diff --git a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-counter/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-counter/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
index 716654417..8b7ba5910 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-counter/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
+++ b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-counter/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ function _hydrate_clickCount(clickCount = _read(2)) {
 const _onclick = function () {
   const clickCount = _read(2);
 
-  _queue(_apply_clickCount, 2, clickCount + 1);
+  _queue(_apply_clickCount, 0, clickCount + 1);
 };
 
 function _apply_clickCount(clickCount) {
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-nested-scope-for/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-nested-scope-for/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
index 5efebbe0b..0e3e0480b 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-nested-scope-for/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
+++ b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-nested-scope-for/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ function _applyWith_selected_num(selected = _readInOwner(4), num = _read(2)) {
 const _onclick = function () {
   const num = _read(2);
 
-  _queueInOwner(_apply_selected, 4, num);
+  _queueInOwner(_apply_selected, 0, num);
 };
 
 function _apply_num(num) {
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ function _apply_num(num) {
 }
 
 function _apply_selected2(selected = _readInOwner(4)) {
-  _queue(_applyWith_selected_num, 4);
+  _queue(_applyWith_selected_num, 2);
 }
 
 function _apply_selected(selected) {
-  if (_write(4, selected)) _queueForEach(0, _apply_selected2, 4);
+  if (_write(4, selected)) _queueForEach(0, _apply_selected2, 0);
 }
 
 function _apply() {
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-nested-scope-if/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-nested-scope-if/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
index 05620e263..363d060a9 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-nested-scope-if/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
+++ b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-nested-scope-if/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ function _hydrate_clickCount(clickCount = _readInOwner(4)) {
 const _onclick = function () {
   const clickCount = _readInOwner(4);
 
-  _queueInOwner(_apply_clickCount, 4, clickCount + 1);
+  _queueInOwner(_apply_clickCount, 0, clickCount + 1);
 };
 
 function _apply_clickCount2(clickCount = _readInOwner(4)) {
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function _apply_clickCount(clickCount) {
   if (_write(4, clickCount)) {
     _setConditionalRenderer(0, clickCount < 3 ? _if : null);
 
-    _queueInBranch(0, _if, _apply_clickCount2, 4);
+    _queueInBranch(0, _if, _apply_clickCount2, 0);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-push-pop-list/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-push-pop-list/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
index f791cac99..9d1762cab 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-push-pop-list/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
+++ b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-push-pop-list/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ const _onclick = function () {
   // TODO: nested writes ([...items, id++]) don't work
   const nextId = id + 1;
 
-  _queue(_apply_id, 6, nextId);
+  _queue(_apply_id, 0, nextId);
 
-  _queue(_apply_items, 7, [...items, nextId]);
+  _queue(_apply_items, 1, [...items, nextId]);
 };
 
 function _applyWith_id_items(id = _read(6), items = _read(7)) {
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ function _applyWith_id_items(id = _read(6), items = _read(7)) {
 const _onclick2 = function () {
   const items = _read(7);
 
-  _queue(_apply_items, 7, items.slice(0, -1));
+  _queue(_apply_items, 1, items.slice(0, -1));
 };
 
 function _apply_items(items) {
@@ -46,12 +46,12 @@ function _apply_items(items) {
 
     _hydrate_items();
 
-    _queue(_applyWith_id_items, 7);
+    _queue(_applyWith_id_items, 2);
   }
 }
 
 function _apply_id(id) {
-  if (_write(6, id)) _queue(_applyWith_id_items, 6);
+  if (_write(6, id)) _queue(_applyWith_id_items, 2);
 }
 
 function _apply() {
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-toggle-show/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-toggle-show/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
index 28d56d4e9..ff9c3dd2e 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-toggle-show/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
+++ b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/basic-toggle-show/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ function _hydrate_show(show = _read(5)) {
 const _onclick = function () {
   const show = _read(5);
 
