diff --git a/core/src/main/scalajvm/scalapb/zio_grpc/server/ZServerCallHandler.scala b/core/src/main/scalajvm/scalapb/zio_grpc/server/ZServerCallHandler.scala
index 2b70299a5..d11a656ca 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scalajvm/scalapb/zio_grpc/server/ZServerCallHandler.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scalajvm/scalapb/zio_grpc/server/ZServerCallHandler.scala
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ import zio.stm.TSemaphore
 import zio.Exit.Failure
 import zio.Exit.Success
 import scala.annotation.tailrec
+import zio.stream.ZSink
+import zio.stream.ZChannel
+import scalapb.zio_grpc.GIO
 
 class ZServerCallHandler[Req, Res](
     runtime: Runtime[Any],
@@ -107,56 +110,22 @@ object ZServerCallHandler {
       call: ZServerCall[Res],
       stream: ZStream[Any, StatusException, Res]
   ): ZIO[Any, StatusException, Unit] = {
-    def takeFromQueue(
-        queue: Dequeue[Exit[Option[StatusException], Res]]
-    ): ZIO[Any, StatusException, Unit] =
-      queue.takeAll.flatMap(takeFromCache(_, queue))
+    val backpressureSink = {
+      def go: ZChannel[Any, ZNothing, Chunk[Res], Any, StatusException, Chunk[Res], Unit] =
+        ZChannel.readWithCause(
+          xs =>
+            ZChannel.fromZIO(GIO.attempt(xs.foreach(call.call.sendMessage))) *>
+              ZChannel.suspend(if (call.call.isReady()) go else ZChannel.fromZIO(call.awaitReady) *> go),
+          c => ZChannel.failCause(c),
+          _ => ZChannel.unit
+        )
 
-    def takeFromCache(
-        xs: Chunk[Exit[Option[StatusException], Res]],
-        queue: Dequeue[Exit[Option[StatusException], Res]]
-    ): ZIO[Any, StatusException, Unit] =
-      ZIO.suspendSucceed {
-        @tailrec def innerLoop(loop: Boolean, i: Int): IO[StatusException, Unit] =
-          if (i < xs.length && loop) {
-            xs(i) match {
-              case Failure(cause) =>
-                cause.failureOrCause match {
-                  case Left(Some(status)) =>
-                    ZIO.fail(status)
-                  case Left(None)         =>
-                    ZIO.unit
-                  case Right(cause)       =>
-                    ZIO.failCause(cause)
-                }
-              case Success(value) =>
-                call.call.sendMessage(value)
-                // the loop iteration may only continue if the call can
-                // still accept elements and we have more elements to send
-                innerLoop(call.call.isReady, i + 1)
-            }
-          } else if (loop)
-            // ^ if we reached the end of the chunk but the call can still
-            // proceed, we pull from the queue and continue
-            takeFromQueue(queue)
-          else
-            // ^ otherwise, we wait for the call to be ready and then start again
-            call.awaitReady *> takeFromCache(xs.drop(i), queue)
-
-        if (xs.isEmpty)
-          takeFromQueue(queue)
-        else
-          innerLoop(true, 0)
-      }
+      ZSink.fromChannel(go)
+    }
 
     for {
       queueSize <- backpressureQueueSize
-      _         <- ZIO
-                     .scoped[Any](
-                       stream
-                         .toQueueOfElements(queueSize)
-                         .flatMap(queue => call.awaitReady *> takeFromQueue(queue))
-                     )
+      _         <- stream.buffer(queueSize).run(backpressureSink)
     } yield ()
   }
 }