diff --git a/internal/mempool/mempool.go b/internal/mempool/mempool.go
index b47f69d29..aa848204e 100644
--- a/internal/mempool/mempool.go
+++ b/internal/mempool/mempool.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/config"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/internal/libs/clist"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/log"
-	tmmath "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/math"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 )
 
@@ -420,24 +419,10 @@ func (txmp *TxMempool) ReapMaxTxs(max int) types.Txs {
 	txmp.mtx.Lock()
 	defer txmp.mtx.Unlock()
 
-	numTxs := txmp.priorityIndex.NumTxs()
-	if max < 0 {
-		max = numTxs
-	}
-
-	cap := tmmath.MinInt(numTxs, max)
-
-	// wTxs contains a list of *WrappedTx retrieved from the priority queue that
-	// need to be re-enqueued prior to returning.
-	wTxs := make([]*WrappedTx, 0, cap)
-	txs := make([]types.Tx, 0, cap)
-	for txmp.priorityIndex.NumTxs() > 0 && len(txs) < max {
-		wtx := txmp.priorityIndex.PopTx()
-		txs = append(txs, wtx.tx)
-		wTxs = append(wTxs, wtx)
-	}
+	wTxs := txmp.priorityIndex.PeekTxs(max)
+	txs := make([]types.Tx, 0, len(wTxs))
 	for _, wtx := range wTxs {
-		txmp.priorityIndex.PushTx(wtx)
+		txs = append(txs, wtx.tx)
 	}
 	return txs
 }
diff --git a/internal/mempool/priority_queue.go b/internal/mempool/priority_queue.go
index e31997397..ad3a347a3 100644
--- a/internal/mempool/priority_queue.go
+++ b/internal/mempool/priority_queue.go
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"container/heap"
 	"sort"
 	"sync"
+
+	tmmath "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/math"
 )
 
 var _ heap.Interface = (*TxPriorityQueue)(nil)
@@ -106,6 +108,32 @@ func (pq *TxPriorityQueue) PopTx() *WrappedTx {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// dequeue up to `max` transactions and reenqueue while locked
+func (pq *TxPriorityQueue) PeekTxs(max int) []*WrappedTx {
+	pq.mtx.Lock()
+	defer pq.mtx.Unlock()
+
+	numTxs := len(pq.txs)
+	if max < 0 {
+		max = numTxs
+	}
+
+	cap := tmmath.MinInt(numTxs, max)
+	res := make([]*WrappedTx, 0, cap)
+	for i := 0; i < cap; i++ {
+		popped := heap.Pop(pq)
+		if popped == nil {
+			break
+		}
+		res = append(res, popped.(*WrappedTx))
+	}
+
+	for _, tx := range res {
+		heap.Push(pq, tx)
+	}
+	return res
+}
+
 // Push implements the Heap interface.
 //
 // NOTE: A caller should never call Push. Use PushTx instead.