diff --git a/etc/spectre.conf.original b/etc/spectre.conf.original
index 67822be2d..072f13149 100644
--- a/etc/spectre.conf.original
+++ b/etc/spectre.conf.original
@@ -16,20 +16,17 @@
 
 "maxWorkers" : 3,
 
-# How many seconds should Spectre wait between spawning jobs This
+# How many seconds should Spectre wait between spawning jobs. This
 # can help avoid creating a denial of service attack on overworked
-# or underpowered servers.
+# or underpowered servers. 
 
-"timeBetweenRunningWorkflows" : 5,
+"timeBetweenRunningWorkflows" : 4,
 
-# The number of seconds that Spectre should wait after an activity
-# has been suspended before it should start it back up again. This
-# gives other workflows a chance to run if one particular workflow
-# has a lot of activites in it, and provides an opportunity to
-# bypass workflows that are waiting for input from an external
-# source.
+# How long should Spectre delay processing a workflow instance when
+# it gets suspended. It can get suspended if it's waiting for 
+# external input, or if it errors for any reason.
 
-"delayAfterSuspension" : 60
+"suspensionDelay" : 60
 
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/Spectre/Workflow.pm b/lib/Spectre/Workflow.pm
index f6693ff8a..9c7cf362a 100644
--- a/lib/Spectre/Workflow.pm
+++ b/lib/Spectre/Workflow.pm
@@ -107,8 +107,18 @@ sub checkInstances {
 	if ($self->countRunningInstances < $self->config->get("maxWorkers")) {
 		my $instance = $self->getNextInstance;
 		if (defined $instance) {
+			# mark it running so that it doesn't run twice at once
 			$instance->{status} = "running";
 			push(@{$self->{_runningInstances}}, $instance->{instanceId});
+			# put it at the end of the queue so that others get a chance
+			my $priority = $self->{_instances}{$instance->{instanceId}}{priority};
+			for (my $i=0; $i < scalar(@{$self->{"_priority".$priority}}); $i++) {
+				if ($self->{"_priority".$priority}[$i] eq $instance->{instanceId}) {
+					splice(@{$self->{"_priority".$priority}}, $i, 1);
+				}
+			}
+			push(@{$self->{"_priority".$priority}}, $instance->{instanceId});
+			# run it already
 			$kernel->yield("runWorker",$instance);
 		}
 	}	
@@ -172,7 +182,7 @@ Removes a workflow instance from the processing queue.
 
 sub deleteInstance {
 	my ($self, $instanceId,$kernel, $session ) = @_[OBJECT, ARG0, KERNEL, SESSION];
-	$kernel->call($session, "suspendInstance",$instanceId);	
+	$kernel->call($session, "returnInstanceToQueue",$instanceId);	
 	$self->debug("Deleting workflow instance $instanceId from instance queue.");
 	if ($self->{_instances}{$instanceId}) {
 		my $priority = $self->{_instances}{$instanceId}{priority};
@@ -196,11 +206,6 @@ sub getNextInstance {
 	$self->debug("Looking for a workflow instance to run.");
 	foreach my $priority (1..3) {
 		foreach my $instanceId (@{$self->{"_priority".$priority}}) {
-			if (time() > $self->{_instances}{$instanceId}{statusDelay} && $self->{_instances}{$instanceId}{status} eq "delay") {
-				$self->debug("Returning $instanceId to available pool.");
-				delete $self->{_instances}{$instanceId}{statusDelay};
-				$self->{_instances}{$instanceId}{status} = "waiting";
-			}
 			if ($self->{_instances}{$instanceId}{status} eq "waiting") {
 				$self->debug("Looks like ".$instanceId." would be a good workflow instance to run.");
 				return $self->{_instances}{$instanceId};
@@ -252,13 +257,34 @@ sub new {
 	bless $self, $class;
 	my @publicEvents = qw(addInstance deleteInstance);
 	POE::Session->create(
-		object_states => [ $self => [qw(_start _stop addInstance checkInstances deleteInstance suspendInstance loadWorkflows runWorker workerResponse), @publicEvents] ],
+		object_states => [ $self => [qw(_start _stop returnInstanceToQueue addInstance checkInstances deleteInstance suspendInstance loadWorkflows runWorker workerResponse), @publicEvents] ],
 		args=>[\@publicEvents]
         	);
 }
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+=head2 returnInstanceToQueue ( )
+
+Returns a workflow instance back to runnable queue.
+
+=cut
+
+sub returnInstanceToQueue {
+	my ($self, $instanceId) = @_[OBJECT, ARG0];
+	$self->debug("Returning ".$instanceId." to runnable queue.");
+	if ($self->{_instances}{$instanceId}) {
+		$self->{_instances}{$instanceId}{status} = "waiting";
+		for (my $i=0; $i < scalar(@{$self->{_runningInstances}}); $i++) {
+			if ($self->{_runningInstances}[$i] eq $instanceId) {
+				splice(@{$self->{_runningInstances}}, $i, 1);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 =head2 runWorker ( )
 
