diff --git a/builtin/describe.c b/builtin/describe.c
index 1c47d7c0b7c38d..64424543ef229c 100644
--- a/builtin/describe.c
+++ b/builtin/describe.c
@@ -251,56 +251,19 @@ static int compare_pt(const void *a_, const void *b_)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-struct lazy_queue {
-	struct prio_queue queue;
-	bool get_pending;
-};
-
-#define LAZY_QUEUE_INIT { { compare_commits_by_commit_date }, false }
-
-static void *lazy_queue_get(struct lazy_queue *queue)
-{
-	if (queue->get_pending)
-		prio_queue_get(&queue->queue);
-	else
-		queue->get_pending = true;
-	return prio_queue_peek(&queue->queue);
-}
-
-static void lazy_queue_put(struct lazy_queue *queue, void *thing)
-{
-	if (queue->get_pending)
-		prio_queue_replace(&queue->queue, thing);
-	else
-		prio_queue_put(&queue->queue, thing);
-	queue->get_pending = false;
-}
-
-static bool lazy_queue_empty(const struct lazy_queue *queue)
-{
-	return queue->queue.nr == (queue->get_pending ? 1 : 0);
-}
-
-static void lazy_queue_clear(struct lazy_queue *queue)
-{
-	clear_prio_queue(&queue->queue);
-	queue->get_pending = false;
-}
-
-static unsigned long finish_depth_computation(struct lazy_queue *queue,
+static unsigned long finish_depth_computation(struct prio_queue *queue,
 					      struct possible_tag *best)
 {
 	unsigned long seen_commits = 0;
 	struct oidset unflagged = OIDSET_INIT;
+	struct commit *c;
 
-	for (size_t i = queue->get_pending ? 1 : 0; i < queue->queue.nr; i++) {
-		struct commit *commit = queue->queue.array[i].data;
-		if (!(commit->object.flags & best->flag_within))
-			oidset_insert(&unflagged, &commit->object.oid);
+	prio_queue_for_each(queue, c) {
+		if (!(c->object.flags & best->flag_within))
+			oidset_insert(&unflagged, &c->object.oid);
 	}
 
-	while (!lazy_queue_empty(queue)) {
-		struct commit *c = lazy_queue_get(queue);
+	while ((c = prio_queue_get(queue))) {
 		struct commit_list *parents = c->parents;
 		seen_commits++;
 		if (c->object.flags & best->flag_within) {
@@ -316,7 +279,7 @@ static unsigned long finish_depth_computation(struct lazy_queue *queue,
 			repo_parse_commit(the_repository, p);
 			seen = p->object.flags & SEEN;
 			if (!seen)
-				lazy_queue_put(queue, p);
+				prio_queue_put(queue, p);
 			flag_before = p->object.flags & best->flag_within;
 			p->object.flags |= c->object.flags;
 			flag_after = p->object.flags & best->flag_within;
@@ -364,8 +327,8 @@ static void append_suffix(int depth, const struct object_id *oid, struct strbuf
 
 static void describe_commit(struct commit *cmit, struct strbuf *dst)
 {
-	struct commit *gave_up_on = NULL;
-	struct lazy_queue queue = LAZY_QUEUE_INIT;
+	struct commit *c, *gave_up_on = NULL;
+	struct prio_queue queue = { compare_commits_by_commit_date };
 	struct commit_name *n;
 	struct possible_tag all_matches[MAX_TAGS];
 	unsigned int match_cnt = 0, annotated_cnt = 0, cur_match;
@@ -407,9 +370,8 @@ static void describe_commit(struct commit *cmit, struct strbuf *dst)
 	}
 
 	cmit->object.flags = SEEN;
-	lazy_queue_put(&queue, cmit);
-	while (!lazy_queue_empty(&queue)) {
-		struct commit *c = lazy_queue_get(&queue);
+	prio_queue_put(&queue, cmit);
+	while ((c = prio_queue_get(&queue))) {
 		struct commit_list *parents = c->parents;
 		struct commit_name **slot;
 
