diff --git a/kombu/async/semaphore.py b/kombu/async/semaphore.py
index ef65db75..26b77077 100644
--- a/kombu/async/semaphore.py
+++ b/kombu/async/semaphore.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+from collections import deque
+
 __all__ = ['DummyLock', 'LaxBoundedSemaphore']
 
 
@@ -13,18 +15,15 @@ class LaxBoundedSemaphore(object):
 
         >>> x = LaxBoundedSemaphore(2)
 
-        >>> def callback(i):
-        ...     say('HELLO {0!r}'.format(i))
-
-        >>> x.acquire(callback, 1)
+        >>> x.acquire(print, 'HELLO 1')
         HELLO 1
 
-        >>> x.acquire(callback, 2)
+        >>> x.acquire(print, 'HELLO 2')
         HELLO 2
 
-        >>> x.acquire(callback, 3)
+        >>> x.acquire(print, 'HELLO 3')
         >>> x._waiters   # private, do not access directly
-        [(callback, 3)]
+        [print, ('HELLO 3', )]
 
         >>> x.release()
         HELLO 3
@@ -33,7 +32,9 @@ class LaxBoundedSemaphore(object):
 
     def __init__(self, value):
         self.initial_value = self.value = value
-        self._waiting = set()
+        self._waiting = deque()
+        self._add_waiter = self._waiting.append
+        self._pop_waiter = self._waiting.popleft
 
     def acquire(self, callback, *partial_args):
         """Acquire semaphore, applying ``callback`` if
@@ -43,8 +44,8 @@ class LaxBoundedSemaphore(object):
         :param \*partial_args: partial arguments to callback.
 
         """
-        if self.value <= 0:
-            self._waiting.append((callback, partial_args))
+        if value <= 0:
+            self._add_waiter((callback, partial_args))
             return False
         else:
             self.value = max(self.value - 1, 0)
@@ -59,8 +60,11 @@ class LaxBoundedSemaphore(object):
 
         """
         self.value = min(self.value + 1, self.initial_value)
-        if self._waiting:
-            waiter, args = self._waiting.pop()
+        try:
+            waiter, args = self._pop_waiter()
+        except IndexError:
+            pass
+        else:
             waiter(*args)
 
     def grow(self, n=1):
@@ -76,7 +80,7 @@ class LaxBoundedSemaphore(object):
 
     def clear(self):
         """Reset the sempahore, which also wipes out any waiting callbacks."""
-        self._waiting[:] = []
+        self._waiting.clear()
         self.value = self.initial_value
 
     def __repr__(self):