diff --git a/prompting/rewards/scoring.py b/prompting/rewards/scoring.py
index fa7126715..84ebaf5c8 100644
--- a/prompting/rewards/scoring.py
+++ b/prompting/rewards/scoring.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import asyncio
 import copy
 import threading
+import time
 from multiprocessing.managers import AcquirerProxy
 
 from loguru import logger
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ class TaskScorer(AsyncLoopRunner):
     scoring_queue: list | None = None
     reward_events: list | None = None
     task_queue: list | None = None
+    expiry_time: int = 60 * 60 * 20
     model_config = ConfigDict(arbitrary_types_allowed=True)
 
     async def start(
@@ -70,12 +72,22 @@ def add_to_queue(
     async def run_step(self) -> RewardLoggingEvent:
         await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
 
-        if not self.scoring_queue:
+        scoring_config: ScoringConfig | None = None
+        while self.scoring_queue:
+            # Pop the oldest item from the queue.
+            config = self.scoring_queue.pop(0)
+            # Check if the config is recent enough to be processed.
+            if config.created_at >= time.time() - self.expiry_time:
+                scoring_config = config
+                break
+            # Otherwise, the old config is discarded and we continue to the next one.
+            else:
+                logger.debug(
+                    f"Discarding old scoring config for {config.task.__class__.__name__} created at {config.created_at}"
+                )
+        if not scoring_config:
             return
 
-        # TODO: Filter based on active models before selecting an item to score.
-        scoring_config: ScoringConfig = self.scoring_queue.pop(0)
-
         # here we generate the actual reference
         with Timer(label=f"Generating reference for {scoring_config.task.__class__.__name__}"):
             await scoring_config.task.make_reference(
diff --git a/prompting/rewards/scoring_config.py b/prompting/rewards/scoring_config.py
index 1606b21b3..fb176c304 100644
--- a/prompting/rewards/scoring_config.py
+++ b/prompting/rewards/scoring_config.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-from dataclasses import dataclass
+import time
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 
 from prompting.tasks.base_task import BaseTextTask
 from shared.base import DatasetEntry
@@ -13,3 +14,4 @@ class ScoringConfig:
     block: int
     step: int
     task_id: str
+    created_at: float = field(default_factory=time.time)