@@ -443,7 +405,7 @@ static void describe_commit(struct commit *cmit, struct strbuf *dst)
 				t->depth++;
 		}
 		/* Stop if last remaining path already covered by best candidate(s) */
-		if (annotated_cnt && lazy_queue_empty(&queue)) {
+		if (annotated_cnt && !prio_queue_size(&queue)) {
 			int best_depth = INT_MAX;
 			unsigned best_within = 0;
 			for (cur_match = 0; cur_match < match_cnt; cur_match++) {
@@ -466,7 +428,7 @@ static void describe_commit(struct commit *cmit, struct strbuf *dst)
 			struct commit *p = parents->item;
 			repo_parse_commit(the_repository, p);
 			if (!(p->object.flags & SEEN))
-				lazy_queue_put(&queue, p);
+				prio_queue_put(&queue, p);
 			p->object.flags |= c->object.flags;
 			parents = parents->next;
 
@@ -481,7 +443,7 @@ static void describe_commit(struct commit *cmit, struct strbuf *dst)
 			strbuf_add_unique_abbrev(dst, cmit_oid, abbrev);
 			if (suffix)
 				strbuf_addstr(dst, suffix);
-			lazy_queue_clear(&queue);
+			clear_prio_queue(&queue);
 			return;
 		}
 		if (unannotated_cnt)
@@ -497,11 +459,11 @@ static void describe_commit(struct commit *cmit, struct strbuf *dst)
 	QSORT(all_matches, match_cnt, compare_pt);
 
 	if (gave_up_on) {
-		lazy_queue_put(&queue, gave_up_on);
+		prio_queue_put(&queue, gave_up_on);
 		seen_commits--;
 	}
 	seen_commits += finish_depth_computation(&queue, &all_matches[0]);
-	lazy_queue_clear(&queue);
+	clear_prio_queue(&queue);
 
 	if (debug) {
 		static int label_width = -1;
diff --git a/builtin/last-modified.c b/builtin/last-modified.c
index 8900ceece1cdf3..5478182f2e95c2 100644
--- a/builtin/last-modified.c
+++ b/builtin/last-modified.c
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ static void process_parent(struct last_modified *lm,
 static int last_modified_run(struct last_modified *lm)
 {
 	int max_count, queue_popped = 0;
+	struct commit *c, *n;
 	struct prio_queue queue = { compare_commits_by_gen_then_commit_date };
 	struct prio_queue not_queue = { compare_commits_by_gen_then_commit_date };
 	struct commit_list *list;
@@ -389,10 +390,9 @@ static int last_modified_run(struct last_modified *lm)
 		}
 	}
 
-	while (queue.nr) {
+	while ((c = prio_queue_get(&queue))) {
 		int parent_i;
 		struct commit_list *p;
-		struct commit *c = prio_queue_get(&queue);
 		struct bitmap *active_c = active_paths_for(lm, c);
 
 		if ((0 <= max_count && max_count < ++queue_popped) ||
@@ -416,9 +416,8 @@ static int last_modified_run(struct last_modified *lm)
 		 */
 		repo_parse_commit(lm->rev.repo, c);
 
-		while (not_queue.nr) {
+		while ((n = prio_queue_get(&not_queue))) {
 			struct commit_list *np;
-			struct commit *n = prio_queue_get(&not_queue);
 
 			repo_parse_commit(lm->rev.repo, n);
 
diff --git a/builtin/show-branch.c b/builtin/show-branch.c
index f02831b08500c4..2435e8aeda40ef 100644
--- a/builtin/show-branch.c
+++ b/builtin/show-branch.c
@@ -62,11 +62,10 @@ static const char *get_color_reset_code(void)
 
 static struct commit *interesting(struct prio_queue *queue)
 {
-	for (size_t i = 0; i < queue->nr; i++) {
-		struct commit *commit = queue->array[i].data;
-		if (commit->object.flags & UNINTERESTING)
-			continue;
-		return commit;
+	struct commit *commit;
+	prio_queue_for_each(queue, commit) {
+		if (!(commit->object.flags & UNINTERESTING))
+			return commit;
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
@@ -228,17 +227,18 @@ static void join_revs(struct prio_queue *queue,
 {
 	int all_mask = ((1u << (REV_SHIFT + num_rev)) - 1);
 	int all_revs = all_mask & ~((1u << REV_SHIFT) - 1);
+	struct commit *commit;
 
-	while (queue->nr) {
+	while ((commit = prio_queue_peek(queue))) {
 		struct commit_list *parents;
 		int still_interesting = !!interesting(queue);
-		struct commit *commit = prio_queue_peek(queue);
-		bool get_pending = true;
 		int flags = commit->object.flags & all_mask;
 
 		if (!still_interesting && extra <= 0)
 			break;
 
