diff --git a/scalding-core/src/main/scala/com/twitter/scalding/typed/CoGrouped.scala b/scalding-core/src/main/scala/com/twitter/scalding/typed/CoGrouped.scala
index 37473c06f0..5a7191f538 100644
--- a/scalding-core/src/main/scala/com/twitter/scalding/typed/CoGrouped.scala
+++ b/scalding-core/src/main/scala/com/twitter/scalding/typed/CoGrouped.scala
@@ -74,18 +74,31 @@ trait CoGroupable[K, +R] extends HasReducers with java.io.Serializable {
   def cogroup[R1, R2](smaller: CoGroupable[K, R1])(fn: (K, Iterator[R], Iterable[R1]) => Iterator[R2]): CoGrouped[K, R2] = {
     val self = this
     val leftSeqCount = self.inputs.size - 1
+    val jf = joinFunction // avoid capturing `this` in the closure below
+    val smallerJf = smaller.joinFunction
 
     new CoGrouped[K, R2] {
       val inputs = self.inputs ++ smaller.inputs
       val reducers = (self.reducers.toIterable ++ smaller.reducers.toIterable).reduceOption(_ max _)
       def keyOrdering = smaller.keyOrdering
 
+      /**
+       * Avoid capturing anything below as it will need to be serialized and sent to
+       * all the reducers.
+       */
       def joinFunction = { (k: K, leftMost: Iterator[CTuple], joins: Seq[Iterable[CTuple]]) =>
-        val joinedLeft = self.joinFunction(k, leftMost, joins.take(leftSeqCount))
-
-        val smallerIns = joins.drop(leftSeqCount)
+        val (leftSeq, rightSeq) = joins.splitAt(leftSeqCount)
+        val joinedLeft = jf(k, leftMost, leftSeq)
+
+        // Only do this once, for all calls to iterator below
+        val smallerHead = rightSeq.head
+        val smallerTail = rightSeq.tail
+        // TODO: it might make sense to cache this in memory as an IndexedSeq and not
+        // recompute it on every value for the left if the smallerJf is non-trivial
+        // we could see how long it is, and possible switch to a cached version the
+        // second time through if it is small enough
         val joinedRight = new Iterable[R1] {
-          def iterator = smaller.joinFunction(k, smallerIns.head.iterator, smallerIns.tail)
+          def iterator = smallerJf(k, smallerHead.iterator, smallerTail)
         }
 
         fn(k, joinedLeft, joinedRight)