diff --git a/src/events.c b/src/events.c
index 2fc1cd79..aff8576e 100644
--- a/src/events.c
+++ b/src/events.c
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ static bool events_invoke_handlers(SDL_Event *event, ListContainer *h_list, Even
 
 		// merge the array into the list copy, respecting priority
 		for(EventHandler *h = h_array; h->proc; ++h) {
-			list_insert_at_priority(
+			list_insert_at_priority_tail(
 				&merged_list,
 				list_wrap_container(h),
 				real_priority(h->priority),
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ void events_register_handler(EventHandler *handler) {
 	}
 
 	assert(handler_alloc->priority > EPRIO_DEFAULT);
-	list_insert_at_priority(
+	list_insert_at_priority_tail(
 		&global_handlers,
 		list_wrap_container(handler_alloc),
 		handler_alloc->priority,
diff --git a/src/item.c b/src/item.c
index db952cdf..3efac6fb 100644
--- a/src/item.c
+++ b/src/item.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ Item* create_item(complex pos, complex v, ItemType type) {
 	}
 
 	Item *i = (Item*)objpool_acquire(stage_object_pools.items);
-	list_insert_at_priority(&global.items, i, type, item_prio);
+	list_insert_at_priority_tail(&global.items, i, type, item_prio);
 
 	i->pos = pos;
 	i->pos0 = pos;
diff --git a/src/list.c b/src/list.c
index 90070ed3..8bf87506 100644
--- a/src/list.c
+++ b/src/list.c
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ List* list_append(List **dest, List *elem) {
 	return list_insert(&end, elem);
 }
 
-List* list_insert_at_priority(List **list_head, List *elem, int prio, ListPriorityFunc prio_func) {
+__attribute__((hot))
+static List* list_insert_at_priority(List **list_head, List *elem, int prio, ListPriorityFunc prio_func, bool head) {
 	assert(list_head != NULL);
 	assert(elem != NULL);
 	assert(prio_func != NULL);
@@ -84,9 +85,16 @@ List* list_insert_at_priority(List **list_head, List *elem, int prio, ListPriori
 	int dest_prio = prio_func(dest);
 	int candidate_prio = dest_prio;
 
-	for(List *e = dest->next; e && (candidate_prio = prio_func(e)) <= prio; e = e->next) {
-		dest = e;
-		dest_prio = candidate_prio;
+	if(head) {
+		for(List *e = dest->next; e && (candidate_prio = prio_func(e)) <  prio; e = e->next) {
+			dest = e;
+			dest_prio = candidate_prio;
+		}
+	} else {
+		for(List *e = dest->next; e && (candidate_prio = prio_func(e)) <= prio; e = e->next) {
+			dest = e;
+			dest_prio = candidate_prio;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if(dest == *list_head && dest_prio > prio) {
@@ -113,6 +121,14 @@ List* list_insert_at_priority(List **list_head, List *elem, int prio, ListPriori
 	return elem;
 }
 
+List* list_insert_at_priority_head(List **dest, List *elem, int prio, ListPriorityFunc prio_func){
+	return list_insert_at_priority(dest, elem, prio, prio_func, true);
+}
+
+List* list_insert_at_priority_tail(List **dest, List *elem, int prio, ListPriorityFunc prio_func){
+	return list_insert_at_priority(dest, elem, prio, prio_func, false);
+}
+
 List* list_unlink(List **dest, List *elem) {
 	if(elem->prev != NULL) {
 		elem->prev->next = elem->next;
diff --git a/src/list.h b/src/list.h
index cb10d5ef..9993fa29 100644
--- a/src/list.h
+++ b/src/list.h
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ typedef List* (*ListInsertionRule)(List **dest, List *elem);
 List* list_insert(List **dest, List *elem);
 List* list_push(List **dest, List *elem);
 List* list_append(List **dest, List *elem);
-List* list_insert_at_priority(List **dest, List *elem, int prio, ListPriorityFunc prio_func) __attribute__((hot));
+List* list_insert_at_priority_head(List **dest, List *elem, int prio, ListPriorityFunc prio_func) __attribute__((hot));
+List* list_insert_at_priority_tail(List **dest, List *elem, int prio, ListPriorityFunc prio_func) __attribute__((hot));
 List* list_pop(List **dest);
 List* list_unlink(List **dest, List *elem);
 void* list_foreach(List **dest, ListForeachCallback callback, void *arg);
@@ -81,8 +82,11 @@ ListContainer* list_wrap_container(void *data);
 #define list_append(dest,elem) \
     (LIST_CAST_RETURN(elem) list_append(LIST_CAST(dest, **), LIST_CAST(elem, *)))
 
-#define list_insert_at_priority(dest,elem,prio,prio_func) \
-    (LIST_CAST_RETURN(elem) list_insert_at_priority(LIST_CAST(dest, **), LIST_CAST(elem, *), prio, prio_func))
+#define list_insert_at_priority_head(dest,elem,prio,prio_func) \
+    (LIST_CAST_RETURN(elem) list_insert_at_priority_head(LIST_CAST(dest, **), LIST_CAST(elem, *), prio, prio_func))
+
+#define list_insert_at_priority_tail(dest,elem,prio,prio_func) \
+    (LIST_CAST_RETURN(elem) list_insert_at_priority_tail(LIST_CAST(dest, **), LIST_CAST(elem, *), prio, prio_func))
 
 #define list_pop(dest) \
     (LIST_CAST_RETURN(*(dest)) list_pop(LIST_CAST(dest, **)))
diff --git a/src/projectile.c b/src/projectile.c
index d97e00e5..ffd748b7 100644
--- a/src/projectile.c
+++ b/src/projectile.c
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ static int projectile_sizeprio_func(List *vproj) {
 }
 
 List* proj_insert_sizeprio(List **dest, List *elem) {
-	return list_insert_at_priority(dest, elem, projectile_sizeprio_func(elem), projectile_sizeprio_func);
+	return list_insert_at_priority_tail(dest, elem, projectile_sizeprio_func(elem), projectile_sizeprio_func);
 }
 
 static int projectile_colorprio_func(List *vproj) {
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ static int projectile_colorprio_func(List *vproj) {
 }
 
 List* proj_insert_colorprio(List **dest, List *elem) {
-	return list_insert_at_priority(dest, elem, projectile_colorprio_func(elem), projectile_colorprio_func);
+	return list_insert_at_priority_head(dest, elem, projectile_colorprio_func(elem), projectile_colorprio_func);
 	// return list_push(dest, elem);
 }