-  _queue(_apply_show, 5, !show);
+  _queue(_apply_show, 0, !show);
 };
 
 function _apply_show(show) {
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/if-tag/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/if-tag/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
index e80794433..d0d51037d 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/if-tag/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
+++ b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/if-tag/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
@@ -19,19 +19,19 @@ function _applyWith_a_b(a = _read(12), b = _read(13)) {
 }
 
 function _apply_y(y) {
-  if (_write(15, y)) _queue(_applyWith_x_y, 15);
+  if (_write(15, y)) _queue(_applyWith_x_y, 5);
 }
 
 function _apply_x(x) {
-  if (_write(14, x)) _queue(_applyWith_x_y, 14);
+  if (_write(14, x)) _queue(_applyWith_x_y, 5);
 }
 
 function _apply_b(b) {
-  if (_write(13, b)) _queue(_applyWith_a_b, 13);
+  if (_write(13, b)) _queue(_applyWith_a_b, 4);
 }
 
 function _apply_a(a) {
-  if (_write(12, a)) _queue(_applyWith_a_b, 12);
+  if (_write(12, a)) _queue(_applyWith_a_b, 4);
 }
 
 export const template = "<!><!><div><!></div>";
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/let-tag/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/let-tag/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
index 17a685bec..5101cabb0 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/let-tag/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
+++ b/packages/translator/src/__tests__/fixtures/let-tag/__snapshots__/dom.expected.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ function _hydrateWith_x_y(x = _read(3), y = _read(4)) {
 }
 
 function _applyWith_x_y(x = _read(3), y = _read(4)) {
-  _write(5, _queue(_apply_x, 3, y = x + y));
+  _write(5, _queue(_apply_x, 0, y = x + y));
 
   _hydrateWith_x_y();
 }
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ function _apply_y(y) {
   if (_write(4, y)) {
     _data(2, y);
 
-    _queue(_applyWith_x_y, 4);
+    _queue(_applyWith_x_y, 2);
   }
 }
 
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ function _apply_x(x) {
   if (_write(3, x)) {
     _data(1, x);
 
-    _queue(_applyWith_x_y, 3);
+    _queue(_applyWith_x_y, 2);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/core/condition/else-if.ts b/packages/translator/src/core/condition/else-if.ts
index 9d747bc3e..81fa1fd40 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/core/condition/else-if.ts
+++ b/packages/translator/src/core/condition/else-if.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { types as t } from "@marko/compiler";
 import { Tag, assertNoParams, assertNoVar } from "@marko/babel-utils";
-import { exitBranch, queueBranchBuilder } from "./if";
-import { setQueueBuilder } from "../../util/apply-hydrate";
+import { exitBranch } from "./if";
 
 export default {
   translate: {
@@ -35,8 +34,6 @@ export default {
           );
         }
       }
-
-      setQueueBuilder(tag, queueBranchBuilder);
     },
     exit(tag) {
       exitBranch(tag);
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/core/condition/else.ts b/packages/translator/src/core/condition/else.ts
index eb9af2bf9..08534e734 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/core/condition/else.ts
+++ b/packages/translator/src/core/condition/else.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import type { types as t } from "@marko/compiler";
 import { Tag, assertNoParams, assertNoVar } from "@marko/babel-utils";
-import { setQueueBuilder } from "../../util/apply-hydrate";
-import { exitBranch, queueBranchBuilder } from "./if";
+import { exitBranch } from "./if";
 
 export default {
   translate: {
@@ -30,8 +29,6 @@ export default {
           );
         }
       }
-
-      setQueueBuilder(tag, queueBranchBuilder);
     },
     exit(tag) {
       exitBranch(tag);
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/core/condition/if.ts b/packages/translator/src/core/condition/if.ts
index dc22c3ac3..ef0930373 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/core/condition/if.ts
+++ b/packages/translator/src/core/condition/if.ts
@@ -3,11 +3,7 @@ import { Tag, assertNoParams, assertNoVar } from "@marko/babel-utils";
 import * as writer from "../../util/writer";
 import * as walks from "../../util/walks";
 import * as sorted from "../../util/sorted-arr";
-import {
-  addStatement,
-  queueBuilder,
-  setQueueBuilder,
-} from "../../util/apply-hydrate";
+import { addStatement, setQueueBuilder } from "../../util/apply-hydrate";
 import { callRuntime } from "../../util/runtime";
 import { isCoreTagName } from "../../util/is-core-tag";
 import toFirstStatementOrBlock from "../../util/to-first-statement-or-block";
@@ -72,7 +68,6 @@ export default {
 
