diff --git a/async_producer.go b/async_producer.go
index 6a5bfa0d5..5b3385e85 100644
--- a/async_producer.go
+++ b/async_producer.go
@@ -505,216 +505,251 @@ func (pp *partitionProducer) updateLeader() error {
 	})
 }
 
-// one per broker, constructs both an aggregator and a flusher
+// one per broker; also constructs an associated flusher
 func (p *asyncProducer) newBrokerProducer(broker *Broker) chan<- *ProducerMessage {
-	input := make(chan *ProducerMessage)
-	bridge := make(chan *produceSet)
+	var (
+		input     = make(chan *ProducerMessage)
+		bridge    = make(chan *produceSet)
+		responses = make(chan *brokerProducerResponse)
+	)
 
-	a := &aggregator{
-		parent: p,
-		broker: broker,
-		input:  input,
-		output: bridge,
-		buffer: newProduceSet(p),
-	}
-	go withRecover(a.run)
-
-	f := &flusher{
+	bp := &brokerProducer{
 		parent:         p,
 		broker:         broker,
-		input:          bridge,
+		input:          input,
+		output:         bridge,
+		responses:      responses,
+		buffer:         newProduceSet(p),
 		currentRetries: make(map[string]map[int32]error),
 	}
-	go withRecover(f.run)
+	go withRecover(bp.run)
+
+	// minimal bridge to make the network response `select`able
+	go withRecover(func() {
+		for set := range bridge {
+			request := set.buildRequest()
+
+			response, err := broker.Produce(request)
+
+			responses <- &brokerProducerResponse{
+				set: set,
+				err: err,
+				res: response,
+			}
+		}
+		close(responses)
+	})
 
 	return input
 }
 
+type brokerProducerResponse struct {
+	set *produceSet
+	err error
+	res *ProduceResponse
+}
+
 // groups messages together into appropriately-sized batches for sending to the broker
-// based on https://godoc.org/github.com/eapache/channels#BatchingChannel
-type aggregator struct {
+// handles state related to retries etc
+type brokerProducer struct {
 	parent *asyncProducer
 	broker *Broker
-	input  <-chan *ProducerMessage
-	output chan<- *produceSet
 
-	buffer *produceSet
-	timer  <-chan time.Time
+	input     <-chan *ProducerMessage
+	output    chan<- *produceSet
+	responses <-chan *brokerProducerResponse
+
+	buffer     *produceSet
+	timer      <-chan time.Time
+	timerFired bool
+
+	closing        error
+	currentRetries map[string]map[int32]error
 }
 
-func (a *aggregator) run() {
+func (bp *brokerProducer) run() {
 	var output chan<- *produceSet
+	Logger.Printf("producer/broker/%d starting up\n", bp.broker.ID())
 
 	for {
 		select {
-		case msg := <-a.input:
+		case msg := <-bp.input:
 			if msg == nil {
 				goto shutdown
 			}
 
-			if a.buffer.wouldOverflow(msg) {
-				Logger.Printf("producer/aggregator/%d maximum request accumulated, forcing blocking flush\n", a.broker.ID())
-				a.output <- a.buffer
-				a.reset()
-				output = nil
+			if reason := bp.needsRetry(msg); reason != nil {
+				bp.parent.retryMessage(msg, reason)
+
+				if bp.closing == nil && msg.flags&chaser == chaser {
+					// we were retrying this partition but we can start processing again
+					delete(bp.currentRetries[msg.Topic], msg.Partition)
+					Logger.Printf("producer/broker/%d state change to [normal] on %s/%d\n",
+						bp.broker.ID(), msg.Topic, msg.Partition)
+				}
+
+				continue
+			}
+
+			if bp.buffer.wouldOverflow(msg) {
+				if err := bp.waitForSpace(msg); err != nil {
+					bp.parent.retryMessage(msg, err)
+					continue
+				}
 			}
 
