diff --git a/context.go b/context.go
index 9c456454d..f1630ca2b 100644
--- a/context.go
+++ b/context.go
@@ -129,19 +129,33 @@ func (s *Subscription) NextMsgWithContext(ctx context.Context) (*Msg, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	// snapshot
 	mch := s.mch
 	s.mu.Unlock()
 
 	var ok bool
 	var msg *Msg
 
+	// If something is available right away, let's optimize that case.
 	select {
 	case msg, ok = <-mch:
 		if !ok {
 			return nil, ErrConnectionClosed
 		}
-		err := s.processNextMsgDelivered(msg)
-		if err != nil {
+		if err := s.processNextMsgDelivered(msg); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		} else {
+			return msg, nil
+		}
+	default:
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case msg, ok = <-mch:
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, ErrConnectionClosed
+		}
+		if err := s.processNextMsgDelivered(msg); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	case <-ctx.Done():
diff --git a/nats.go b/nats.go
index 06bb0730c..576293b1d 100644
--- a/nats.go
+++ b/nats.go
@@ -806,6 +806,15 @@ func Nkey(pubKey string, sigCB SignatureHandler) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// SyncQueueLen will set the maximum queue len for the internal
+// channel used for SubsribeSync().
+func SyncQueueLen(max int) Option {
+	return func(o *Options) error {
+		o.SubChanLen = max
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // Dialer is an Option to set the dialer which will be used when
 // attempting to establish a connection.
 // DEPRECATED: Should use CustomDialer instead.
@@ -1018,6 +1027,7 @@ func (nc *Conn) pickServer() error {
 	if len(nc.srvPool) <= 0 {
 		return ErrNoServers
 	}
+
 	for _, s := range nc.srvPool {
 		if s != nil {
 			nc.current = s
@@ -3031,6 +3041,23 @@ func (s *Subscription) NextMsg(timeout time.Duration) (*Msg, error) {
 	var ok bool
 	var msg *Msg
 
+	// If something is available right away, let's optimize that case.
+	select {
+	case msg, ok = <-mch:
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, ErrConnectionClosed
+		}
+		if err := s.processNextMsgDelivered(msg); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		} else {
+			return msg, nil
+		}
+	default:
+	}
+
+	// If we are here a message was not immediately available, so lets loop
+	// with a timeout.
+
 	t := globalTimerPool.Get(timeout)
 	defer globalTimerPool.Put(t)
 
@@ -3039,8 +3066,7 @@ func (s *Subscription) NextMsg(timeout time.Duration) (*Msg, error) {
 		if !ok {
 			return nil, ErrConnectionClosed
 		}
-		err := s.processNextMsgDelivered(msg)
-		if err != nil {
+		if err := s.processNextMsgDelivered(msg); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	case <-t.C:
diff --git a/nats_test.go b/nats_test.go
index c84783dfe..ecaff56f0 100644
--- a/nats_test.go
+++ b/nats_test.go
@@ -1614,3 +1614,55 @@ func TestConnectedAddr(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected empty result for closed connection, got %q", addr)
 	}
 }
+
+func BenchmarkNextMsgNoTimeout(b *testing.B) {
+	s := RunServerOnPort(TEST_PORT)
+	defer s.Shutdown()
+
+	ncp, err := Connect(fmt.Sprintf("localhost:%d", TEST_PORT))
+	if err != nil {
+		b.Fatalf("Error connecting: %v", err)
+	}
+	ncs, err := Connect(fmt.Sprintf("localhost:%d", TEST_PORT), SyncQueueLen(b.N))
+	if err != nil {
+		b.Fatalf("Error connecting: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Test processing speed so no long subject or payloads.
+	subj := "a"
+
+	sub, err := ncs.SubscribeSync(subj)
+	if err != nil {
+		b.Fatalf("Error subscribing: %v", err)
+	}
+	ncs.Flush()
+
+	// Set it up so we can internally queue all the messages.
+	sub.SetPendingLimits(b.N, b.N*1000)
+
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		ncp.Publish(subj, nil)
+	}
+	ncp.Flush()
+
+	// Wait for them to all be queued up, testing NextMsg not server here.
+	// Only wait at most one second.
+	wait := time.Now().Add(time.Second)
+	for time.Now().Before(wait) {
+		nm, _, err := sub.Pending()
+		if err != nil {
+			b.Fatalf("Error on Pending() - %v", err)
+		}
+		if nm >= b.N {
+			break
+		}
+		time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		if _, err := sub.NextMsg(10 * time.Millisecond); err != nil {
+			b.Fatalf("Error getting message[%d]: %v", i, err)
+		}
+	}
+}