+		prio_queue_get(queue);
+
 		mark_seen(commit, seen_p);
 		if ((flags & all_revs) == all_revs)
 			flags |= UNINTERESTING;
@@ -254,14 +254,8 @@ static void join_revs(struct prio_queue *queue,
 			if (mark_seen(p, seen_p) && !still_interesting)
 				extra--;
 			p->object.flags |= flags;
-			if (get_pending)
-				prio_queue_replace(queue, p);
-			else
-				prio_queue_put(queue, p);
-			get_pending = false;
+			prio_queue_put(queue, p);
 		}
-		if (get_pending)
-			prio_queue_get(queue);
 	}
 
 	/*
diff --git a/commit-reach.c b/commit-reach.c
index 9b3ea46d6f2824..dfe6016cb2b8e6 100644
--- a/commit-reach.c
+++ b/commit-reach.c
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ static int compare_commits_by_gen(const void *_a, const void *_b)
 
 static int queue_has_nonstale(struct prio_queue *queue)
 {
-	for (size_t i = 0; i < queue->nr; i++) {
-		struct commit *commit = queue->array[i].data;
+	struct commit *commit;
+	prio_queue_for_each(queue, commit) {
 		if (!(commit->object.flags & STALE))
 			return 1;
 	}
@@ -1069,6 +1069,7 @@ void ahead_behind(struct repository *r,
 		  struct commit **commits, size_t commits_nr,
 		  struct ahead_behind_count *counts, size_t counts_nr)
 {
+	struct commit *c;
 	struct prio_queue queue = { .compare = compare_commits_by_gen_then_commit_date };
 	size_t width = DIV_ROUND_UP(commits_nr, BITS_IN_EWORD);
 
@@ -1085,17 +1086,19 @@ void ahead_behind(struct repository *r,
 	init_bit_arrays(&bit_arrays);
 
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < commits_nr; i++) {
-		struct commit *c = commits[i];
-		struct bitmap *bitmap = get_bit_array(c, width);
+		struct bitmap *bitmap;
+		c = commits[i];
+		bitmap = get_bit_array(c, width);
 
 		bitmap_set(bitmap, i);
 		insert_no_dup(&queue, c);
 	}
 
 	while (queue_has_nonstale(&queue)) {
-		struct commit *c = prio_queue_get(&queue);
 		struct commit_list *p;
-		struct bitmap *bitmap_c = get_bit_array(c, width);
+		struct bitmap *bitmap_c;
+		c = prio_queue_get(&queue);
+		bitmap_c = get_bit_array(c, width);
 
 		for (size_t i = 0; i < counts_nr; i++) {
 			int reach_from_tip = !!bitmap_get(bitmap_c, counts[i].tip_index);
@@ -1135,8 +1138,8 @@ void ahead_behind(struct repository *r,
 
 	/* STALE is used here, PARENT2 is used by insert_no_dup(). */
 	repo_clear_commit_marks(r, PARENT2 | STALE);
-	for (size_t i = 0; i < queue.nr; i++)
-		free_bit_array(queue.array[i].data);
+	prio_queue_for_each(&queue, c)
+		free_bit_array(c);
 	clear_bit_arrays(&bit_arrays);
 	clear_prio_queue(&queue);
 }
@@ -1269,7 +1272,7 @@ int get_branch_base_for_tip(struct repository *r,
 			    size_t bases_nr)
 {
 	int best_index = -1;
-	struct commit *branch_point = NULL;
+	struct commit *c, *branch_point = NULL;
 	struct prio_queue queue = { compare_commits_by_gen_then_commit_date };
 	int found_missing_gen = 0;
 
@@ -1322,8 +1325,7 @@ int get_branch_base_for_tip(struct repository *r,
 		prio_queue_put(&queue, c);
 	}
 
