diff --git a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp
index 7368db0c31..e17c108775 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/avatars/AvatarMixerSlave.cpp
@@ -244,6 +244,9 @@ void AvatarMixerSlave::broadcastAvatarDataToAgent(const SharedNodePointer& node)
     // reset the internal state for correct random number distribution
     distribution.reset();
 
+    // Base number to sort on number previously sent.
+    const int numToSendEst = std::max(nodeData->getNumAvatarsSentLastFrame() * 2, 20);
+
     // reset the number of sent avatars
     nodeData->resetNumAvatarsSentLastFrame();
 
@@ -399,7 +402,7 @@ void AvatarMixerSlave::broadcastAvatarDataToAgent(const SharedNodePointer& node)
     int remainingAvatars = (int)sortedAvatars.size();
     auto traitsPacketList = NLPacketList::create(PacketType::BulkAvatarTraits, QByteArray(), true, true);
 
-    const auto& sortedAvatarVector = sortedAvatars.getSortedVector();
+    const auto& sortedAvatarVector = sortedAvatars.getSortedVector(numToSendEst);
     for (const auto& sortedAvatar : sortedAvatarVector) {
         const Node* otherNode = sortedAvatar.getNode();
         auto lastEncodeForOther = sortedAvatar.getTimestamp();
@@ -524,6 +527,11 @@ void AvatarMixerSlave::broadcastAvatarDataToAgent(const SharedNodePointer& node)
         remainingAvatars--;
     }
 
+    if (nodeData->getNumAvatarsSentLastFrame() > numToSendEst) {
+        qCWarning(avatars) << "More avatars sent than upper estimate" << nodeData->getNumAvatarsSentLastFrame()
+            << " / " << numToSendEst;
+    }
+
     quint64 startPacketSending = usecTimestampNow();
 
     // close the current packet so that we're always sending something
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/PrioritySortUtil.h b/libraries/shared/src/PrioritySortUtil.h
index 27f6b193ba..3a40fead71 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/PrioritySortUtil.h
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/PrioritySortUtil.h
@@ -66,8 +66,14 @@ namespace PrioritySortUtil {
         void reserve(size_t num) {
             _vector.reserve(num);
         }
-        const std::vector<T>& getSortedVector() {
-            std::sort(_vector.begin(), _vector.end(), [](const T& left, const T& right) { return left.getPriority() > right.getPriority(); });
+        const std::vector<T>& getSortedVector(int numToSort = 0) {
+            if (numToSort == 0 || numToSort >= (int)_vector.size()) {
+                std::sort(_vector.begin(), _vector.end(),
+                    [](const T& left, const T& right) { return left.getPriority() > right.getPriority(); });
+            } else {
+                std::partial_sort(_vector.begin(), _vector.begin() + numToSort, _vector.end(),
+                    [](const T& left, const T& right) { return left.getPriority() > right.getPriority(); });
+            }
             return _vector;
         }