null json to stratum_broadcast");
@@ -2598,6 +2617,7 @@ static void stratum_broadcast(sdata_t *sdata, json_t *val, const int msg_type)
 		msg->client_id = client->id;
 		client_msg->data = msg;
 		DL_APPEND(bulk_send, client_msg);
+		messages++;
 	}
 	ck_runlock(&ckp_sdata->instance_lock);
 
@@ -2606,15 +2626,7 @@ static void stratum_broadcast(sdata_t *sdata, json_t *val, const int msg_type)
 	if (!bulk_send)
 		return;
 
-	ssends = sdata->ssends;
-
-	mutex_lock(ssends->lock);
-	if (ssends->msgs)
-		DL_CONCAT(ssends->msgs, bulk_send);
-	else
-		ssends->msgs = bulk_send;
-	pthread_cond_signal(ssends->cond);
-	mutex_unlock(ssends->lock);
+	ssend_bulk_append(sdata, bulk_send, messages);
 }
 
 static void stratum_add_send(sdata_t *sdata, json_t *val, const int64_t client_id,