diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/Segment.kt b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/Segment.kt
index b8884169..50018ada 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/Segment.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/Segment.kt
@@ -24,7 +24,15 @@ internal class Segment(
         return state == null || state !is State.Eos
     }
 
+    fun needsSleep(): Boolean {
+        when(val s = state ?: return false) {
+            is State.Ok -> return false
+            is State.Retry -> return false
+            is State.Wait -> return s.sleep
+        }
+    }
+
     fun release() {
         pipeline.release()
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/audio/AudioEngine.kt b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/audio/AudioEngine.kt
index cfc526aa..83cf20bb 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/audio/AudioEngine.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/audio/AudioEngine.kt
@@ -63,12 +63,14 @@ internal class AudioEngine(
 
     override fun drain(): State<EncoderData> {
         if (chunks.isEmpty()) {
+            // nothing was enqueued
             log.i("drain(): no chunks, waiting...")
-            return State.Wait
+            return State.Wait(false)
         }
         val (outBytes, outId) = next.buffer() ?: return run {
+            // dequeueInputBuffer failed
             log.i("drain(): no next buffer, waiting...")
-            State.Wait
+            State.Wait(true)
         }
         val outBuffer = outBytes.asShortBuffer()
         return chunks.drain(
@@ -115,4 +117,4 @@ internal class AudioEngine(
             State.Ok(EncoderData(outBytes, outId, timeUs))
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/codec/Decoder.kt b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/codec/Decoder.kt
index fba72dd9..532037f6 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/codec/Decoder.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/codec/Decoder.kt
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ internal class Decoder(
     }
 
     override fun buffer(): Pair<ByteBuffer, Int>? {
-        val id = codec.dequeueInputBuffer(0)
+        val id = codec.dequeueInputBuffer(100)
         return if (id >= 0) {
             dequeuedInputs++
             buffers.getInputBuffer(id) to id
@@ -88,11 +88,11 @@ internal class Decoder(
     }
 
     override fun drain(): State<DecoderData> {
-        val result = codec.dequeueOutputBuffer(info, 0)
+        val result = codec.dequeueOutputBuffer(info, 100)
         return when (result) {
             INFO_TRY_AGAIN_LATER -> {
                 log.i("drain(): got INFO_TRY_AGAIN_LATER, waiting.")
-                State.Wait
+                State.Wait(true)
             }
             INFO_OUTPUT_FORMAT_CHANGED -> {
                 log.i("drain(): got INFO_OUTPUT_FORMAT_CHANGED, handling format and retrying. format=${codec.outputFormat}")
@@ -116,8 +116,9 @@ internal class Decoder(
                     }
                     if (isEos) State.Eos(data) else State.Ok(data)
                 } else {
+                    // frame was dropped, no need to sleep
                     codec.releaseOutputBuffer(result, false)
-                    State.Wait
+                    State.Wait(false)
                 }.also {
                     log.v("drain(): returning $it")
                 }
@@ -130,4 +131,4 @@ internal class Decoder(
         codec.stop()
         codec.release()
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/codec/Encoder.kt b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/codec/Encoder.kt
index 730c5633..e1ebae41 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/codec/Encoder.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/codec/Encoder.kt
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ internal class Encoder(
     }
 
     override fun buffer(): Pair<ByteBuffer, Int>? {
-        val id = codec.dequeueInputBuffer(0)
+        val id = codec.dequeueInputBuffer(100)
         return if (id >= 0) {
             dequeuedInputs++
             buffers.getInputBuffer(id) to id
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ internal class Encoder(
     }
 
     override fun drain(): State<WriterData> {
-        val timeoutUs = if (eosReceivedButNotEnqueued) 5000L else 0L
+        val timeoutUs = if (eosReceivedButNotEnqueued) 5000L else 100L
         return when (val result = codec.dequeueOutputBuffer(info, timeoutUs)) {
             INFO_TRY_AGAIN_LATER -> {
                 if (eosReceivedButNotEnqueued) {
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ internal class Encoder(
                     State.Eos(WriterData(buffer, 0L, 0) {})
                 } else {
                     log.i("Can't dequeue output buffer: INFO_TRY_AGAIN_LATER")
-                    State.Wait
+                    State.Wait(true)
                 }
             }
             INFO_OUTPUT_FORMAT_CHANGED -> {
@@ -160,4 +160,4 @@ internal class Encoder(
             codec.stop()
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/data/Reader.kt b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/data/Reader.kt
index 020149a5..fd5248d7 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/data/Reader.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/data/Reader.kt
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ internal class Reader(
     private inline fun nextBufferOrWait(action: (ByteBuffer, Int) -> State<ReaderData>): State<ReaderData> {
         val buffer = next.buffer()
         if (buffer == null) {
+            // dequeueInputBuffer failed
             log.v("Returning State.Wait because buffer is null.")
-            return State.Wait
+            return State.Wait(true)
         } else {
             return action(buffer.first, buffer.second)
         }
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ internal class Reader(
             }
         } else if (!source.canReadTrack(track)) {
             log.i("Returning State.Wait because source can't read $track right now.")
-            State.Wait
+            State.Wait(false)
         } else {
             nextBufferOrWait { byteBuffer, id ->
                 chunk.buffer = byteBuffer
@@ -55,4 +56,4 @@ internal class Reader(
             }
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/pipeline/Pipeline.kt b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/pipeline/Pipeline.kt
index d64a1016..ea846a70 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/pipeline/Pipeline.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/pipeline/Pipeline.kt
@@ -25,16 +25,27 @@ internal class Pipeline private constructor(name: String, private val chain: Lis
         chain.forEachIndexed { index, step ->
             if (index < head) return@forEachIndexed
             val fresh = head == 0 || index != head
-            state = executeStep(state, step, fresh) ?: run {
-                log.v("execute(): step ${step.name} (#$index/${chain.size}) is waiting. headState=$headState headIndex=$headIndex")
-                return State.Wait
-            }
-            // log.v("execute(): executed ${step.name} (#$index/${chain.size}). result=$state")
-            if (state is State.Eos) {
-                log.i("execute(): EOS from ${step.name} (#$index/${chain.size}).")
-                headState = state
-                headIndex = index + 1
+
+            fun executeStep(fresh: Boolean): State.Wait<Any>? {
+                return when (val newState = step.step(state, fresh)) {
+                    is State.Eos -> {
+                        state = newState
+                        log.i("execute(): EOS from ${step.name} (#$index/${chain.size}).")
+                        headState = newState
+                        headIndex = index + 1
+                        null
+                    }
+                    is State.Ok -> {
+                        state = newState
+                        null
+                    }
+                    is State.Retry -> executeStep(fresh = false)
+                    is State.Wait -> return newState
+                }
             }
+
+            val wait = executeStep(fresh)
+            if (wait != null) return State.Wait(wait.sleep)
         }
         return when {
             chain.isEmpty() -> State.Eos(Unit)
@@ -47,15 +58,6 @@ internal class Pipeline private constructor(name: String, private val chain: Lis
         chain.forEach { it.release() }
     }
 
