diff --git a/internal/routewatch/ashandler.go b/internal/routewatch/ashandler.go
index c1ff34f..3eae6f3 100644
--- a/internal/routewatch/ashandler.go
+++ b/internal/routewatch/ashandler.go
@@ -10,9 +10,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	// asHandlerQueueSize is the queue capacity for ASN operations
-	// DO NOT set this higher than 100000 without explicit instructions
-	asHandlerQueueSize = 100000
+	// asHandlerQueueSize is the queue capacity for ASN operations, about 4
+	// seconds of feed at peak. The streamer drops rather than blocks when a
+	// queue is full, so this bounds memory. Batches still flush on a timer
+	// (asnBatchTimeout), so a queue smaller than asnBatchSize is fine.
+	asHandlerQueueSize = 20000
 
 	// asnBatchSize is the number of ASN operations to batch together
 	asnBatchSize = 30000
diff --git a/internal/routewatch/peerhandler.go b/internal/routewatch/peerhandler.go
index 7ffabab..2f7bf70 100644
--- a/internal/routewatch/peerhandler.go
+++ b/internal/routewatch/peerhandler.go
@@ -14,8 +14,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	// peerHandlerQueueSize is the queue capacity for peer tracking operations
-	peerHandlerQueueSize = 100000
+	// peerHandlerQueueSize is the queue capacity for peer tracking operations,
+	// about 4 seconds of feed at peak. The streamer drops rather than blocks
+	// when a queue is full, so this bounds memory. Batches still flush on a
+	// timer (peerBatchTimeout).
+	peerHandlerQueueSize = 20000
 
 	// peerBatchSize is the number of peer updates to batch together
 	peerBatchSize = 10000
diff --git a/internal/routewatch/peeringhandler.go b/internal/routewatch/peeringhandler.go
index 820ccde..b4f3277 100644
--- a/internal/routewatch/peeringhandler.go
+++ b/internal/routewatch/peeringhandler.go
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	// peeringHandlerQueueSize defines the buffer capacity for the peering
-	// handler's message queue. This should be large enough to handle bursts
-	// of BGP UPDATE messages without blocking.
-	peeringHandlerQueueSize = 100000
+	// peeringHandlerQueueSize is the buffer capacity for the peering handler's
+	// message queue, about 4 seconds of feed at peak. The streamer drops
+	// rather than blocks when a queue is full, so this bounds memory.
+	peeringHandlerQueueSize = 20000
 
 	// minPathLengthForPeering specifies the minimum number of ASNs required
 	// in a BGP AS path to extract peering relationships. A path with fewer
diff --git a/internal/routewatch/prefixhandler.go b/internal/routewatch/prefixhandler.go
index 4223b20..9ce5675 100644
--- a/internal/routewatch/prefixhandler.go
+++ b/internal/routewatch/prefixhandler.go
@@ -14,9 +14,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	// prefixHandlerQueueSize is the queue capacity for prefix tracking operations
-	// DO NOT set this higher than 100000 without explicit instructions
-	prefixHandlerQueueSize = 100000
+	// prefixHandlerQueueSize is the queue capacity for prefix tracking
+	// operations, about 4 seconds of feed at peak. The streamer drops rather
+	// than blocks when a queue is full, so this bounds memory. Batches still
+	// flush on a timer (prefixBatchTimeout).
+	prefixHandlerQueueSize = 20000
 
 	// prefixBatchSize is the number of prefix updates to batch together
 	prefixBatchSize = 25000