-	while (queue.nr) {
-		struct commit *c = prio_queue_get(&queue);
+	while ((c = prio_queue_get(&queue))) {
 		int best_for_c = get_best(c);
 		int best_for_p, positive;
 		struct commit *parent;
diff --git a/commit.c b/commit.c
index fd8723502ed332..976bfc46186714 100644
--- a/commit.c
+++ b/commit.c
@@ -795,24 +795,17 @@ void commit_list_sort_by_date(struct commit_list **list)
 struct commit *pop_most_recent_commit(struct prio_queue *queue,
 				      unsigned int mark)
 {
-	struct commit *ret = prio_queue_peek(queue);
-	int get_pending = 1;
+	struct commit *ret = prio_queue_get(queue);
 	struct commit_list *parents = ret->parents;
 
 	while (parents) {
 		struct commit *commit = parents->item;
 		if (!repo_parse_commit(the_repository, commit) && !(commit->object.flags & mark)) {
 			commit->object.flags |= mark;
-			if (get_pending)
-				prio_queue_replace(queue, commit);
-			else
-				prio_queue_put(queue, commit);
-			get_pending = 0;
+			prio_queue_put(queue, commit);
 		}
 		parents = parents->next;
 	}
-	if (get_pending)
-		prio_queue_get(queue);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/fetch-pack.c b/fetch-pack.c
index 120e01f3cf2674..29c41132ee0495 100644
--- a/fetch-pack.c
+++ b/fetch-pack.c
@@ -662,8 +662,8 @@ static int mark_complete_oid(const struct reference *ref, void *cb_data UNUSED)
 static void mark_recent_complete_commits(struct fetch_pack_args *args,
 					 timestamp_t cutoff)
 {
-	while (complete.nr) {
-		struct commit *item = prio_queue_peek(&complete);
+	struct commit *item;
+	while ((item = prio_queue_peek(&complete))) {
 		if (item->date < cutoff)
 			break;
 		print_verbose(args, _("Marking %s as complete"),
diff --git a/negotiator/default.c b/negotiator/default.c
index 78d58d57cebbfb..19cdf3808cf266 100644
--- a/negotiator/default.c
+++ b/negotiator/default.c
@@ -113,10 +113,12 @@ static const struct object_id *get_rev(struct negotiation_state *ns)
 		unsigned int mark;
 		struct commit_list *parents;
 
-		if (ns->rev_list.nr == 0 || ns->non_common_revs == 0)
+		if (ns->non_common_revs == 0)
 			return NULL;
 
 		commit = prio_queue_get(&ns->rev_list);
+		if (!commit)
+			return NULL;
 		repo_parse_commit(the_repository, commit);
 		parents = commit->parents;
 
diff --git a/negotiator/skipping.c b/negotiator/skipping.c
index 68c9b3b997dc80..db90fa77b5325b 100644
--- a/negotiator/skipping.c
+++ b/negotiator/skipping.c
@@ -143,8 +143,7 @@ static int push_parent(struct data *data, struct entry *entry,
 		/*
 		 * Find the existing entry and use it.
 		 */
-		for (size_t i = 0; i < data->rev_list.nr; i++) {
-			parent_entry = data->rev_list.array[i].data;
+		prio_queue_for_each(&data->rev_list, parent_entry) {
 			if (parent_entry->commit == to_push)
 				goto parent_found;
 		}
@@ -181,10 +180,12 @@ static const struct object_id *get_rev(struct data *data)
 		struct commit_list *p;
 		int parent_pushed = 0;
 
-		if (data->rev_list.nr == 0 || data->non_common_revs == 0)
+		if (data->non_common_revs == 0)
 			return NULL;
 
 		entry = prio_queue_get(&data->rev_list);
+		if (!entry)
+			return NULL;
 		commit = entry->commit;
 		commit->object.flags |= POPPED;
 		if (!(commit->object.flags & COMMON))
@@ -253,8 +254,9 @@ static void have_sent(struct fetch_negotiator *n, struct commit *c)
 static void release(struct fetch_negotiator *n)
 {
 	struct data *data = n->data;
-	for (size_t i = 0; i < data->rev_list.nr; i++)
-		free(data->rev_list.array[i].data);
+	void *entry;
+	prio_queue_for_each(&data->rev_list, entry)
+		free(entry);
 	clear_prio_queue(&data->rev_list);
 	FREE_AND_NULL(data);
 }
diff --git a/object-name.c b/object-name.c
index 9ac86f19c77bbd..2fedfe1761016e 100644
--- a/object-name.c
+++ b/object-name.c
@@ -1208,7 +1208,7 @@ static int get_oid_oneline(struct repository *r,
 		l->item->object.flags |= ONELINE_SEEN;
 		prio_queue_put(&copy, l->item);
 	}
-	while (copy.nr) {
+	while (prio_queue_size(&copy)) {
 		const char *p, *buf;
 		struct commit *commit;
 		int matches;
diff --git a/pack-bitmap-write.c b/pack-bitmap-write.c
index 1c8070f99c03ca..ed9714b135cf52 100644
--- a/pack-bitmap-write.c
+++ b/pack-bitmap-write.c
@@ -513,6 +513,8 @@ static int fill_bitmap_commit(struct bitmap_writer *writer,
 			      struct bitmap_index *old_bitmap,
 			      const uint32_t *mapping)
 {
+	struct commit *c;
+	struct tree *tree;
 	int found;
 	uint32_t pos;
 	if (!ent->bitmap)
@@ -520,9 +522,8 @@ static int fill_bitmap_commit(struct bitmap_writer *writer,
 
 	prio_queue_put(queue, commit);
 
