diff --git a/src/StackExchange.Redis/PhysicalBridge.cs b/src/StackExchange.Redis/PhysicalBridge.cs
index 6036c561a..b98b1746c 100644
--- a/src/StackExchange.Redis/PhysicalBridge.cs
+++ b/src/StackExchange.Redis/PhysicalBridge.cs
@@ -701,6 +701,14 @@ internal WriteResult WriteMessageTakingWriteLockSync(PhysicalConnection physical
             Trace("Writing: " + message);
             message.SetEnqueued(physical); // this also records the read/write stats at this point
 
+            // AVOID REORDERING MESSAGES
+            // Prefer to add it to the backlog if this thread can see that there might already be a message backlog.
+            // We do this before attempting to take the writelock, because we won't actually write, we'll just let the backlog get processed in due course
+            if (PushToBacklog(message, onlyIfExists: true))
+            {
+                return WriteResult.Success; // queued counts as success
+            }
+
             LockToken token = default;
             try
             {
@@ -978,11 +986,20 @@ internal ValueTask<WriteResult> WriteMessageTakingWriteLockAsync(PhysicalConnect
             Trace("Writing: " + message);
             message.SetEnqueued(physical); // this also records the read/write stats at this point
 
+            // AVOID REORDERING MESSAGES
+            // Prefer to add it to the backlog if this thread can see that there might already be a message backlog.
+            // We do this before attempting to take the writelock, because we won't actually write, we'll just let the backlog get processed in due course
+            if (PushToBacklog(message, onlyIfExists: true))
+            {
+                return new ValueTask<WriteResult>(WriteResult.Success); // queued counts as success
+            }
+
             bool releaseLock = true; // fine to default to true, as it doesn't matter until token is a "success"
             int lockTaken = 0;
             LockToken token = default;
             try
             {
+
                 // try to acquire it synchronously
                 // note: timeout is specified in mutex-constructor
                 token = _singleWriterMutex.TryWait(options: WaitOptions.NoDelay);