diff --git a/pkg/ingester/ingester.go b/pkg/ingester/ingester.go
index 7a378d55341..60df338bc74 100644
--- a/pkg/ingester/ingester.go
+++ b/pkg/ingester/ingester.go
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ func (i *Ingester) Query(ctx old_ctx.Context, req *client.QueryRequest) (*client
 		}
 		result.Timeseries = append(result.Timeseries, ts)
 		return nil
-	})
+	}, nil, 0)
 	queriedSeries.Observe(float64(numSeries))
 	queriedSamples.Observe(float64(numSamples))
 	return result, err
@@ -407,22 +407,19 @@ func (i *Ingester) QueryStream(req *client.QueryRequest, stream client.Ingester_
 			Chunks: wireChunks,
 		})
 
-		if len(batch) >= queryStreamBatchSize {
-			err = stream.Send(&client.QueryStreamResponse{
-				Timeseries: batch,
-			})
-			batch = batch[:0]
+		return nil
+	}, func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		if len(batch) == 0 {
+			return nil
 		}
-		return err
-	})
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	if len(batch) > 0 {
 		err = stream.Send(&client.QueryStreamResponse{
 			Timeseries: batch,
 		})
+		batch = batch[:0]
+		return err
+	}, queryStreamBatchSize)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	queriedSeries.Observe(float64(numSeries))
@@ -494,7 +491,7 @@ func (i *Ingester) MetricsForLabelMatchers(ctx old_ctx.Context, req *client.Metr
 				metrics[fp] = series.labels()
 			}
 			return nil
-		}); err != nil {
+		}, nil, 0); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/ingester/user_state.go b/pkg/ingester/user_state.go
index 9161bf1fcb8..1a399b6df25 100644
--- a/pkg/ingester/user_state.go
+++ b/pkg/ingester/user_state.go
@@ -257,9 +257,18 @@ func (u *userState) removeSeries(fp model.Fingerprint, metric labelPairs) {
 	memSeries.Dec()
 }
 
-// forSeriesMatching passes all series matching the given matchers to the provided callback.
-// Deals with locking and the quirks of zero-length matcher values.
-func (u *userState) forSeriesMatching(ctx context.Context, allMatchers []*labels.Matcher, callback func(context.Context, model.Fingerprint, *memorySeries) error) error {
+// forSeriesMatching passes all series matching the given matchers to the
+// provided callback. Deals with locking and the quirks of zero-length matcher
+// values. There are 2 callbacks:
+// - The `add` callback is called for each series while the lock is held, and
+//   is intend to be used by the caller to build a batch.
+// - The `send` callback is called at certain intervals specified by batchSize
+//   with no locks held, and is intended to be used by the caller to send the
+//   built batches.
+func (u *userState) forSeriesMatching(ctx context.Context, allMatchers []*labels.Matcher,
+	add func(context.Context, model.Fingerprint, *memorySeries) error,
+	send func(context.Context) error, batchSize int,
+) error {
 	log, ctx := spanlogger.New(ctx, "forSeriesMatching")
 	defer log.Finish()
 
@@ -273,7 +282,7 @@ func (u *userState) forSeriesMatching(ctx context.Context, allMatchers []*labels
 
 	// fps is sorted, lock them in order to prevent deadlocks
 outer:
-	for _, fp := range fps {
+	for i, fp := range fps {
 		if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -292,12 +301,21 @@ outer:
 			}
 		}
 
-		err := callback(ctx, fp, series)
+		err := add(ctx, fp, series)
 		u.fpLocker.Unlock(fp)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+
+		if batchSize > 0 && i+1%batchSize == 0 && send != nil {
+			if err = send(ctx); err != nil {
+				return nil
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
+	if send != nil {
+		return send(ctx)
+	}
 	return nil
 }