-			if err := a.buffer.add(msg); err != nil {
-				a.parent.returnError(msg, err)
+			if err := bp.buffer.add(msg); err != nil {
+				bp.parent.returnError(msg, err)
 				continue
 			}
 
-			if a.buffer.readyToFlush(msg) {
-				output = a.output
-			} else if a.parent.conf.Producer.Flush.Frequency > 0 && a.timer == nil {
-				a.timer = time.After(a.parent.conf.Producer.Flush.Frequency)
+			if bp.parent.conf.Producer.Flush.Frequency > 0 && bp.timer == nil {
+				bp.timer = time.After(bp.parent.conf.Producer.Flush.Frequency)
 			}
-		case <-a.timer:
-			output = a.output
-		case output <- a.buffer:
-			a.reset()
+		case <-bp.timer:
+			bp.timerFired = true
+		case output <- bp.buffer:
+			bp.rollOver()
+		case response := <-bp.responses:
+			bp.handleResponse(response)
+		}
+
+		if bp.timerFired || bp.buffer.readyToFlush() {
+			output = bp.output
+		} else {
 			output = nil
 		}
 	}
 
 shutdown:
-	if !a.buffer.empty() {
-		a.output <- a.buffer
+	for !bp.buffer.empty() {
+		select {
+		case response := <-bp.responses:
+			bp.handleResponse(response)
+		case bp.output <- bp.buffer:
+			bp.rollOver()
+		}
+	}
+	close(bp.output)
+	for response := range bp.responses {
+		bp.handleResponse(response)
 	}
-	close(a.output)
-}
-
-func (a *aggregator) reset() {
-	a.timer = nil
-	a.buffer = newProduceSet(a.parent)
-}
-
-// takes a batch at a time from the aggregator and sends to the broker
-type flusher struct {
-	parent *asyncProducer
-	broker *Broker
-	input  <-chan *produceSet
 
-	currentRetries map[string]map[int32]error
+	Logger.Printf("producer/broker/%d shut down\n", bp.broker.ID())
 }
 
-func (f *flusher) run() {
-	var closing error
-
-	Logger.Printf("producer/flusher/%d starting up\n", f.broker.ID())
+func (bp *brokerProducer) needsRetry(msg *ProducerMessage) error {
+	if bp.closing != nil {
+		return bp.closing
+	}
 
-	for batch := range f.input {
-		if closing != nil {
-			batch.eachPartition(func(topic string, partition int32, msgs []*ProducerMessage) {
-				f.parent.retryMessages(msgs, closing)
-			})
-			continue
-		}
+	if bp.currentRetries[msg.Topic] == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 
-		set := f.filter(batch)
-		if set.empty() {
-			continue
-		}
+	return bp.currentRetries[msg.Topic][msg.Partition]
+}
 
-		request := set.buildRequest()
-		response, err := f.broker.Produce(request)
+func (bp *brokerProducer) waitForSpace(msg *ProducerMessage) error {
+	Logger.Printf("producer/broker/%d maximum request accumulated, waiting for space\n", bp.broker.ID())
 
-		switch err.(type) {
-		case nil:
-			break
-		case PacketEncodingError:
-			set.eachPartition(func(topic string, partition int32, msgs []*ProducerMessage) {
-				f.parent.returnErrors(msgs, err)
-			})
-			continue
-		default:
-			Logger.Printf("producer/flusher/%d state change to [closing] because %s\n", f.broker.ID(), err)
-			f.parent.abandonBrokerConnection(f.broker)
-			_ = f.broker.Close()
-			closing = err
-			set.eachPartition(func(topic string, partition int32, msgs []*ProducerMessage) {
-				f.parent.retryMessages(msgs, err)
-			})
-			continue
-		}
-
-		if response == nil {
-			// this only happens when RequiredAcks is NoResponse, so we have to assume success
-			set.eachPartition(func(topic string, partition int32, msgs []*ProducerMessage) {
-				f.parent.returnSuccesses(msgs)
-			})
-			continue
+	for {
+		select {
+		case response := <-bp.responses:
+			bp.handleResponse(response)
+			// handling a response can change our state, so re-check some things
+			if reason := bp.needsRetry(msg); reason != nil {
+				return reason
+			} else if !bp.buffer.wouldOverflow(msg) {
+				return nil
+			}
+		case bp.output <- bp.buffer:
+			bp.rollOver()
+			return nil
 		}
-
-		f.parseResponse(set, response)
 	}
-	Logger.Printf("producer/flusher/%d shut down\n", f.broker.ID())
 }
 
