diff --git a/include/Base_Thread.h b/include/Base_Thread.h
index 485fec913..b4fb25c1a 100644
--- a/include/Base_Thread.h
+++ b/include/Base_Thread.h
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ private:
 	template<typename T>
 	void check_for_invalid_fd(unsigned int n);
 	template<typename S>
-	void ProcessAllSessions_SortingSessions();
+	void ProcessAllSessions_Partition();
 	template<typename T>
 	void ProcessAllMyDS_AfterPoll();
 	template<typename T>
diff --git a/lib/Base_Thread.cpp b/lib/Base_Thread.cpp
index 263ac1004..25155dbf6 100644
--- a/lib/Base_Thread.cpp
+++ b/lib/Base_Thread.cpp
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@
 // Explicitly instantiate the required template class and member functions
 template MySQL_Session* Base_Thread::create_new_session_and_client_data_stream<MySQL_Thread, MySQL_Session*>(int);
 template PgSQL_Session* Base_Thread::create_new_session_and_client_data_stream<PgSQL_Thread, PgSQL_Session*>(int);
-template void Base_Thread::ProcessAllSessions_SortingSessions<MySQL_Session>();
-template void Base_Thread::ProcessAllSessions_SortingSessions<PgSQL_Session>();
+template void Base_Thread::ProcessAllSessions_Partition<MySQL_Session>();
+template void Base_Thread::ProcessAllSessions_Partition<PgSQL_Session>();
 template void Base_Thread::ProcessAllMyDS_AfterPoll<MySQL_Thread>();
 template void Base_Thread::ProcessAllMyDS_AfterPoll<PgSQL_Thread>();
 template void Base_Thread::ProcessAllMyDS_BeforePoll<MySQL_Thread>();
@@ -230,34 +230,58 @@ void Base_Thread::check_for_invalid_fd(unsigned int n) {
 	}
 }
 
-// this function was inline in  MySQL_Thread::process_all_sessions()
+
 /**
- * @brief Sort all sessions based on maximum connection time.
- * 
- * This function iterates through all MySQL sessions and sorts them based on their maximum connection time.
- * Sessions with a valid maximum connection time are compared, and if one session has a greater maximum connection
- * time than another, their positions in the session list are swapped. The sorting is performed in-place.
- * 
- * @note This function assumes that MySQL sessions and their associated data structures have been initialized
- * and are accessible within the MySQL Thread.
+ * @brief Partition all sessions into three contiguous blocks
+ *
+ * Layout produced in mysql_sessions->pdata:
+ *   [0, running_end)         block A: running a query against the backend
+ *   [running_end, idle_begin) block B: acquiring a backend (max_connect_time != 0)
+ *   [idle_begin, len)        block C: idle (no backend, or holds-conn-but-WAITING_CLIENT_DATA)
+ *
+ * Block A is "session is currently driving the backend" — these sessions have a chance
+ * of releasing the connection at end-of-query (depending on multiplexing eligibility,
+ * transaction state, etc.), giving block B sessions a fairness chance to acquire it.
+ * Sessions parked in WAITING_CLIENT_DATA (e.g., idle in a transaction after BEGIN) hold
+ * the conn but cannot release it until the client sends the next packet, so they live in C.
+ *
+ * Classification tests max_connect_time first: it must win over A even when myconn != NULL,
+ * to catch CHANGING_USER_SERVER on pooled connections and the post-error retry path where
+ * the old conn hasn't been destroyed yet.
+ *
+ * Single O(n) pass, in place. idx walks up, idle_begin walks down, they meet and terminate.
  */
 template<typename S>
-void Base_Thread::ProcessAllSessions_SortingSessions() {
-	unsigned int a=0;
-	for (unsigned int n=0; n<mysql_sessions->len; n++) {
-		S *sess=(S *)mysql_sessions->index(n);
-		if (sess->mybe && sess->mybe->server_myds) {
-			if (sess->mybe->server_myds->max_connect_time) {
-				S *sess2=(S *)mysql_sessions->index(a);
-				if (sess2->mybe && sess2->mybe->server_myds && sess2->mybe->server_myds->max_connect_time && sess2->mybe->server_myds->max_connect_time <= sess->mybe->server_myds->max_connect_time) {
-					// do nothing
-				} else {
-					void *p=mysql_sessions->pdata[a];
-					mysql_sessions->pdata[a]=mysql_sessions->pdata[n];
-					mysql_sessions->pdata[n]=p;
-					a++;
-				}
+void Base_Thread::ProcessAllSessions_Partition() {
+	size_t running_end = 0;
+	size_t idle_begin = mysql_sessions->len;
+	size_t idx = 0;
+
+	while (idx < idle_begin) {
+		S* s = static_cast<S*>(mysql_sessions->index(idx));
+
+		const bool has_be = (s->mybe && s->mybe->server_myds);
+		const bool is_B = has_be && (s->mybe->server_myds->max_connect_time != 0);
+		const bool is_A = !is_B && has_be && (s->mybe->server_myds->myconn != nullptr) && (s->status != WAITING_CLIENT_DATA);
+
+		if (is_A) {
+			if (idx != running_end) {
+				void* p = mysql_sessions->pdata[idx];
+				mysql_sessions->pdata[idx] = mysql_sessions->pdata[running_end];
+				mysql_sessions->pdata[running_end] = p;
+			}
+			++running_end;
+			++idx;
+		} else if (is_B) {
+			++idx;
+		} else {
+			--idle_begin;
+			if (idx != idle_begin) {
+				void* p = mysql_sessions->pdata[idx];
+				mysql_sessions->pdata[idx] = mysql_sessions->pdata[idle_begin];
+				mysql_sessions->pdata[idle_begin] = p;
 			}
+			// do NOT advance idx - re-examine the swapped-in element test
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/lib/MySQL_Thread.cpp b/lib/MySQL_Thread.cpp
index 1e4847663..26abae76e 100644
--- a/lib/MySQL_Thread.cpp
+++ b/lib/MySQL_Thread.cpp
@@ -4453,7 +4453,7 @@ void MySQL_Thread::process_all_sessions() {
 	}
 #endif // IDLE_THREADS
 	if (sess_sort && mysql_sessions->len > 3) {
-		ProcessAllSessions_SortingSessions<MySQL_Session>();
+		ProcessAllSessions_Partition<MySQL_Session>();
 	}
 	for (n=0; n<mysql_sessions->len; n++) {
 		MySQL_Session *sess=(MySQL_Session *)mysql_sessions->index(n);
diff --git a/lib/PgSQL_Thread.cpp b/lib/PgSQL_Thread.cpp
index e99e3f8c5..94874e39e 100644
--- a/lib/PgSQL_Thread.cpp
+++ b/lib/PgSQL_Thread.cpp
@@ -3833,7 +3833,7 @@ void PgSQL_Thread::process_all_sessions() {
 	}
 #endif // IDLE_THREADS
 	if (sess_sort && mysql_sessions->len > 3) {
-		ProcessAllSessions_SortingSessions<PgSQL_Session>();
+		ProcessAllSessions_Partition<PgSQL_Session>();
 	}
 	for (n = 0; n < mysql_sessions->len; n++) {
 		PgSQL_Session* sess = (PgSQL_Session*)mysql_sessions->index(n);