diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/ReceivedPacketProcessor.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/ReceivedPacketProcessor.cpp
index 894a7b8aa9..3c4b32b4ec 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/ReceivedPacketProcessor.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/ReceivedPacketProcessor.cpp
@@ -38,19 +38,28 @@ bool ReceivedPacketProcessor::process() {
         _hasPackets.wait(&_waitingOnPacketsMutex, getMaxWait());
         _waitingOnPacketsMutex.unlock();
     }
+
     preProcess();
-    while (_packets.size() > 0) {
-        lock(); // lock to make sure nothing changes on us
-        NetworkPacket& packet = _packets.front(); // get the oldest packet
-        NetworkPacket temporary = packet; // make a copy of the packet in case the vector is resized on us
-        _packets.erase(_packets.begin()); // remove the oldest packet
-        if (!temporary.getNode().isNull()) {
-            _nodePacketCounts[temporary.getNode()->getUUID()]--;
-        }
-        unlock(); // let others add to the packets
-        processPacket(temporary.getNode(), temporary.getByteArray()); // process our temporary copy
+    if (!_packets.size()) {
+        return isStillRunning();
+    }
+
+    lock();
+    QVector<NetworkPacket> currentPackets;
+    currentPackets.swap(_packets);
+    unlock();
+
+    foreach(auto& packet, currentPackets) {
+        processPacket(packet.getNode(), packet.getByteArray()); 
         midProcess();
     }
+
+    lock();
+    foreach(auto& packet, currentPackets) {
+        _nodePacketCounts[packet.getNode()->getUUID()]--;
+    }
+    unlock();
+
     postProcess();
     return isStillRunning();  // keep running till they terminate us
 }