-	while (queue->nr) {
+	while ((c = prio_queue_get(queue))) {
 		struct commit_list *p;
-		struct commit *c = prio_queue_get(queue);
 
 		if (old_bitmap && mapping) {
 			struct ewah_bitmap *old;
@@ -574,9 +575,8 @@ static int fill_bitmap_commit(struct bitmap_writer *writer,
 		}
 	}
 
-	while (tree_queue->nr) {
-		if (fill_bitmap_tree(writer, ent->bitmap,
-				     prio_queue_get(tree_queue)) < 0)
+	while ((tree = prio_queue_get(tree_queue))) {
+		if (fill_bitmap_tree(writer, ent->bitmap, tree) < 0)
 			return -1;
 	}
 	return 0;
diff --git a/path-walk.c b/path-walk.c
index 94ff90bd1566b6..cf3b2d0765961b 100644
--- a/path-walk.c
+++ b/path-walk.c
@@ -699,6 +699,7 @@ int walk_objects_by_path(struct path_walk_info *info)
 	int ret;
 	size_t commits_nr = 0, paths_nr = 0;
 	struct commit *c;
+	char *path;
 	struct type_and_oid_list *root_tree_list;
 	struct type_and_oid_list *commit_list;
 	struct path_walk_context ctx = {
@@ -808,8 +809,7 @@ int walk_objects_by_path(struct path_walk_info *info)
 	free(commit_list);
 
 	trace2_region_enter("path-walk", "path-walk", info->revs->repo);
-	while (!ret && ctx.path_stack.nr) {
-		char *path = prio_queue_get(&ctx.path_stack);
+	while (!ret && (path = prio_queue_get(&ctx.path_stack))) {
 		paths_nr++;
 
 		ret = walk_path(&ctx, path);
@@ -821,12 +821,12 @@ int walk_objects_by_path(struct path_walk_info *info)
 	if (!strmap_empty(&ctx.paths_to_lists)) {
 		struct hashmap_iter iter;
 		struct strmap_entry *entry;
+		char *path;
 
 		strmap_for_each_entry(&ctx.paths_to_lists, &iter, entry)
 			push_to_stack(&ctx, entry->key);
 
-		while (!ret && ctx.path_stack.nr) {
-			char *path = prio_queue_get(&ctx.path_stack);
+		while (!ret && (path = prio_queue_get(&ctx.path_stack))) {
 			paths_nr++;
 
 			ret = walk_path(&ctx, path);
diff --git a/prio-queue.c b/prio-queue.c
index 9748528ce6ecd6..d11ca6ac36962b 100644
--- a/prio-queue.c
+++ b/prio-queue.c
@@ -22,34 +22,56 @@ void prio_queue_reverse(struct prio_queue *queue)
 
 	if (queue->compare)
 		BUG("prio_queue_reverse() on non-LIFO queue");
-	if (!queue->nr)
+	if (!queue->nr_internal)
 		return;
-	for (i = 0; i < (j = (queue->nr - 1) - i); i++)
+	for (i = 0; i < (j = (queue->nr_internal - 1) - i); i++)
 		swap(queue, i, j);
 }
 
 void clear_prio_queue(struct prio_queue *queue)
 {
 	FREE_AND_NULL(queue->array);
-	queue->nr = 0;
+	queue->nr_internal = 0;
 	queue->alloc = 0;
 	queue->insertion_ctr = 0;
+	queue->get_pending = 0;
+}
+
+static void sift_down_root(struct prio_queue *queue);
+
+static inline void flush_get(struct prio_queue *queue)
+{
+	if (!queue->get_pending)
+		return;
+	queue->get_pending = 0;
+	if (!--queue->nr_internal)
+		return;
+	queue->array[0] = queue->array[queue->nr_internal];
+	sift_down_root(queue);
 }
 
 void prio_queue_put(struct prio_queue *queue, void *thing)
 {
 	size_t ix, parent;
 
+	if (queue->get_pending) {
+		queue->get_pending = 0;
+		queue->array[0].ctr = queue->insertion_ctr++;
+		queue->array[0].data = thing;
+		sift_down_root(queue);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	/* Append at the end */
-	ALLOC_GROW(queue->array, queue->nr + 1, queue->alloc);
-	queue->array[queue->nr].ctr = queue->insertion_ctr++;
-	queue->array[queue->nr].data = thing;
-	queue->nr++;
+	ALLOC_GROW(queue->array, queue->nr_internal + 1, queue->alloc);
+	queue->array[queue->nr_internal].ctr = queue->insertion_ctr++;
+	queue->array[queue->nr_internal].data = thing;
+	queue->nr_internal++;
 	if (!queue->compare)
 		return; /* LIFO */
 
 	/* Bubble up the new one */
-	for (ix = queue->nr - 1; ix; ix = parent) {
+	for (ix = queue->nr_internal - 1; ix; ix = parent) {
 		parent = (ix - 1) / 2;
 		if (compare(queue, parent, ix) <= 0)
 			break;
@@ -63,9 +85,9 @@ static void sift_down_root(struct prio_queue *queue)
 	size_t ix, child;
 
 	/* Push down the one at the root */
-	for (ix = 0; ix * 2 + 1 < queue->nr; ix = child) {
+	for (ix = 0; ix * 2 + 1 < queue->nr_internal; ix = child) {
 		child = ix * 2 + 1; /* left */
-		if (child + 1 < queue->nr &&
+		if (child + 1 < queue->nr_internal &&
 		    compare(queue, child, child + 1) >= 0)
 			child++; /* use right child */
 
@@ -78,41 +100,24 @@ static void sift_down_root(struct prio_queue *queue)
 
 void *prio_queue_get(struct prio_queue *queue)
 {
-	void *result;
+	flush_get(queue);
 
-	if (!queue->nr)
+	if (!queue->nr_internal)
 		return NULL;
 	if (!queue->compare)
-		return queue->array[--queue->nr].data; /* LIFO */
-
-	result = queue->array[0].data;
-	if (!--queue->nr)
-		return result;
+		return queue->array[--queue->nr_internal].data; /* LIFO */
 
-	queue->array[0] = queue->array[queue->nr];
-	sift_down_root(queue);
-	return result;
+	queue->get_pending = 1;
+	return queue->array[0].data;
 }
 
 void *prio_queue_peek(struct prio_queue *queue)
 {
-	if (!queue->nr)
+	flush_get(queue);
+
+	if (!queue->nr_internal)
 		return NULL;
 	if (!queue->compare)
-		return queue->array[queue->nr - 1].data;
+		return queue->array[queue->nr_internal - 1].data;
 	return queue->array[0].data;
 }
-
-void prio_queue_replace(struct prio_queue *queue, void *thing)
-{
-	if (!queue->nr) {
-		prio_queue_put(queue, thing);
-	} else if (!queue->compare) {
-		queue->array[queue->nr - 1].ctr = queue->insertion_ctr++;
-		queue->array[queue->nr - 1].data = thing;
-	} else {
-		queue->array[0].ctr = queue->insertion_ctr++;
-		queue->array[0].data = thing;
-		sift_down_root(queue);
-	}
-}
diff --git a/prio-queue.h b/prio-queue.h
index da7fad2f1f408f..f08ab876913ad2 100644
--- a/prio-queue.h
+++ b/prio-queue.h
@@ -30,8 +30,9 @@ struct prio_queue {
 	prio_queue_compare_fn compare;
 	size_t insertion_ctr;
 	void *cb_data;
-	size_t alloc, nr;
+	size_t alloc, nr_internal; /* use prio_queue_size() for logical count */
 	struct prio_queue_entry *array;
+	unsigned get_pending;
 };
 
 /*
@@ -52,13 +53,15 @@ void *prio_queue_get(struct prio_queue *);
  */
 void *prio_queue_peek(struct prio_queue *);
 
