diff --git a/eth/fetcher/fetcher.go b/eth/fetcher/fetcher.go
index 78d25f72e..a70fcbeed 100644
--- a/eth/fetcher/fetcher.go
+++ b/eth/fetcher/fetcher.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package fetcher
 
 import (
 	"errors"
-	"math"
 	"math/rand"
 	"time"
 
@@ -57,8 +56,9 @@ type inject struct {
 type Fetcher struct {
 	// Various event channels
 	notify chan *announce
-	insert chan *inject
+	inject chan *inject
 	filter chan chan []*types.Block
+	done   chan common.Hash
 	quit   chan struct{}
 
 	// Announce states
@@ -79,8 +79,9 @@ type Fetcher struct {
 func New(hasBlock hashCheckFn, importBlock blockImporterFn, chainHeight chainHeightFn) *Fetcher {
 	return &Fetcher{
 		notify:      make(chan *announce),
-		insert:      make(chan *inject),
+		inject:      make(chan *inject),
 		filter:      make(chan chan []*types.Block),
+		done:        make(chan common.Hash),
 		quit:        make(chan struct{}),
 		announced:   make(map[common.Hash][]*announce),
 		fetching:    make(map[common.Hash]*announce),
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@ func (f *Fetcher) Enqueue(peer string, block *types.Block) error {
 		block:  block,
 	}
 	select {
-	case f.insert <- op:
+	case f.inject <- op:
 		return nil
 	case <-f.quit:
 		return errTerminated
@@ -166,8 +167,6 @@ func (f *Fetcher) Filter(blocks types.Blocks) types.Blocks {
 func (f *Fetcher) loop() {
 	// Iterate the block fetching until a quit is requested
 	fetch := time.NewTimer(0)
-	done := make(chan common.Hash)
-
 	for {
 		// Clean up any expired block fetches
 		for hash, announce := range f.fetching {
@@ -179,27 +178,19 @@ func (f *Fetcher) loop() {
 		// Import any queued blocks that could potentially fit
 		height := f.chainHeight()
 		for !f.queue.Empty() {
-			// If too high up the chain, continue later
 			op := f.queue.PopItem().(*inject)
-			if number := op.block.NumberU64(); number > height+1 {
+			number := op.block.NumberU64()
+
+			// If too high up the chain or phase, continue later
+			if number > height+1 {
 				f.queue.Push(op, -float32(op.block.NumberU64()))
 				break
 			}
-			// Otherwise if not known yet, try and import
-			hash := op.block.Hash()
-			if f.hasBlock(hash) {
+			// Otherwise if fresh and still unknown, try and import
+			if number <= height || f.hasBlock(op.block.Hash()) {
 				continue
 			}
-			// Block may just fit, try to import it
-			glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Peer %s: importing block #%d [%x]", op.origin, op.block.NumberU64(), hash.Bytes()[:4])
-			go func() {
-				defer func() { done <- hash }()
-
-				if err := f.importBlock(op.origin, op.block); err != nil {
-					glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("Peer %s: block #%d [%x] import failed: %v", op.origin, op.block.NumberU64(), hash.Bytes()[:4], err)
-					return
-				}
-			}()
+			f.insert(op.origin, op.block)
 		}
 		// Wait for an outside event to occur
 		select {
@@ -209,7 +200,6 @@ func (f *Fetcher) loop() {
 
 		case notification := <-f.notify:
 			// A block was announced, schedule if it's not yet downloading
-			glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Peer %s: scheduling %x", notification.origin, notification.hash[:4])
 			if _, ok := f.fetching[notification.hash]; ok {
 				break
 			}
@@ -218,11 +208,11 @@ func (f *Fetcher) loop() {
 				f.reschedule(fetch)
 			}
 
-		case op := <-f.insert:
+		case op := <-f.inject:
 			// A direct block insertion was requested, try and fill any pending gaps
 			f.enqueue(op.origin, op.block)
 
-		case hash := <-done:
+		case hash := <-f.done:
 			// A pending import finished, remove all traces of the notification
 			delete(f.announced, hash)
 			delete(f.fetching, hash)
@@ -243,8 +233,7 @@ func (f *Fetcher) loop() {
 				}
 			}
 			// Send out all block requests
-			for peer, hashes := range request {
-				glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Peer %s: explicitly fetching %d blocks", peer, len(hashes))
+			for _, hashes := range request {
 				go f.fetching[hashes[0]].fetch(hashes)
 			}
 			// Schedule the next fetch if blocks are still pending
@@ -304,7 +293,6 @@ func (f *Fetcher) reschedule(fetch *time.Timer) {
 			earliest = announces[0].time
 		}
 	}
-	glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("Scheduling next fetch in %v", arriveTimeout-time.Since(earliest))
 	fetch.Reset(arriveTimeout - time.Since(earliest))
 }
 
@@ -313,9 +301,9 @@ func (f *Fetcher) reschedule(fetch *time.Timer) {
 func (f *Fetcher) enqueue(peer string, block *types.Block) {
 	hash := block.Hash()
 
