diff --git a/io/zenoh-transport/src/common/pipeline.rs b/io/zenoh-transport/src/common/pipeline.rs
index 8dfa92b34..a89b89bd9 100644
--- a/io/zenoh-transport/src/common/pipeline.rs
+++ b/io/zenoh-transport/src/common/pipeline.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 //   ZettaScale Zenoh Team, <zenoh@zettascale.tech>
 //
 use std::{
+    ops::Add,
     sync::{
         atomic::{AtomicBool, AtomicU32, Ordering},
         Arc, Mutex, MutexGuard,
@@ -127,6 +128,73 @@ impl StageInMutex {
     }
 }
 
+enum DeadlineSetting {
+    Immediate,
+    Infinite,
+    Finite(Instant),
+}
+
+struct LazyDeadline {
+    deadline: Option<DeadlineSetting>,
+    wait_time: Option<Duration>,
+}
+
+impl LazyDeadline {
+    fn new(wait_time: Option<Duration>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            deadline: None,
+            wait_time,
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn advance(&mut self) {
+        let wait_time = self.wait_time;
+        match &mut self.deadline() {
+            DeadlineSetting::Immediate => {}
+            DeadlineSetting::Infinite => {}
+            DeadlineSetting::Finite(instant) => {
+                *instant = instant.add(unsafe { wait_time.unwrap_unchecked() });
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn deadline(&mut self) -> &mut DeadlineSetting {
+        self.deadline.get_or_insert_with(|| match self.wait_time {
+            Some(wait_time) => match wait_time.is_zero() {
+                true => DeadlineSetting::Immediate,
+                false => DeadlineSetting::Finite(Instant::now().add(wait_time)),
+            },
+            None => DeadlineSetting::Infinite,
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+struct Deadline {
+    lazy_deadline: LazyDeadline,
+}
+
+impl Deadline {
+    fn new(wait_time: Option<Duration>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            lazy_deadline: LazyDeadline::new(wait_time),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn wait(&mut self, s_ref: &StageInRefill) -> bool {
+        match self.lazy_deadline.deadline() {
+            DeadlineSetting::Immediate => false,
+            DeadlineSetting::Infinite => s_ref.wait(),
+            DeadlineSetting::Finite(instant) => s_ref.wait_deadline(*instant),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn on_next_fragment(&mut self) {
+        self.lazy_deadline.advance();
+    }
+}
+
 // This is the initial stage of the pipeline where messages are serliazed on
 struct StageIn {
     s_ref: StageInRefill,
@@ -141,13 +209,13 @@ impl StageIn {
         &mut self,
         msg: &mut NetworkMessage,
         priority: Priority,
-        deadline: Option<Option<Instant>>,
+        deadline: &mut Deadline,
     ) -> bool {
         // Lock the current serialization batch.
         let mut c_guard = self.mutex.current();
 
         macro_rules! zgetbatch_rets {
-            ($fragment:expr, $restore_sn:expr) => {
+            ($restore_sn:expr) => {
                 loop {
                     match c_guard.take() {
                         Some(batch) => break batch,
@@ -163,11 +231,7 @@ impl StageIn {
                             None => {
                                 drop(c_guard);
                                 // Wait for an available batch until deadline
-                                if !match deadline {
-                                    None => false,
-                                    Some(None) => self.s_ref.wait(),
-                                    Some(Some(deadline)) => self.s_ref.wait_deadline(deadline),
-                                } {
+                                if !deadline.wait(&self.s_ref) {
                                     // Still no available batch.
                                     // Restore the sequence number and drop the message
                                     $restore_sn;
@@ -198,7 +262,7 @@ impl StageIn {
         }
 
         // Get the current serialization batch.
-        let mut batch = zgetbatch_rets!(false, {});
+        let mut batch = zgetbatch_rets!({});
         // Attempt the serialization on the current batch
         let e = match batch.encode(&*msg) {
             Ok(_) => zretok!(batch, msg),
@@ -228,7 +292,7 @@ impl StageIn {
         if !batch.is_empty() {
             // Move out existing batch
             self.s_out.move_batch(batch);
-            batch = zgetbatch_rets!(false, tch.sn.set(sn).unwrap());
+            batch = zgetbatch_rets!(tch.sn.set(sn).unwrap());
         }
 
         // Attempt a second serialization on fully empty batch
@@ -258,8 +322,7 @@ impl StageIn {
         let mut reader = self.fragbuf.reader();
         while reader.can_read() {
             // Get the current serialization batch
-            // Treat all messages as non-droppable once we start fragmenting
-            batch = zgetbatch_rets!(true, tch.sn.set(sn).unwrap());
+            batch = zgetbatch_rets!(tch.sn.set(sn).unwrap());
 
             // Serialize the message fragment
             match batch.encode((&mut reader, &mut fragment)) {
@@ -281,6 +344,9 @@ impl StageIn {
                     break;
                 }
             }
+
+            // adopt deadline for the next fragment
+            deadline.on_next_fragment();
         }
 
         // Clean the fragbuf
@@ -628,10 +694,10 @@ impl TransmissionPipelineProducer {
         } else {
             self.wait_before_close
         };
-        let deadline = (!wait_time.is_zero()).then_some(Instant::now().checked_add(wait_time));
+        let mut deadline = Deadline::new(Some(wait_time));
         // Lock the channel. We are the only one that will be writing on it.
         let mut queue = zlock!(self.stage_in[idx]);
-        queue.push_network_message(&mut msg, priority, deadline)
+        queue.push_network_message(&mut msg, priority, &mut deadline)
     }
 
     #[inline]
diff --git a/io/zenoh-transport/tests/unicast_transport.rs b/io/zenoh-transport/tests/unicast_transport.rs
index 3a39a9059..3ccd8dd8c 100644
--- a/io/zenoh-transport/tests/unicast_transport.rs
+++ b/io/zenoh-transport/tests/unicast_transport.rs
@@ -463,12 +463,10 @@ async fn test_transport(
         "Sending {} messages... {:?} {}",
         MSG_COUNT, channel, msg_size
     );
-    // TODO: workaround for https://github.com/eclipse-zenoh/zenoh/issues/1494
-    //let cctrl = match channel.reliability {
-    //    Reliability::Reliable => CongestionControl::Block,
-    //    Reliability::BestEffort => CongestionControl::Drop,
-    //};
-    let cctrl = CongestionControl::Block;
+    let cctrl = match channel.reliability {
+        Reliability::Reliable => CongestionControl::Block,
+        Reliability::BestEffort => CongestionControl::Drop,
+    };
 
     // Create the message to send
     let message: NetworkMessage = Push {