-/*
- * Replace the "thing" that compares the smallest with a new "thing",
- * like prio_queue_get()+prio_queue_put() would do, but in a more
- * efficient way.  Does the same as prio_queue_put() if the queue is
- * empty.
- */
-void prio_queue_replace(struct prio_queue *queue, void *thing);
+static inline size_t prio_queue_size(struct prio_queue *queue)
+{
+	return queue->nr_internal - queue->get_pending;
+}
+
+#define prio_queue_for_each(queue, it) \
+	for (size_t pq_ix_ = (queue)->get_pending; \
+	     pq_ix_ < (queue)->nr_internal && ((it) = (queue)->array[pq_ix_].data, 1); \
+	     pq_ix_++)
 
 void clear_prio_queue(struct prio_queue *);
 
diff --git a/revision.c b/revision.c
index 5693618be4ec81..34e2d146f4e09d 100644
--- a/revision.c
+++ b/revision.c
@@ -476,16 +476,15 @@ static struct commit *handle_commit(struct rev_info *revs,
 static int everybody_uninteresting(struct prio_queue *orig,
 				   struct commit **interesting_cache)
 {
-	size_t i;
+	struct commit *commit;
 
 	if (*interesting_cache) {
-		struct commit *commit = *interesting_cache;
+		commit = *interesting_cache;
 		if (!(commit->object.flags & UNINTERESTING))
 			return 0;
 	}
 
-	for (i = 0; i < orig->nr; i++) {
-		struct commit *commit = orig->array[i].data;
+	prio_queue_for_each(orig, commit) {
 		if (commit->object.flags & UNINTERESTING)
 			continue;
 
@@ -1446,7 +1445,7 @@ static int limit_list(struct rev_info *revs)
 	struct commit_list *original_list = revs->commits;
 	struct commit_list *newlist = NULL;
 	struct commit_list **p = &newlist;
-	struct commit *interesting_cache = NULL;
+	struct commit *commit, *interesting_cache = NULL;
 	struct prio_queue queue = { .compare = compare_commits_by_commit_date };
 
 	if (revs->ancestry_path_implicit_bottoms) {
@@ -1461,8 +1460,7 @@ static int limit_list(struct rev_info *revs)
 		prio_queue_put(&queue, commit);
 	}
 
-	while (queue.nr) {
-		struct commit *commit = prio_queue_get(&queue);
+	while ((commit = prio_queue_get(&queue))) {
 		struct object *obj = &commit->object;
 
 		if (commit == interesting_cache)
@@ -4028,8 +4026,8 @@ static enum rewrite_result rewrite_one_1(struct rev_info *revs,
 
 static void merge_queue_into_list(struct prio_queue *q, struct commit_list **list)
 {
-	while (q->nr) {
-		struct commit *item = prio_queue_peek(q);
+	struct commit *item;
+	while ((item = prio_queue_peek(q))) {
 		struct commit_list *p = *list;
 
 		if (p && p->item->date >= item->date)
diff --git a/t/unit-tests/u-prio-queue.c b/t/unit-tests/u-prio-queue.c
index 63e58114ae7dd5..af3e0b85988832 100644
--- a/t/unit-tests/u-prio-queue.c
+++ b/t/unit-tests/u-prio-queue.c
@@ -53,13 +53,13 @@ static void test_prio_queue(int *input, size_t input_size,
 			prio_queue_reverse(&pq);
 			break;
 		case REPLACE:
-			peek = prio_queue_peek(&pq);
+			get = prio_queue_get(&pq);
 			cl_assert(i + 1 < input_size);
 			cl_assert(input[i + 1] >= 0);
 			cl_assert(j < result_size);
-			cl_assert_equal_i(result[j], show(peek));
+			cl_assert_equal_i(result[j], show(get));
 			j++;
-			prio_queue_replace(&pq, &input[++i]);
+			prio_queue_put(&pq, &input[++i]);
 			break;
 		default:
 			prio_queue_put(&pq, &input[i]);
diff --git a/walker.c b/walker.c
index e98eb6da53692e..e3de77f0925082 100644
--- a/walker.c
+++ b/walker.c
@@ -84,12 +84,12 @@ static struct prio_queue complete = { compare_commits_by_commit_date };
 static int process_commit(struct walker *walker, struct commit *commit)
 {
 	struct commit_list *parents;
+	struct commit *item;
 
 	if (repo_parse_commit(the_repository, commit))
 		return -1;
 
-	while (complete.nr) {
-		struct commit *item = prio_queue_peek(&complete);
+	while ((item = prio_queue_peek(&complete))) {
 		if (item->date < commit->date)
 			break;
 		pop_most_recent_commit(&complete, COMPLETE);