diff --git a/sqsjobs/listener.go b/sqsjobs/listener.go
index 46c2a3c..d8b09d4 100644
--- a/sqsjobs/listener.go
+++ b/sqsjobs/listener.go
@@ -31,12 +31,6 @@ func (c *Driver) listen(ctx context.Context) { //nolint:gocognit
 				c.log.Debug("sqs listener was stopped")
 				return
 			default:
-				// lock when we hit the limit
-				for atomic.LoadInt64(c.msgInFlight) >= int64(atomic.LoadInt32(c.msgInFlightLimit)) {
-					c.log.Debug("prefetch limit was reached, waiting for the jobs to be processed", zap.Int64("current", atomic.LoadInt64(c.msgInFlight)), zap.Int32("limit", atomic.LoadInt32(c.msgInFlightLimit)))
-					c.cond.Wait()
-				}
-
 				message, err := c.client.ReceiveMessage(ctx, &sqs.ReceiveMessageInput{
 					QueueUrl:                    c.queueURL,
 					MaxNumberOfMessages:         c.prefetch,
@@ -93,6 +87,11 @@ func (c *Driver) listen(ctx context.Context) { //nolint:gocognit
 
 				for i := 0; i < len(message.Messages); i++ {
 					c.cond.L.Lock()
+					// lock when we hit the limit
+					for atomic.LoadInt64(c.msgInFlight) >= int64(atomic.LoadInt32(c.msgInFlightLimit)) {
+						c.log.Debug("prefetch limit was reached, waiting for the jobs to be processed", zap.Int64("current", atomic.LoadInt64(c.msgInFlight)), zap.Int32("limit", atomic.LoadInt32(c.msgInFlightLimit)))
+						c.cond.Wait()
+					}
 
 					m := message.Messages[i]
 					c.log.Debug("receive message", zap.Stringp("ID", m.MessageId))