       walks.visit(tag, walks.WalkCodes.Replace);
       walks.enterShallow(tag);
-      setQueueBuilder(tag, queueBranchBuilder);
       if (isOutputHTML()) {
         writer.flushBefore(tag);
       }
@@ -99,21 +94,6 @@ const BRANCHES_LOOKUP = new WeakMap<
   }[]
 >();
 
-export const queueBranchBuilder: queueBuilder = (
-  binding,
-  functionIdentifier,
-  targetSectionId
-) => {
-  const renderer = writer.getRenderer(targetSectionId);
-  return callRuntime(
-    "queueInBranch",
-    t.numericLiteral(0),
-    renderer,
-    functionIdentifier,
-    t.numericLiteral(binding.id)
-  );
-};
-
 export function exitBranch(tag: t.NodePath<t.MarkoTag>) {
   const bodySectionId = getSectionId(tag.get("body"));
   const nextTag = tag.getNextSibling();
@@ -121,12 +101,23 @@ export function exitBranch(tag: t.NodePath<t.MarkoTag>) {
     isCoreTagName(nextTag, "else") || isCoreTagName(nextTag, "else-if")
   );
   const branches = BRANCHES_LOOKUP.get(tag) || [];
+  const reserve = tag.node.extra.reserve!;
 
   branches.push({
     tag,
     sectionId: bodySectionId,
   });
 
+  setQueueBuilder(tag, ({ identifier, queuePriority }) =>
+    callRuntime(
+      "queueInBranch",
+      t.numericLiteral(reserve.id),
+      writer.getRenderer(bodySectionId),
+      identifier,
+      queuePriority
+    )
+  );
+
   if (isOutputHTML()) {
     writer.flushInto(tag);
   }
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/core/const.ts b/packages/translator/src/core/const.ts
index 6b21fa323..113919a7c 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/core/const.ts
+++ b/packages/translator/src/core/const.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { assertNoBodyContent } from "../util/assert";
 import translateVar from "../util/translate-var";
 import { isOutputDOM } from "../util/marko-config";
 import { getSectionId } from "../util/sections";
-import { addStatement, bindingToApplyId } from "../util/apply-hydrate";
+import { addStatement, bindingToApplyGroup } from "../util/apply-hydrate";
 
 export default {
   translate(tag) {
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ export default {
         identifiers.length === 1
           ? t.expressionStatement(
               t.callExpression(
-                bindingToApplyId(identifiers[0].extra.reserve!, sectionId),
+                bindingToApplyGroup(identifiers[0].extra.reserve!, sectionId)
+                  .identifier,
                 [defaultAttr.value]
               )
             )
@@ -61,7 +62,8 @@ export default {
               ...identifiers.map((identifier) =>
                 t.expressionStatement(
                   t.callExpression(
-                    bindingToApplyId(identifier.extra.reserve!, sectionId),
+                    bindingToApplyGroup(identifier.extra.reserve!, sectionId)
+                      .identifier,
                     [t.identifier(identifier.name)]
                   )
                 )
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/core/for.ts b/packages/translator/src/core/for.ts
index 88284137d..229993ca5 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/core/for.ts
+++ b/packages/translator/src/core/for.ts
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@ import * as writer from "../util/writer";
 import * as walks from "../util/walks";
 import {
   addStatement,
-  bindingToApplyId,
-  queueBuilder,
+  bindingToApplyGroup,
   setQueueBuilder,
 } from "../util/apply-hydrate";
 import { getOrCreateSectionId, getSectionId } from "../util/sections";
@@ -45,7 +44,6 @@ export default {
 
       walks.visit(tag, walks.WalkCodes.Replace);
       walks.enterShallow(tag);
-      setQueueBuilder(tag, queueEachBuilder);
       if (isOutputHTML()) {
         writer.flushBefore(tag);
       }
@@ -131,10 +129,20 @@ const translateDOM = {
     const {
       attributes,
       body: { params },
+      extra: { reserve },
     } = node;
     const ofAttr = findName(attributes, "of");
     const byAttr = findName(attributes, "by");
 
