diff --git a/src/main/java/org/syndicate_lang/actors/Actor.java b/src/main/java/org/syndicate_lang/actors/Actor.java
index 9a90412..6fd7dbd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/syndicate_lang/actors/Actor.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/syndicate_lang/actors/Actor.java
@@ -198,24 +198,24 @@ public class Actor {
         }
     }
 
+    synchronized void _runWorkItems() {
+        long batch = workItemCount.get();
+        while (batch > 0) {
+            for (int count = 0; count < batch; count++) {
+                WorkItem i = null;
+                while (i == null) i = head.get();
+                head = i;
+                this._perform(i);
+                i.clear();
+            }
+            batch = workItemCount.addAndGet(-batch);
+        }
+    }
+
     public void execute(WorkItem item) {
         tail.getAndSet(item).set(item);
         if (workItemCount.getAndIncrement() == 0) {
-            _executor.execute(() -> {
-                synchronized (this) {
-                    long batch = workItemCount.get();
-                    while (batch > 0) {
-                        for (int count = 0; count < batch; count++) {
-                            WorkItem i = null;
-                            while (i == null) i = head.get();
-                            head = i;
-                            this._perform(i);
-                            i.clear();
-                        }
-                        batch = workItemCount.addAndGet(-batch);
-                    }
-                }
-            });
+            _executor.execute(this::_runWorkItems);
         }
     }