diff --git a/arroyo/processing/strategies/run_task.py b/arroyo/processing/strategies/run_task.py
index 29c4d931..11627d26 100644
--- a/arroyo/processing/strategies/run_task.py
+++ b/arroyo/processing/strategies/run_task.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import time
 from typing import Callable, Generic, Optional, TypeVar, Union, cast
 
-from arroyo.processing.strategies.abstract import ProcessingStrategy
+from arroyo.processing.strategies.abstract import MessageRejected, ProcessingStrategy
 from arroyo.processing.strategies.guard import StrategyGuard
 from arroyo.types import FilteredPayload, Message, TStrategyPayload
 
@@ -24,12 +25,13 @@ def __new__(
         cls,
         function: Callable[[Message[TStrategyPayload]], TResult],
         next_step: ProcessingStrategy[Union[FilteredPayload, TResult]],
+        better_backpressure: bool = False,
     ) -> RunTask[TStrategyPayload, TResult]:
         def build_self(
             next_step: ProcessingStrategy[Union[FilteredPayload, TResult]]
         ) -> ProcessingStrategy[Union[FilteredPayload, TResult]]:
             self = object.__new__(RunTask)
-            self.__init__(function, next_step)  # type: ignore
+            self.__init__(function, next_step, better_backpressure)  # type: ignore
             return self
 
         return cast(
@@ -40,25 +42,67 @@ def __init__(
         self,
         function: Callable[[Message[TStrategyPayload]], TResult],
         next_step: ProcessingStrategy[Union[FilteredPayload, TResult]],
+        better_backpressure: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         self.__function = function
         self.__next_step = next_step
+        self.__better_backpressure = better_backpressure
+        self.__message_carried_over: Optional[Message[TResult]] = None
 
     def submit(
         self, message: Message[Union[FilteredPayload, TStrategyPayload]]
     ) -> None:
-        result = self.__function(cast(Message[TStrategyPayload], message))
-        value = message.value.replace(result)
-        self.__next_step.submit(Message(value))
+        if self.__better_backpressure:
+            if self.__message_carried_over is not None:
+                raise MessageRejected(message)
+
+            result = self.__function(cast(Message[TStrategyPayload], message))
+            value = message.value.replace(result)
+            transformed: Message[TResult] = Message(value)
+
+            try:
+                self.__next_step.submit(transformed)
+            except MessageRejected:
+                self.__message_carried_over = transformed
+        else:
+            result = self.__function(cast(Message[TStrategyPayload], message))
+            value = message.value.replace(result)
+            self.__next_step.submit(Message(value))
 
     def poll(self) -> None:
         self.__next_step.poll()
 
+        if self.__better_backpressure and self.__message_carried_over is not None:
+            try:
+                self.__next_step.submit(self.__message_carried_over)
+                self.__message_carried_over = None
+            except MessageRejected:
+                pass
+
     def join(self, timeout: Optional[float] = None) -> None:
-        self.__next_step.join(timeout=timeout)
+        deadline = time.time() + timeout if timeout is not None else None
+
+        if self.__better_backpressure:
+            msg = self.__message_carried_over
+            if msg is not None:
+                while deadline is None or time.time() < deadline:
+                    self.__next_step.poll()
+                    try:
+                        self.__next_step.submit(msg)
+                        self.__message_carried_over = None
+                        break
+                    except MessageRejected:
+                        pass
+
+            remaining = max(deadline - time.time(), 0) if deadline is not None else None
+            self.__next_step.close()
+            self.__next_step.join(timeout=remaining)
+        else:
+            self.__next_step.join(timeout=timeout)
 
     def close(self) -> None:
-        self.__next_step.close()
+        if not self.__better_backpressure:
+            self.__next_step.close()
 
     def terminate(self) -> None:
         self.__next_step.terminate()
diff --git a/tests/processing/strategies/test_run_task.py b/tests/processing/strategies/test_run_task.py
index 5ad3e76f..e371351c 100644
--- a/tests/processing/strategies/test_run_task.py
+++ b/tests/processing/strategies/test_run_task.py
@@ -2,17 +2,21 @@
 from datetime import datetime
 from unittest.mock import Mock, call
 
+import pytest
+
+from arroyo.processing.strategies.abstract import MessageRejected
 from arroyo.processing.strategies.run_task import RunTask
 from arroyo.types import BrokerValue, Message, Partition, Topic, Value
 from tests.assertions import assert_changes
 
 
-def test_run_task() -> None:
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("better_backpressure", [False, True])
+def test_run_task(better_backpressure: bool) -> None:
     mock_func = Mock()
     next_step = Mock()
     now = datetime.now()
 
-    strategy = RunTask(mock_func, next_step)
+    strategy = RunTask(mock_func, next_step, better_backpressure=better_backpressure)
     partition = Partition(Topic("topic"), 0)
 
     strategy.submit(Message(Value(b"hello", {partition: 1}, now)))
@@ -42,14 +46,17 @@ def test_run_task() -> None:
     assert next_step.submit.call_count == 2
 
 
-def test_transform() -> None:
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("better_backpressure", [False, True])
+def test_transform(better_backpressure: bool) -> None:
     next_step = Mock()
     now = datetime.now()
 
     def transform_function(value: Message[int]) -> int:
         return value.payload * 2
 
-    transform_step = RunTask(transform_function, next_step)
+    transform_step = RunTask(
+        transform_function, next_step, better_backpressure=better_backpressure
+    )
 
     original_message = Message(Value(1, {Partition(Topic("topic"), 0): 1}, now))
 
@@ -95,3 +102,63 @@ def transform_function(value: Message[int]) -> int:
             )
         )
     )
+
+
+def test_backpressure_function_called_once() -> None:
+    """
+    With better_backpressure=True, the function should only be called once
+    per message even when next_step raises MessageRejected.
+    """
+    call_count = 0
+
+    def counting_function(msg: Message[bytes]) -> bytes:
+        nonlocal call_count
+        call_count += 1
+        return msg.payload
+
+    next_step = Mock()
+    # First call rejects, second accepts
+    next_step.submit.side_effect = [MessageRejected(Mock()), None]
+
+    strategy = RunTask(counting_function, next_step, better_backpressure=True)
+    partition = Partition(Topic("topic"), 0)
+    now = datetime.now()
+
+    msg = Message(Value(b"hello", {partition: 1}, now))
+    strategy.submit(msg)
+
+    assert call_count == 1
+
+    # poll() should retry and succeed
+    strategy.poll()
+
+    assert call_count == 1
+    assert next_step.submit.call_count == 2
+
+
+def test_backpressure_join_flushes_message() -> None:
+    """
+    With better_backpressure=True, join() should flush carried-over messages.
+    """
+
+    def identity(msg: Message[bytes]) -> bytes:
+        return msg.payload
+
+    next_step = Mock()
+    # First submit rejects, then accepts during join
+    next_step.submit.side_effect = [MessageRejected(Mock()), None]
+
+    strategy = RunTask(identity, next_step, better_backpressure=True)
+    partition = Partition(Topic("topic"), 0)
+    now = datetime.now()
+
+    msg = Message(Value(b"hello", {partition: 1}, now))
+    strategy.submit(msg)
+
+    assert next_step.submit.call_count == 1
+
+    # join() should flush the carried-over message
+    strategy.join(timeout=1.0)
+
+    assert next_step.submit.call_count == 2
+    assert next_step.join.call_count == 1