-    private fun executeStep(previous: State.Ok<Any>, step: AnyStep, fresh: Boolean): State.Ok<Any>? {
-        val state = step.step(previous, fresh)
-        return when (state) {
-            is State.Ok -> state
-            is State.Retry -> executeStep(previous, step, fresh = false)
-            is State.Wait -> null
-        }
-    }
-
     companion object {
         @Suppress("UNCHECKED_CAST")
         internal fun build(name: String, builder: () -> Builder<*, Channel> = { Builder<Unit, Channel>() }): Pipeline {
@@ -79,4 +81,4 @@ internal operator fun <
         other: Step<CurrData, CurrChannel, NewData, NewChannel>
 ): Pipeline.Builder<NewData, NewChannel> {
     return Pipeline.Builder<CurrData, CurrChannel>(listOf(this)) + other
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/pipeline/State.kt b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/pipeline/State.kt
index 4fb77c79..8c71b741 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/pipeline/State.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/pipeline/State.kt
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@ internal sealed class State<out T> {
     }
 
     // couldn't run, but might in the future
-    object Wait : State<Nothing>() {
-        override fun toString() = "State.Wait"
+    class Wait<T>(val sleep: Boolean) : State<T>() {
+        override fun toString() = "State.Wait($sleep)"
     }
 
     // call again as soon as possible
     object Retry : State<Nothing>() {
         override fun toString() = "State.Retry"
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/thumbnails/DefaultThumbnailsEngine.kt b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/thumbnails/DefaultThumbnailsEngine.kt
index 7560fa37..e7fa5e3d 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/thumbnails/DefaultThumbnailsEngine.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/thumbnails/DefaultThumbnailsEngine.kt
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ internal class DefaultThumbnailsEngine(
     }
 
     companion object {
-        private val WAIT_MS = 10L
+        private val WAIT_MS = 2L
         private val PROGRESS_LOOPS = 10L
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/transcode/DefaultTranscodeEngine.kt b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/transcode/DefaultTranscodeEngine.kt
index 1505f9cd..393e65d4 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/transcode/DefaultTranscodeEngine.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/transcode/DefaultTranscodeEngine.kt
@@ -117,16 +117,17 @@ internal class DefaultTranscodeEngine(
             log.v("transcode(): executed step=$loop advanced=$advanced completed=$completed")
             if (Thread.interrupted()) {
                 throw InterruptedException()
-            } else if (completed) {
+            }
+            if (completed) {
                 progress(1.0)
                 break
             }
 
-            if (!advanced) {
+            if (!advanced && audio?.needsSleep() != false && video?.needsSleep() != false) {
                 Thread.sleep(WAIT_MS)
             }
 
-            if (++loop % PROGRESS_LOOPS == 0L) {
+            if (advanced && ++loop % PROGRESS_LOOPS == 0L) {
                 val audioProgress = timer.progress.audio
                 val videoProgress = timer.progress.video
                 log.v("transcode(): got progress, video=$videoProgress audio=$audioProgress")
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ internal class DefaultTranscodeEngine(
 
 
     companion object {
-        private val WAIT_MS = 10L
+        private val WAIT_MS = 2L
         private val PROGRESS_LOOPS = 10L
     }
 }
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/video/VideoRenderer.kt b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/video/VideoRenderer.kt
index cf470a66..04a20b98 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/video/VideoRenderer.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/com/otaliastudios/transcoder/internal/video/VideoRenderer.kt
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ internal class VideoRenderer(
                 State.Ok(state.value.timeUs)
             } else {
                 state.value.release(false)
-                State.Wait
+                State.Wait(false)
             }
         }
     }
@@ -110,4 +110,4 @@ internal class VideoRenderer(
     override fun release() {
         frameDrawer.release()
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}