diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/runners/worker/data_plane.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/runners/worker/data_plane.py
index 3dd6bdbe9ae27..2f9de24594b28 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/runners/worker/data_plane.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/runners/worker/data_plane.py
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ def close(self):
 class _GrpcDataChannel(DataChannel):
   """Base class for implementing a BeamFnData-based DataChannel."""
 
-  _WRITES_FINISHED = object()
+  _WRITES_FINISHED = beam_fn_api_pb2.Elements.Data()
 
   def __init__(self, data_buffer_time_limit_ms=0):
     # type: (int) -> None
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ def __init__(self, data_buffer_time_limit_ms=0):
 
   def close(self):
     # type: () -> None
-    self._to_send.put(self._WRITES_FINISHED)  # type: ignore[arg-type]
+    self._to_send.put(self._WRITES_FINISHED)
     self._closed = True
 
   def wait(self, timeout=None):
@@ -639,8 +639,12 @@ def _write_outputs(self):
       streams = [self._to_send.get()]
       try:
         # Coalesce up to 100 other items.
-        for _ in range(100):
-          streams.append(self._to_send.get_nowait())
+        total_size_bytes = streams[0].ByteSize()
+        while (total_size_bytes < _DEFAULT_SIZE_FLUSH_THRESHOLD and
+               len(streams) <= 100):
+          data_or_timer = self._to_send.get_nowait()
+          total_size_bytes += data_or_timer.ByteSize()
+          streams.append(data_or_timer)
       except queue.Empty:
         pass
       if streams[-1] is self._WRITES_FINISHED: