diff --git a/batch.go b/batch.go
index 2b9c5818..98211f76 100644
--- a/batch.go
+++ b/batch.go
@@ -3,9 +3,7 @@ package bolt
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"sync"
-	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
-	"unsafe"
 )
 
 // Batch calls fn as part of a batch. It behaves similar to Update,
@@ -21,32 +19,29 @@ import (
 // take permanent effect only after a successful return is seen in
 // caller.
 func (db *DB) Batch(fn func(*Tx) error) error {
-	b := batch{
-		db: db,
-	}
-	b.mu.Lock()
+	errCh := make(chan error, 1)
 
-	for {
-		var cur = (*batch)(atomic.LoadPointer(&db.batch))
-		if cur != nil {
-			// another call is cur
-			if ch := cur.merge(fn); ch != nil {
-				// cur will call our fn
-				err := <-ch
-				if p, ok := err.(panicked); ok {
-					panic(p.reason)
-				}
-				return err
-			}
-			// this batch refused to accept more work
+	db.batchMu.Lock()
+	if db.batch == nil {
+		db.batch = &batch{
+			db: db,
 		}
+		db.batch.timer = time.AfterFunc(db.MaxBatchDelay, db.batch.trigger)
+	}
+	if len(db.batch.calls) < db.MaxBatchSize {
+		db.batch.calls = append(db.batch.calls, call{fn: fn, err: errCh})
+	}
+	if len(db.batch.calls) >= db.MaxBatchSize {
+		// wake up batch, it's ready to run
+		go db.batch.trigger()
+	}
+	db.batchMu.Unlock()
 
-		// try to become cur
-		if atomic.CompareAndSwapPointer(&db.batch, unsafe.Pointer(cur), unsafe.Pointer(&b)) {
-			// we are now cur
-			return b.master(db, fn)
-		}
+	err := <-errCh
+	if p, ok := err.(panicked); ok {
+		panic(p.reason)
 	}
+	return err
 }
 
 type call struct {
@@ -55,35 +50,26 @@ type call struct {
 }
 
 type batch struct {
-	db      *DB
-	mu      sync.Mutex
-	calls   []call
-	full    chan struct{}
-	started bool
+	db    *DB
+	timer *time.Timer
+	start sync.Once
+	calls []call
 }
 
-// caller has locked batch.mu for us
-func (b *batch) master(db *DB, fn func(*Tx) error) error {
-	b.full = make(chan struct{}, 1)
-	ch := make(chan error, 1)
-	b.calls = append(b.calls, call{fn: fn, err: ch})
-	b.mu.Unlock()
-
-	t := time.NewTimer(b.db.MaxBatchDelay)
-	select {
-	case <-t.C:
-	case <-b.full:
-		t.Stop()
-	}
+func (b *batch) trigger() {
+	b.start.Do(b.run)
+}
 
-	b.mu.Lock()
-	b.started = true
-	b.mu.Unlock()
+func (b *batch) run() {
+	b.db.batchMu.Lock()
+	b.timer.Stop()
+	b.db.batch = nil
+	b.db.batchMu.Unlock()
 
 retry:
 	for len(b.calls) > 0 {
 		var failIdx = -1
-		err := db.Update(func(tx *Tx) error {
+		err := b.db.Update(func(tx *Tx) error {
 			for i, c := range b.calls {
 				if err := safelyCall(c.fn, tx); err != nil {
 					failIdx = i
@@ -99,8 +85,8 @@ retry:
 			c := b.calls[failIdx]
 			b.calls[failIdx], b.calls = b.calls[len(b.calls)-1], b.calls[:len(b.calls)-1]
 			// run it solo, report result, continue with the rest of the batch
-			c.err <- db.Update(func(tx *Tx) error {
-				return safelyCall(fn, tx)
+			c.err <- b.db.Update(func(tx *Tx) error {
+				return safelyCall(c.fn, tx)
 			})
 			continue retry
 		}
@@ -113,12 +99,6 @@ retry:
 		}
 		break retry
 	}
-
-	err := <-ch
-	if p, ok := err.(panicked); ok {
-		panic(p.reason)
-	}
-	return err
 }
 
 type panicked struct {
@@ -140,32 +120,3 @@ func safelyCall(fn func(*Tx) error, tx *Tx) (err error) {
 	}()
 	return fn(tx)
 }
-
-func (b *batch) merge(fn func(*Tx) error) chan error {
-	b.mu.Lock()
-	defer b.mu.Unlock()
-
-	if b.started {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	var ch chan error
-	if len(b.calls) < b.db.MaxBatchSize {
-		ch = make(chan error, 1)
-		c := call{
-			fn:  fn,
-			err: ch,
-		}
-		b.calls = append(b.calls, c)
-	}
-
-	if len(b.calls) >= b.db.MaxBatchSize {
-		// wake up batch, it's ready to run
-		select {
-		case b.full <- struct{}{}:
-		default:
-		}
-	}
-
-	return ch
-}
diff --git a/db.go b/db.go
index 79946529..06f7f3d8 100644
--- a/db.go
+++ b/db.go
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ type DB struct {
 	freelist *freelist
 	stats    Stats
 
-	batch unsafe.Pointer
+	batchMu sync.Mutex
+	batch   *batch
 
 	rwlock   sync.Mutex   // Allows only one writer at a time.
 	metalock sync.Mutex   // Protects meta page access.