+    setQueueBuilder(tag, ({ identifier, queuePriority }) => {
+      return callRuntime(
+        "queueForEach",
+        t.numericLiteral(reserve!.id),
+        identifier,
+        queuePriority
+      );
+    });
+
     if (ofAttr) {
       const ofAttrValue = ofAttr.value!;
       const [valParam] = params;
@@ -163,11 +171,12 @@ const translateDOM = {
         t.expressionStatement(
           callRuntime(
             "setLoopOf",
-            t.numericLiteral(node.extra.reserve!.id),
+            t.numericLiteral(reserve!.id),
             ofAttrValue,
             rendererId,
             byAttr ? byAttr.value! : t.nullLiteral(),
-            bindingToApplyId(valParam.extra.reserve!, bodySectionId)
+            bindingToApplyGroup(valParam.extra.reserve!, bodySectionId)
+              .identifier
           )
         )
       );
@@ -175,15 +184,6 @@ const translateDOM = {
   },
 };
 
-const queueEachBuilder: queueBuilder = (binding, functionIdentifier) => {
-  return callRuntime(
-    "queueForEach",
-    t.numericLiteral(0),
-    functionIdentifier,
-    t.numericLiteral(binding.id)
-  );
-};
-
 const translateHTML = {
   exit(tag: t.NodePath<t.MarkoTag>) {
     const { node } = tag;
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/core/let.ts b/packages/translator/src/core/let.ts
index 40376c945..fc707d86d 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/core/let.ts
+++ b/packages/translator/src/core/let.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { Tag, assertNoParams } from "@marko/babel-utils";
 import { assertNoBodyContent } from "../util/assert";
 import translateVar from "../util/translate-var";
 import { isOutputDOM } from "../util/marko-config";
-import { addStatement, bindingToApplyId } from "../util/apply-hydrate";
+import { addStatement, bindingToApplyGroup } from "../util/apply-hydrate";
 import { callQueue } from "../util/runtime";
 import replaceAssignments from "../util/replace-assignments";
 import { getSectionId } from "../util/sections";
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ export default {
     if (isOutputDOM()) {
       const sectionId = getSectionId(tag);
       const binding = tagVar.extra.reserve!;
-      const applyId = bindingToApplyId(binding, sectionId);
+      const applyGroup = bindingToApplyGroup(binding, sectionId);
+      const applyId = applyGroup.identifier;
       // TODO: add defined guard if bindings exist.
       addStatement(
         "apply",
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ export default {
       replaceAssignments(
         tag.scope.getBinding(binding.name)!,
         (assignment, value) =>
-          callQueue(applyId, binding, value, getSectionId(assignment))
+          callQueue(applyGroup, binding, value, getSectionId(assignment))
       );
     } else {
       translateVar(tag, defaultAttr.value);
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/util/apply-hydrate.ts b/packages/translator/src/util/apply-hydrate.ts
index 27b45f84b..b9690ac8e 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/util/apply-hydrate.ts
+++ b/packages/translator/src/util/apply-hydrate.ts
@@ -10,17 +10,14 @@ import * as sorted from "../util/sorted-arr";
 import { currentProgramPath } from "../visitors/program";
 import { callRuntime, callRead } from "./runtime";
 
-interface ReferenceGroup {
+export interface ReferenceGroup {
   identifier: t.Identifier;
   references: References;
   statements: t.Statement[];
+  queuePriority: t.NumericLiteral;
 }
 
-export type queueBuilder = (
-  binding: Reserve,
-  functionIdentifier: t.Identifier,
-  targetSectionId: number
-) => t.Expression;
+export type queueBuilder = (group: ReferenceGroup) => t.Expression;
 
 const [getApply] = createSectionState<ReferenceGroup[]>("apply", () => []);
 const [getHydrate] = createSectionState<ReferenceGroup[]>("hydrate", () => []);
@@ -56,12 +53,12 @@ export function addStatement(
   return isNew ? 1 : 0;
 }
 