-func (f *flusher) filter(batch *produceSet) *produceSet {
-	set := newProduceSet(f.parent)
-
-	batch.eachPartition(func(topic string, partition int32, msgs []*ProducerMessage) {
-		for _, msg := range msgs {
-
-			if f.currentRetries[msg.Topic] != nil && f.currentRetries[msg.Topic][msg.Partition] != nil {
-				// we're currently retrying this partition so we need to filter out this message
-				f.parent.retryMessages([]*ProducerMessage{msg}, f.currentRetries[msg.Topic][msg.Partition])
-
-				if msg.flags&chaser == chaser {
-					// ...but now we can start processing future messages again
-					Logger.Printf("producer/flusher/%d state change to [normal] on %s/%d\n",
-						f.broker.ID(), msg.Topic, msg.Partition)
-					delete(f.currentRetries[msg.Topic], msg.Partition)
-				}
-
-				continue
-			}
+func (bp *brokerProducer) rollOver() {
+	bp.timer = nil
+	bp.timerFired = false
+	bp.buffer = newProduceSet(bp.parent)
+}
 
-			if err := set.add(msg); err != nil {
-				f.parent.returnError(msg, err)
-				continue
-			}
-		}
-	})
+func (bp *brokerProducer) handleResponse(response *brokerProducerResponse) {
+	if response.err != nil {
+		bp.handleError(response.set, response.err)
+	} else {
+		bp.handleSuccess(response.set, response.res)
+	}
 
-	return set
+	if bp.buffer.empty() {
+		bp.rollOver() // this can happen if the response invalidated our buffer
+	}
 }
 
-func (f *flusher) parseResponse(set *produceSet, response *ProduceResponse) {
+func (bp *brokerProducer) handleSuccess(sent *produceSet, response *ProduceResponse) {
 	// we iterate through the blocks in the request set, not the response, so that we notice
 	// if the response is missing a block completely
-	set.eachPartition(func(topic string, partition int32, msgs []*ProducerMessage) {
+	sent.eachPartition(func(topic string, partition int32, msgs []*ProducerMessage) {
+		if response == nil {
+			// this only happens when RequiredAcks is NoResponse, so we have to assume success
+			bp.parent.returnSuccesses(msgs)
+			return
+		}
+
 		block := response.GetBlock(topic, partition)
 		if block == nil {
-			f.parent.returnErrors(msgs, ErrIncompleteResponse)
+			bp.parent.returnErrors(msgs, ErrIncompleteResponse)
 			return
 		}
 
