diff --git a/posting/list.go b/posting/list.go
index 90b73ea44d8..ba8f47adf9e 100644
--- a/posting/list.go
+++ b/posting/list.go
@@ -74,8 +74,10 @@ type List struct {
 	plist         *pb.PostingList
 	mutationMap   map[uint64]*pb.PostingList
 	minTs         uint64 // commit timestamp of immutable layer, reject reads before this ts.
-	deleteMe      int32  // Using atomic for this, to avoid expensive SetForDeletion operation.
 	estimatedSize int32
+
+	pendingTxns int32 // Using atomic for this, to avoid locking in SetForDeletion operation.
+	deleteMe    int32 // Using atomic for this, to avoid expensive SetForDeletion operation.
 }
 
 // calculateSize would give you the size estimate. This is expensive, so run it carefully.
@@ -223,17 +225,12 @@ func (l *List) EstimatedSize() int32 {
 }
 
 // SetForDeletion will mark this List to be deleted, so no more mutations can be applied to this.
+// Ensure that we don't acquire any locks during a call to this function, so the LRU cache can
+// proceed smoothly.
 func (l *List) SetForDeletion() bool {
-	if l.AlreadyLocked() {
+	if atomic.LoadInt32(&l.pendingTxns) > 0 {
 		return false
 	}
-	l.RLock()
-	defer l.RUnlock()
-	for _, plist := range l.mutationMap {
-		if plist.CommitTs == 0 {
-			return false
-		}
-	}
 	atomic.StoreInt32(&l.deleteMe, 1)
 	return true
 }
@@ -368,6 +365,7 @@ func (l *List) addMutation(ctx context.Context, txn *Txn, t *pb.DirectedEdge) er
 
 	l.updateMutationLayer(mpost)
 	atomic.AddInt32(&l.estimatedSize, int32(mpost.Size()+16 /* various overhead */))
+	atomic.AddInt32(&l.pendingTxns, 1)
 	txn.AddKeys(string(l.key), conflictKey)
 	return nil
 }
@@ -394,8 +392,18 @@ func (l *List) commitMutation(startTs, commitTs uint64) error {
 	if atomic.LoadInt32(&l.deleteMe) == 1 {
 		return ErrRetry
 	}
-
 	l.AssertLock()
+
+	// Check if we still have a pending txn when we return from this function.
+	defer func() {
+		for _, plist := range l.mutationMap {
+			if plist.CommitTs == 0 {
+				return // Got a pending txn.
+			}
+		}
+		atomic.StoreInt32(&l.pendingTxns, 0)
+	}()
+
 	plist, ok := l.mutationMap[startTs]
 	if !ok {
 		// It was already committed, might be happening due to replay.
diff --git a/posting/lists.go b/posting/lists.go
index 292d1882720..18741e5b2b7 100644
--- a/posting/lists.go
+++ b/posting/lists.go
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
-	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	"golang.org/x/net/trace"
@@ -225,10 +224,6 @@ func Cleanup() {
 	closer.SignalAndWait()
 }
 
-func StopLRUEviction() {
-	atomic.StoreInt32(&lcache.done, 1)
-}
-
 // Get stores the List corresponding to key, if it's not there already.
 // to lru cache and returns it.
 //
diff --git a/posting/lru.go b/posting/lru.go
index 8c397d823a1..3e1eaaff702 100644
--- a/posting/lru.go
+++ b/posting/lru.go
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import (
 	"container/list"
 	"context"
 	"sync"
-	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/x"
@@ -41,7 +40,6 @@ type listCache struct {
 	evicts  uint64
 	ll      *list.List
 	cache   map[string]*list.Element
-	done    int32
 }
 
 type CacheStats struct {
@@ -113,17 +111,17 @@ func (c *listCache) removeOldestLoop() {
 	defer ticker.Stop()
 	for range ticker.C {
 		c.removeOldest()
-		if atomic.LoadInt32(&c.done) > 0 {
-			return
-		}
 	}
 }
 
 func (c *listCache) removeOldest() {
 	c.Lock()
 	defer c.Unlock()
+
+	// Only allow evictions for 10ms out of a second.
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(10 * time.Millisecond)
 	ele := c.ll.Back()
-	for c.curSize > c.MaxSize && atomic.LoadInt32(&c.done) == 0 {
+	for c.curSize > c.MaxSize && time.Now().Before(deadline) {
 		if ele == nil {
 			if c.curSize < 0 {
 				c.curSize = 0
diff --git a/worker/worker.go b/worker/worker.go
index dfbfaf441c8..7a10ccc8b41 100644
--- a/worker/worker.go
+++ b/worker/worker.go
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/dgraph-io/badger"
 	"github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/conn"
-	"github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/posting"
 	"github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/protos/pb"
 	"github.com/dgraph-io/dgraph/x"
 
@@ -99,7 +98,4 @@ func BlockingStop() {
 
 	glog.Infof("Stopping worker server...")
 	workerServer.Stop()
-
-	// TODO: What is this for?
-	posting.StopLRUEviction()
 }