diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem/garbage.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem/garbage.dm
index a8a673aac1e..79fd1d11863 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem/garbage.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem/garbage.dm
@@ -136,18 +136,24 @@ SUBSYSTEM_DEF(garbage)
 
 	lastlevel = level
 
-	for(var/refID in queue)
-		if(!refID)
+	// The instinct is to use a for in loop here, to walk the entries in the queue
+	// The trouble is this performs a copy of the queue list, and since this can in theory balloon a LOT
+	// It's better to just go index by index. It's not a huge deal but it's worth doin IMO
+	for(var/i in 1 to length(queue))
+		var/list/packet = queue[i]
+		if(length(packet) != 2)
 			count++
 			if(MC_TICK_CHECK)
 				return
 			continue
 
-		var/GCd_at_time = queue[refID]
+		var/GCd_at_time = packet[2]
 		if(GCd_at_time > cut_off_time)
 			break // Everything else is newer, skip them
 		count++
 
+		var/refID = packet[1]
+
 		var/datum/D
 		D = locate(refID)
 
@@ -212,14 +218,12 @@ SUBSYSTEM_DEF(garbage)
 		HardDelete(D)
 		return
 	var/gctime = world.time
-	var/refid = "\ref[D]"
 
 	D.gc_destroyed = gctime
-	var/list/queue = queues[level]
-	if(queue[refid])
-		queue -= refid // Removing any previous references that were GC'd so that the current object will be at the end of the list.
 
-	queue[refid] = gctime
+	var/list/queue = queues[level]
+	// I hate byond lists so much man
+	queue[++queue.len] = list("\ref[D]", gctime)
 
 //this is mainly to separate things profile wise.
 /datum/controller/subsystem/garbage/proc/HardDelete(datum/D)