diff --git a/seaweed-volume/src/server/write_queue.rs b/seaweed-volume/src/server/write_queue.rs
index 6986f7ab9..3e1861bb2 100644
--- a/seaweed-volume/src/server/write_queue.rs
+++ b/seaweed-volume/src/server/write_queue.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ pub struct WriteRequest {
 /// Maximum number of write requests to batch together.
 const MAX_BATCH_SIZE: usize = 128;
 
+/// Maximum bytes to accumulate per batch before breaking (matches Go's 4MB limit).
+/// This prevents large writes from accumulating unbounded latency.
+const MAX_BATCH_BYTES: usize = 4 * 1024 * 1024;
+
 /// Handle for submitting write requests to the background worker.
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct WriteQueue {
@@ -97,13 +101,18 @@ impl WriteQueueWorker {
                 }
             };
 
-            // Drain as many additional requests as available, up to MAX_BATCH_SIZE.
+            // Drain as many additional requests as available, up to MAX_BATCH_SIZE
+            // or MAX_BATCH_BYTES (matches Go: 128 requests or 4MB, whichever comes first).
             let mut batch = Vec::with_capacity(MAX_BATCH_SIZE);
+            let mut batch_bytes: usize = first.needle.data.len();
             batch.push(first);
 
-            while batch.len() < MAX_BATCH_SIZE {
+            while batch.len() < MAX_BATCH_SIZE && batch_bytes < MAX_BATCH_BYTES {
                 match self.rx.try_recv() {
-                    Ok(req) => batch.push(req),
+                    Ok(req) => {
+                        batch_bytes += req.needle.data.len();
+                        batch.push(req);
+                    }
                     Err(_) => break,
                 }
             }