diff --git a/hivemind/averaging/allreduce.py b/hivemind/averaging/allreduce.py
index 3ed9f0779..9bf40a340 100644
--- a/hivemind/averaging/allreduce.py
+++ b/hivemind/averaging/allreduce.py
@@ -153,13 +153,17 @@ async def _communicate_with_peer(self, peer_id: PeerID):
                 self.tensor_part_container.register_processed_part(peer_index, part_index, averaged_part - tensor_part)
 
         else:
-            loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
             code = None
             stream = self._get_peer_stub(peer_id).rpc_aggregate_part(self._generate_input_for_peer(peer_index))
-            async for part_index, msg in aenumerate(stream):
+            async for part_index, (averaged_part_delta, msg) in aenumerate(
+                amap_in_executor(
+                    lambda msg: (deserialize_torch_tensor(msg.tensor_part), msg),
+                    stream,
+                    max_prefetch=self.tensor_part_container.prefetch,
+                )
+            ):
                 if code is None:
                     code = msg.code
-                averaged_part_delta = await loop.run_in_executor(None, deserialize_torch_tensor, msg.tensor_part)
                 self.tensor_part_container.register_processed_part(peer_index, part_index, averaged_part_delta)
 
             if code != averaging_pb2.AVERAGED_PART:
diff --git a/hivemind/averaging/partition.py b/hivemind/averaging/partition.py
index e1ada3c79..577e2953d 100644
--- a/hivemind/averaging/partition.py
+++ b/hivemind/averaging/partition.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def __init__(
         peer_fractions: Sequence[float],
         compression_type: Union["CompressionType", Sequence["CompressionType"]] = CompressionType.NONE,
         part_size_bytes: int = DEFAULT_PART_SIZE_BYTES,
-        prefetch: int = 1,
+        prefetch: int = 5,
     ):
         if not isinstance(compression_type, Sequence):
             compression_type = [compression_type] * len(tensors)