-	// Make sure the block isn't in some weird place
-	if math.Abs(float64(f.chainHeight())-float64(block.NumberU64())) > maxQueueDist {
-		glog.Infof("Peer %s: discarded block #%d [%x] too far from head", peer, block.NumberU64(), hash.Bytes()[:4])
+	// Discard any past or too distant blocks
+	if dist := int64(block.NumberU64()) - int64(f.chainHeight()); dist <= 0 || dist > maxQueueDist {
+		glog.Infof("Peer %s: discarded block #%d [%x], distance %d", peer, block.NumberU64(), hash.Bytes()[:4], dist)
 		return
 	}
 	// Schedule the block for future importing
@@ -328,3 +316,22 @@ func (f *Fetcher) enqueue(peer string, block *types.Block) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// insert spawns a new goroutine to run a block insertion into the chain. If the
+// block's number is at the same height as the current import phase, if updates
+// the phase states accordingly.
+func (f *Fetcher) insert(peer string, block *types.Block) {
+	hash := block.Hash()
+
+	// Run the import on a new thread
+	glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Peer %s: importing block #%d [%x]", peer, block.NumberU64(), hash[:4])
+	go func() {
+		defer func() { f.done <- hash }()
+
+		// Run the actual import and log any issues
+		if err := f.importBlock(peer, block); err != nil {
+			glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("Peer %s: block #%d [%x] import failed: %v", peer, block.NumberU64(), hash[:4], err)
+			return
+		}
+	}()
+}
diff --git a/eth/fetcher/fetcher_test.go b/eth/fetcher/fetcher_test.go
index af2652a86..00fad3498 100644
--- a/eth/fetcher/fetcher_test.go
+++ b/eth/fetcher/fetcher_test.go
@@ -91,9 +91,15 @@ func (f *fetcherTester) hasBlock(hash common.Hash) bool {
 
 // importBlock injects a new blocks into the simulated chain.
 func (f *fetcherTester) importBlock(peer string, block *types.Block) error {
+	// Make sure the parent in known
 	if _, ok := f.ownBlocks[block.ParentHash()]; !ok {
 		return errors.New("unknown parent")
 	}
+	// Discard any new blocks if the same height already exists
+	if block.NumberU64() <= f.ownBlocks[f.ownHashes[len(f.ownHashes)-1]].NumberU64() {
+		return nil
+	}
+	// Otherwise build our current chain
 	f.ownHashes = append(f.ownHashes, block.Hash())
 	f.ownBlocks[block.Hash()] = block
 	return nil
@@ -363,3 +369,54 @@ func TestDistantDiscarding(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("fetcher queued future block")
 	}
 }
+
+// Tests that if multiple uncles (i.e. blocks at the same height) are queued for
+// importing, then they will get inserted in phases, previous heights needing to
+// complete before the next numbered blocks can begin.
+func TestCompetingImports(t *testing.T) {
+	// Generate a few soft-forks for concurrent imports
+	hashesA := createHashes(16, knownHash)
+	hashesB := createHashes(16, knownHash)
+	hashesC := createHashes(16, knownHash)
+
+	blocksA := createBlocksFromHashes(hashesA)
+	blocksB := createBlocksFromHashes(hashesB)
+	blocksC := createBlocksFromHashes(hashesC)
+
+	// Create a tester, and override the import to check number reversals
+	tester := newTester()
+
+	first := int32(1)
+	height := uint64(1)
+	tester.fetcher.importBlock = func(peer string, block *types.Block) error {
+		// Check for any phase reordering
+		if prev := atomic.LoadUint64(&height); block.NumberU64() < prev {
+			t.Errorf("phase reversal: have %v, want %v", block.NumberU64(), prev)
+		}
+		atomic.StoreUint64(&height, block.NumberU64())
+
+		// Sleep a bit on the first import not to race with the enqueues
+		if atomic.CompareAndSwapInt32(&first, 1, 0) {
+			time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+		}
+		return tester.importBlock(peer, block)
+	}
+	// Queue up everything but with a missing link
+	for i := 0; i < len(hashesA)-2; i++ {
+		tester.fetcher.Enqueue("chain A", blocksA[hashesA[i]])
+		tester.fetcher.Enqueue("chain B", blocksB[hashesB[i]])
+		tester.fetcher.Enqueue("chain C", blocksC[hashesC[i]])
+	}
+	// Add the three missing links, and wait for a full import
+	tester.fetcher.Enqueue("chain A", blocksA[hashesA[len(hashesA)-2]])
+	tester.fetcher.Enqueue("chain B", blocksB[hashesB[len(hashesB)-2]])
+	tester.fetcher.Enqueue("chain C", blocksC[hashesC[len(hashesC)-2]])
+
+	start := time.Now()
+	for len(tester.ownHashes) != len(hashesA) && time.Since(start) < time.Second {
+		time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+	if len(tester.ownHashes) != len(hashesA) {
+		t.Fatalf("chain length mismatch: have %v, want %v", len(tester.ownHashes), len(hashesA))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/eth/handler.go b/eth/handler.go
index c3b58650d..b62815532 100644
--- a/eth/handler.go
+++ b/eth/handler.go
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/fetcher"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/downloader"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/fetcher"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/event"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger/glog"