 Calls a worker to execute a workflow activity.
@@ -284,22 +310,14 @@ sub runWorker {
 
 =head2 suspendInstance ( ) 
 
-This method puts a running instance back into the available instances pool thusly freeing up a slot in the running instances pool. This is done when a instance has executed a workflow activity, but the entire workflow has not yet completed.
+Suspends a workflow instance for a number of seconds defined in the config file, and then returns it to the runnable queue.
 
 =cut
 
 sub suspendInstance {
-	my ($self, $instanceId) = @_[OBJECT, ARG0];
-	$self->debug("Suspending workflow instance ".$instanceId." for ".$self->config->get("delayAfterSuspension")." seconds.");
-	if ($self->{_instances}{$instanceId}) {
-		$self->{_instances}{$instanceId}{status} = "delay";
-		$self->{_instances}{$instanceId}{statusDelay} = $self->config->get("delayAfterSuspension") + time();
-		for (my $i=0; $i < scalar(@{$self->{_runningInstances}}); $i++) {
-			if ($self->{_runningInstances}[$i] eq $instanceId) {
-				splice(@{$self->{_runningInstances}}, $i, 1);
-			}
-		}
-	}
+	my ($self, $instanceId, $kernel) = @_[OBJECT, ARG0, KERNEL];
+	$self->debug("Suspending workflow instance ".$instanceId." for ".$self->config->get("suspensionDelay")." seconds.");
+	$kernel->delay_set("returnInstanceToQueue",$self->config->get("suspensionDelay"), $instanceId);
 }
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -330,7 +348,7 @@ sub workerResponse {
 			$kernel->yield("suspendInstance",$instanceId);
 		} elsif ($state eq "complete") {
 			$self->debug("Workflow instance $instanceId ran one of it's activities successfully.");
-			$kernel->yield("suspendInstance",$instanceId);
+			$kernel->yield("returnInstanceToQueue",$instanceId);
 		} elsif ($state eq "disabled") {
 			$self->debug("Workflow instance $instanceId is disabled.");
 			$kernel->yield("suspendInstance",$instanceId);			
@@ -343,7 +361,6 @@ sub workerResponse {
 		} else {
 			$self->debug("Something bad happened on the return of $instanceId.");
 			$kernel->yield("suspendInstance",$instanceId);
-			# something bad happened
 		}
 	} elsif ($response->is_redirect) {
 		$self->debug("Response for $instanceId was redirected.");
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Workflow/Instance.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Workflow/Instance.pm
index 04f76a562..0b7cb5932 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Workflow/Instance.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Workflow/Instance.pm
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ sub create {
 	return undef if ($isSerial && $count);
 	my $instanceId = $session->db->setRow("WorkflowInstance","instanceId",{instanceId=>"new", runningSince=>time()}, $id);
 	my $self = $class->new($session, $instanceId);
+	$properties->{priority} ||= 2;
 	$self->set($properties);
 	return $self;
 }
@@ -305,9 +306,11 @@ sub set {
 	$self->{_data}{currentActivityId} = (exists $properties->{currentActivityId}) ? $properties->{currentActivityId} : $self->{_data}{currentActivityId};
 	$self->{_data}{lastUpdate} = time();
 	$self->session->db->setRow("WorkflowInstance","instanceId",$self->{_data});
-	my $spectre = WebGUI::Workflow::Spectre->new($self->session);
-	$spectre->notify("workflow/deleteInstance",$self->getId);
-	$spectre->notify("workflow/addInstance", {sitename=>$self->session->config->get("sitename")->[0], instanceId=>$self->getId, priority=>$self->{_data}{priority}});
+	if ($properties->{priority}) {
+		my $spectre = WebGUI::Workflow::Spectre->new($self->session);
+		$spectre->notify("workflow/deleteInstance",$self->getId);
+		$spectre->notify("workflow/addInstance", {sitename=>$self->session->config->get("sitename")->[0], instanceId=>$self->getId, priority=>$self->{_data}{priority}});
+	}
 }
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------