 		switch block.Err {
 		// Success
 		case ErrNoError:
-			for i := range msgs {
-				msgs[i].Offset = block.Offset + int64(i)
+			for i, msg := range msgs {
+				msg.Offset = block.Offset + int64(i)
 			}
-			f.parent.returnSuccesses(msgs)
+			bp.parent.returnSuccesses(msgs)
 		// Retriable errors
 		case ErrUnknownTopicOrPartition, ErrNotLeaderForPartition, ErrLeaderNotAvailable,
 			ErrRequestTimedOut, ErrNotEnoughReplicas, ErrNotEnoughReplicasAfterAppend:
-			Logger.Printf("producer/flusher/%d state change to [retrying] on %s/%d because %v\n",
-				f.broker.ID(), topic, partition, block.Err)
-			if f.currentRetries[topic] == nil {
-				f.currentRetries[topic] = make(map[int32]error)
+			Logger.Printf("producer/broker/%d state change to [retrying] on %s/%d because %v\n",
+				bp.broker.ID(), topic, partition, block.Err)
+			if bp.currentRetries[topic] == nil {
+				bp.currentRetries[topic] = make(map[int32]error)
 			}
-			f.currentRetries[topic][partition] = block.Err
-			f.parent.retryMessages(msgs, block.Err)
+			bp.currentRetries[topic][partition] = block.Err
+			bp.parent.retryMessages(msgs, block.Err)
+			bp.parent.retryMessages(bp.buffer.dropPartition(topic, partition), block.Err)
 		// Other non-retriable errors
 		default:
-			f.parent.returnErrors(msgs, block.Err)
+			bp.parent.returnErrors(msgs, block.Err)
 		}
 	})
 }
 
+func (bp *brokerProducer) handleError(sent *produceSet, err error) {
+	switch err.(type) {
+	case PacketEncodingError:
+		sent.eachPartition(func(topic string, partition int32, msgs []*ProducerMessage) {
+			bp.parent.returnErrors(msgs, err)
+		})
+	default:
+		Logger.Printf("producer/broker/%d state change to [closing] because %s\n", bp.broker.ID(), err)
+		bp.parent.abandonBrokerConnection(bp.broker)
+		_ = bp.broker.Close()
+		bp.closing = err
+		sent.eachPartition(func(topic string, partition int32, msgs []*ProducerMessage) {
+			bp.parent.retryMessages(msgs, err)
+		})
+		bp.buffer.eachPartition(func(topic string, partition int32, msgs []*ProducerMessage) {
+			bp.parent.retryMessages(msgs, err)
+		})
+		bp.rollOver()
+	}
+}
+
 // singleton
 // effectively a "bridge" between the flushers and the dispatcher in order to avoid deadlock
 // based on https://godoc.org/github.com/eapache/channels#InfiniteChannel
@@ -844,6 +879,20 @@ func (ps *produceSet) eachPartition(cb func(topic string, partition int32, msgs
 	}
 }
 
+func (ps *produceSet) dropPartition(topic string, partition int32) []*ProducerMessage {
+	if ps.msgs[topic] == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	set := ps.msgs[topic][partition]
+	if set == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	ps.bufferBytes -= set.bufferBytes
+	ps.bufferCount -= len(set.msgs)
+	delete(ps.msgs[topic], partition)
+	return set.msgs
+}
+
 func (ps *produceSet) wouldOverflow(msg *ProducerMessage) bool {
 	switch {
 	// Would we overflow our maximum possible size-on-the-wire? 10KiB is arbitrary overhead for safety.
@@ -862,7 +911,7 @@ func (ps *produceSet) wouldOverflow(msg *ProducerMessage) bool {
 	}
 }
 
-func (ps *produceSet) readyToFlush(msg *ProducerMessage) bool {
+func (ps *produceSet) readyToFlush() bool {
 	switch {
 	// If we don't have any messages, nothing else matters
 	case ps.empty():
@@ -870,9 +919,6 @@ func (ps *produceSet) readyToFlush(msg *ProducerMessage) bool {
 	// If all three config values are 0, we always flush as-fast-as-possible
 	case ps.parent.conf.Producer.Flush.Frequency == 0 && ps.parent.conf.Producer.Flush.Bytes == 0 && ps.parent.conf.Producer.Flush.Messages == 0:
 		return true
-	// If the messages is ps chaser we must flush to maintain the state-machine
-	case msg.flags&chaser == chaser:
-		return true
 	// If we've passed the message trigger-point
 	case ps.parent.conf.Producer.Flush.Messages > 0 && ps.bufferCount >= ps.parent.conf.Producer.Flush.Messages:
 		return true