diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/api/internal/SharedApi.java b/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/api/internal/SharedApi.java
index 217c9cc9f..e4f20b243 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/api/internal/SharedApi.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/seibel/distanthorizons/core/api/internal/SharedApi.java
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
 
 import java.util.*;
 import java.util.concurrent.*;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
 
 /** Contains code and variables used by both {@link ClientApi} and {@link ServerApi} */
 public class SharedApi
@@ -72,6 +73,12 @@ public class SharedApi
 	 */
 	private static final int MAX_UPDATING_CHUNK_COUNT_PER_THREAD_AND_PLAYER = 1_000;
 	
+	/**
+	 * Used to limit how many tasks are queued at once.
+	 * This is done so the chunks nearest to the player will trigger first.
+	 */
+	private static final AtomicInteger GLOBAL_UPDATING_CHUNK_TASKS_COUNT_REF = new AtomicInteger(0);
+	
 	/** how many milliseconds must pass before an overloaded message can be sent in chat or the log */
 	private static final int MIN_MS_BETWEEN_OVERLOADED_LOG_MESSAGE = 30_000;
 	
@@ -123,6 +130,7 @@ public class SharedApi
 			AbstractDhRepo.closeAllConnections();
 			// needs to be closed on world shutdown to clear out un-processed chunks
 			UPDATE_POS_MANAGER.clear();
+			GLOBAL_UPDATING_CHUNK_TASKS_COUNT_REF.set(0);
 			
 			// recommend that the garbage collector cleans up any objects from the old world and thread pools
 			System.gc();
@@ -352,39 +360,54 @@ public class SharedApi
 		
 		
 		
+		tryStartNextQueuedChunk();
+	}
+	/** 
+	 * TODO this is bad logic. 
+	 *  This should be fired on a separate looping thread or something else.
+	 *  Only firing whenever a new chunk is added to the queue can cause the queue to miss things.
+	 */
+	private static void tryStartNextQueuedChunk()
+	{
 		// queue updates up to the number of CPU cores allocated for the job
 		// (this prevents doing extra work queuing tasks that may not be necessary)
 		// and makes sure the chunks closest to the player are updated first
 		PriorityTaskPicker.Executor executor = ThreadPoolUtil.getChunkToLodBuilderExecutor();
-		if (executor != null && executor.getQueueSize() < executor.getPoolSize())
-		{
-			try
-			{
-				executor.execute(SharedApi::processQueuedChunkUpdate);
-			}
-			catch (RejectedExecutionException ignore)
-			{
-				// the executor was shut down, it should be back up shortly and able to accept new jobs
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	private static void processQueuedChunkUpdate()
-	{
-		//LOGGER.trace(chunkWrapper.getChunkPos() + " " + executor.getActiveCount() + " / " + executor.getQueue().size() + " - " + executor.getCompletedTaskCount());
-		
-		UpdateChunkData updateData = UPDATE_POS_MANAGER.popClosest();
-		if (updateData == null)
+		if (executor == null
+			|| GLOBAL_UPDATING_CHUNK_TASKS_COUNT_REF.getAndIncrement() > executor.getPoolSize())
 		{
+			GLOBAL_UPDATING_CHUNK_TASKS_COUNT_REF.decrementAndGet();
 			return;
 		}
 		
-		IChunkWrapper chunkWrapper = updateData.chunkWrapper;
-		@Nullable ArrayList<IChunkWrapper> neighbourChunkList = updateData.neighbourChunkList;
-		IDhLevel dhLevel = updateData.dhLevel;
-		
 		
 		try
 		{
+			executor.execute(SharedApi::processQueuedChunkUpdate);
+		}
+		catch (RejectedExecutionException ignore)
+		{
+			// the executor was shut down, it should be back up shortly and able to accept new jobs
+			GLOBAL_UPDATING_CHUNK_TASKS_COUNT_REF.decrementAndGet();
+		}
+	}
+	private static void processQueuedChunkUpdate()
+	{
+		DhChunkPos updatingChunkPos = null;
+		try
+		{
+			UpdateChunkData updateData = UPDATE_POS_MANAGER.popClosest();
+			if (updateData == null)
+			{
+				return;
+			}
+			
+			IChunkWrapper chunkWrapper = updateData.chunkWrapper;
+			updatingChunkPos = chunkWrapper.getChunkPos();
+			@Nullable ArrayList<IChunkWrapper> neighbourChunkList = updateData.neighbourChunkList;
+			IDhLevel dhLevel = updateData.dhLevel;
+			
+			
 			boolean checkChunkHash = !Config.Common.LodBuilding.disableUnchangedChunkCheck.get();
 			
 			// check if this chunk has been converted into an LOD already
@@ -438,23 +461,12 @@ public class SharedApi
 		}
 		catch (Exception e)
 		{
-			LOGGER.error("Unexpected error when updating chunk at pos: [" + chunkWrapper.getChunkPos() + "]", e);
+			LOGGER.error("Unexpected error when updating chunk at pos: [" + updatingChunkPos + "]", e);
 		}
 		finally
 		{
-			// queue the next position if there are still positions to process
-			AbstractExecutorService executor = ThreadPoolUtil.getChunkToLodBuilderExecutor();
-			if (executor != null && !UPDATE_POS_MANAGER.updateDataByChunkPos.isEmpty())
-			{
-				try
-				{
-					executor.execute(SharedApi::processQueuedChunkUpdate);
-				}
-				catch (RejectedExecutionException ignore)
-				{
-					// the executor was shut down, it should be back up shortly and able to accept new jobs
-				}
-			}
+			GLOBAL_UPDATING_CHUNK_TASKS_COUNT_REF.decrementAndGet();
+			tryStartNextQueuedChunk();
 		}
 	}
 	
@@ -609,6 +621,11 @@ public class SharedApi
 			}
 			
 			DhChunkPos closest = this.closestQueue.poll();
+			if (closest == null)
+			{
+				return null;
+			}
+			
 			this.furthestQueue.remove(closest);
 			return this.updateDataByChunkPos.remove(closest);
 		}