diff --git a/cgminer.c b/cgminer.c
index 92f9ad8d..4f88f9fd 100644
--- a/cgminer.c
+++ b/cgminer.c
@@ -4331,6 +4331,24 @@ static void *watchpool_thread(void __maybe_unused *userdata)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+/* Work is sorted according to age, so discard the oldest work items, leaving
+ * only 1 staged work item per mining thread */
+static void age_work(void)
+{
+	int discarded = 0;
+
+	while (requests_staged() > mining_threads * 4 / 3 + opt_queue) {
+		struct work *work = hash_pop(NULL);
+
+		if (unlikely(!work))
+			break;
+		discard_work(work);
+		discarded++;
+	}
+	if (discarded)
+		applog(LOG_DEBUG, "Aged %d work items", discarded);
+}
+
 /* Makes sure the hashmeter keeps going even if mining threads stall, updates
  * the screen at regular intervals, and restarts threads if they appear to have
  * died. */
@@ -4352,6 +4370,8 @@ static void *watchdog_thread(void __maybe_unused *userdata)
 		if (requests_queued() < opt_queue)
 			queue_request(NULL, false);
 
+		age_work();
+
 		hashmeter(-1, &zero_tv, 0);
 
 #ifdef HAVE_CURSES