-export function bindingToApplyId(binding: Reserve, sectionId: number) {
+export function bindingToApplyGroup(binding: Reserve, sectionId: number) {
   const applyGroups = getApply(sectionId);
   const group =
     getGroupByReferences(applyGroups, binding) ??
     createAndInsertGroup("apply", applyGroups, binding);
-  return group.identifier;
+  return group;
 }
 
 function createAndInsertGroup(
@@ -74,6 +71,7 @@ function createAndInsertGroup(
     identifier,
     references,
     statements: [],
+    queuePriority: t.numericLiteral(NaN),
   };
   sorted.insert(compareReferenceGroups, groups, group);
   return group;
@@ -98,8 +96,11 @@ export function writeAllStatementGroups() {
 
 export function writeApplyGroups(sectionId: number) {
   const groups = getApply(sectionId);
+  if (!groups.length) return;
+
   for (let i = groups.length; i--; ) {
-    const { identifier, references, statements } = groups[i];
+    const group = groups[i];
+    const { identifier, references, statements, queuePriority } = group;
     let params: (t.Identifier | t.RestElement | t.Pattern)[];
     let body: t.BlockStatement;
 
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ export function writeApplyGroups(sectionId: number) {
             binding,
             t.expressionStatement(
               // TODO: might need to queue in a child scope
-              callRuntime("queue", identifier, t.numericLiteral(binding.id))
+              callRuntime("queue", identifier, queuePriority)
             )
           );
         }
@@ -139,7 +140,7 @@ export function writeApplyGroups(sectionId: number) {
             "apply",
             references.sectionId,
             references,
-            t.expressionStatement(factory(references, identifier, sectionId))
+            t.expressionStatement(factory(group))
           );
         }
       } else {
@@ -169,6 +170,11 @@ export function writeApplyGroups(sectionId: number) {
       result.traverse(bindFunctionsVisitor, { root: result, sectionId });
     }
   }
+
+  const offset = groups[0].references ? 0 : 1;
+  for (let i = offset; i < groups.length; i++) {
+    groups[i].queuePriority.value = i - offset;
+  }
 }
 
 export function writeHydrateGroups(sectionId: number) {
diff --git a/packages/translator/src/util/runtime.ts b/packages/translator/src/util/runtime.ts
index fec94d8a4..e9b2b4b64 100644
--- a/packages/translator/src/util/runtime.ts
+++ b/packages/translator/src/util/runtime.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { importNamed } from "@marko/babel-utils";
 import { getMarkoOpts } from "./marko-config";
 import type { Reserve } from "./reserve";
 import { currentProgramPath } from "../visitors/program";
+import type { ReferenceGroup } from "./apply-hydrate";
 
 export function importRuntime(name: string) {
   const { output } = getMarkoOpts();
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ export function callRead(reference: Reserve, targetSectionId: number) {
 }
 
 export function callQueue(
-  fnIdentifier: t.Identifier,
+  { identifier, queuePriority }: ReferenceGroup,
   reference: Reserve,
   value: t.Expression,
   targetSectionId: number
@@ -63,24 +64,14 @@ export function callQueue(
   const diff = getScopeDepthDifference(reference, targetSectionId);
   switch (diff) {
     case 0:
-      return callRuntime(
-        "queue",
-        fnIdentifier,
-        t.numericLiteral(reference.id),
-        value
-      );
+      return callRuntime("queue", identifier, queuePriority, value);
     case 1:
-      return callRuntime(
-        "queueInOwner",
-        fnIdentifier,
-        t.numericLiteral(reference.id),
-        value
-      );
+      return callRuntime("queueInOwner", identifier, queuePriority, value);
     default:
       return callRuntime(
         "queueInOwner",
-        fnIdentifier,
-        t.numericLiteral(reference.id),
+        identifier,
+        queuePriority,
         value,
         t.numericLiteral(diff)
       );