diff --git a/src/zm_packetqueue.cpp b/src/zm_packetqueue.cpp
index 394713267..9662e4958 100644
--- a/src/zm_packetqueue.cpp
+++ b/src/zm_packetqueue.cpp
@@ -131,9 +131,13 @@ bool PacketQueue::queuePacket(std::shared_ptr<ZMPacket> add_packet) {
           } // end while
         }
       }  // end if too many video packets
-      if ((max_video_packet_count > 0) and (packet_counts[video_stream_id] > max_video_packet_count)) {
-        Error("Unable to free up older packets.  Not queueing this video packet.");
-        return false;
+      if (max_video_packet_count > 0) {
+        while (packet_counts[video_stream_id] > max_video_packet_count) {
+          Error("Unable to free up older packets.  Waiting.");
+          condition.wait(lck);
+          if (deleting or zm_terminate)
+            return false;
+        }
       }
     }  // end if this packet is a video packet
 
@@ -385,7 +389,7 @@ ZMLockedPacket *PacketQueue::get_packet(packetqueue_iterator *it) {
     std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lck(mutex);
     Debug(4, "Have Lock in get_packet");
     while (!lp) {
-      while (*it == pktQueue.end() and !(deleting or zm_terminate)) {
+      while ((*it == pktQueue.end()) and !(deleting or zm_terminate)) {
         Debug(2, "waiting.  Queue size %zu it == end? %d", pktQueue.size(), (*it == pktQueue.end()));
         condition.wait(lck);
       }
@@ -418,6 +422,53 @@ ZMLockedPacket *PacketQueue::get_packet(packetqueue_iterator *it) {
   return lp;
 }  // end ZMLockedPacket *PacketQueue::get_packet(it)
 
+// Returns a packet. Packet will be locked
+ZMLockedPacket *PacketQueue::get_packet_and_increment_it(packetqueue_iterator *it) {
+  if (deleting or zm_terminate)
+    return nullptr;
+
+  Debug(4, "Locking in get_packet using it %p queue end? %d",
+        std::addressof(*it), (*it == pktQueue.end()));
+
+  ZMLockedPacket *lp = nullptr;
+  { // scope for lock
+    std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lck(mutex);
+    Debug(4, "Have Lock in get_packet");
+    while (!lp) {
+      while ((*it == pktQueue.end()) and !(deleting or zm_terminate)) {
+        Debug(2, "waiting.  Queue size %zu it == end? %d", pktQueue.size(), (*it == pktQueue.end()));
+        condition.wait(lck);
+      }
+      if (deleting or zm_terminate) break;
+
+      std::shared_ptr<ZMPacket> p = *(*it);
+      if (!p) {
+        Error("Null p?!");
+        return nullptr;
+      }
+      Debug(3, "get_packet using it %p locking index %d",
+          std::addressof(*it), p->image_index);
+
+      lp = new ZMLockedPacket(p);
+      if (lp->trylock()) {
+        Debug(2, "Locked packet %d, unlocking packetqueue mutex, incrementing it", p->image_index);
+        ++(*it);
+        return lp;
+      }
+      delete lp;
+      lp = nullptr;
+      Debug(2, "waiting.  Queue size %zu it == end? %d", pktQueue.size(), (*it == pktQueue.end()));
+      condition.wait(lck);
+    }  // end while !lp
+  }  // end scope for lock
+
+  if (!lp) {
+    Debug(1, "terminated, leaving");
+    condition.notify_all();
+  }
+  return lp;
+}  // end ZMLockedPacket *PacketQueue::get_packet_and_increment_it(it)
+
 void PacketQueue::unlock(ZMLockedPacket *lp) {
   delete lp;
   condition.notify_all();
@@ -425,7 +476,7 @@ void PacketQueue::unlock(ZMLockedPacket *lp) {
 
 bool PacketQueue::increment_it(packetqueue_iterator *it) {
   Debug(2, "Incrementing %p, queue size %zu, end? %d", it, pktQueue.size(), ((*it) == pktQueue.end()));
-  if ((*it) == pktQueue.end() or deleting) {
+  if (((*it) == pktQueue.end()) or deleting) {
     return false;
   }
   std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lck(mutex);
@@ -441,7 +492,7 @@ bool PacketQueue::increment_it(packetqueue_iterator *it) {
 // Increment it only considering packets for a given stream
 bool PacketQueue::increment_it(packetqueue_iterator *it, int stream_id) {
   Debug(2, "Incrementing %p, queue size %zu, end? %d", it, pktQueue.size(), (*it == pktQueue.end()));
-  if ( *it == pktQueue.end() ) {
+  if (*it == pktQueue.end()) {
     return false;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/zm_packetqueue.h b/src/zm_packetqueue.h
index a2f57dcfe..7e2f367fc 100644
--- a/src/zm_packetqueue.h
+++ b/src/zm_packetqueue.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class PacketQueue {
     bool increment_it(packetqueue_iterator *it);
     bool increment_it(packetqueue_iterator *it, int stream_id);
     ZMLockedPacket *get_packet(packetqueue_iterator *);
+    ZMLockedPacket *get_packet_and_increment_it(packetqueue_iterator *);
     packetqueue_iterator *get_video_it(bool wait);
     packetqueue_iterator *get_stream_it(int stream_id);
     void free_it(packetqueue_iterator *);