diff --git a/processing/src/main/java/org/apache/druid/query/scan/ScanQueryRunnerFactory.java b/processing/src/main/java/org/apache/druid/query/scan/ScanQueryRunnerFactory.java
index 840906c31c5..45fad93d909 100644
--- a/processing/src/main/java/org/apache/druid/query/scan/ScanQueryRunnerFactory.java
+++ b/processing/src/main/java/org/apache/druid/query/scan/ScanQueryRunnerFactory.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import com.google.common.base.Function;
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
 import org.apache.druid.java.util.common.ISE;
 import org.apache.druid.java.util.common.JodaUtils;
+import org.apache.druid.java.util.common.UOE;
 import org.apache.druid.java.util.common.guava.Sequence;
 import org.apache.druid.java.util.common.guava.Sequences;
 import org.apache.druid.query.Query;
@@ -45,15 +46,18 @@ public class ScanQueryRunnerFactory implements QueryRunnerFactory<ScanResultValu
   public static final String CTX_COUNT = "count";
   private final ScanQueryQueryToolChest toolChest;
   private final ScanQueryEngine engine;
+  private final ScanQueryConfig scanQueryConfig;
 
   @Inject
   public ScanQueryRunnerFactory(
       ScanQueryQueryToolChest toolChest,
-      ScanQueryEngine engine
+      ScanQueryEngine engine,
+      ScanQueryConfig scanQueryConfig
   )
   {
     this.toolChest = toolChest;
     this.engine = engine;
+    this.scanQueryConfig = scanQueryConfig;
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -69,36 +73,39 @@ public class ScanQueryRunnerFactory implements QueryRunnerFactory<ScanResultValu
   )
   {
     // in single thread and in jetty thread instead of processing thread
-    return new QueryRunner<ScanResultValue>()
-    {
-      @Override
-      public Sequence<ScanResultValue> run(
-          final QueryPlus<ScanResultValue> queryPlus, final Map<String, Object> responseContext
-      )
-      {
-        int numSegments = 0;
-        final Iterator<QueryRunner<ScanResultValue>> segmentIt = queryRunners.iterator();
-        for (; segmentIt.hasNext(); numSegments++) {
-          segmentIt.next();
-        }
-        // Note: this variable is effective only when queryContext has a timeout.
-        // See the comment of CTX_TIMEOUT_AT.
-        final long timeoutAt = System.currentTimeMillis() + QueryContexts.getTimeout(queryPlus.getQuery());
-        responseContext.put(CTX_TIMEOUT_AT, timeoutAt);
-        return Sequences.concat(
-            Sequences.map(
-                Sequences.simple(queryRunners),
-                new Function<QueryRunner<ScanResultValue>, Sequence<ScanResultValue>>()
-                {
-                  @Override
-                  public Sequence<ScanResultValue> apply(final QueryRunner<ScanResultValue> input)
-                  {
-                    return input.run(queryPlus, responseContext);
-                  }
-                }
-            )
+    return (queryPlus, responseContext) -> {
+      ScanQuery query = (ScanQuery) queryPlus.getQuery();
+      int numSegments = 0;
+      final Iterator<QueryRunner<ScanResultValue>> segmentIt = queryRunners.iterator();
+      for (; segmentIt.hasNext(); numSegments++) {
+        segmentIt.next();
+      }
+      // Note: this variable is effective only when queryContext has a timeout.
+      // See the comment of CTX_TIMEOUT_AT.
+      final long timeoutAt = System.currentTimeMillis() + QueryContexts.getTimeout(queryPlus.getQuery());
+      responseContext.put(CTX_TIMEOUT_AT, timeoutAt);
+      if (query.getTimeOrder().equals(ScanQuery.TimeOrder.NONE)) {
+        // Use existing strategy
+      } else if (query.getLimit() <= scanQueryConfig.getMaxRowsQueuedForTimeOrdering()) {
+        // Use priority queue strategy
+      } else if (numSegments <= scanQueryConfig.getMaxSegmentsTimeOrderedInMemory()) {
+        // Use flatMerge strategy
+      } else {
+        throw new UOE(
+            "Time ordering for result set limit of %,d is not supported.  Try lowering the "
+            + "result set size to less than or equal to the time ordering limit of %,d.",
+            query.getLimit(),
+            scanQueryConfig.getMaxRowsQueuedForTimeOrdering()
         );
       }
+
+      return Sequences.concat(
+          Sequences.map(
+              Sequences.simple(queryRunners),
+              input -> input.run(queryPlus, responseContext)
+          )
+      );
+
     };
   }