diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/translog/memory/MemoryTranslog.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/translog/memory/MemoryTranslog.java
index 4ca747d2395..872eeaaf721 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/translog/memory/MemoryTranslog.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/index/translog/memory/MemoryTranslog.java
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@ import org.elasticsearch.index.translog.TranslogException;
 import org.elasticsearch.util.SizeUnit;
 import org.elasticsearch.util.SizeValue;
 import org.elasticsearch.util.concurrent.ThreadSafe;
-import org.elasticsearch.util.concurrent.jsr166y.LinkedTransferQueue;
 import org.elasticsearch.util.guice.inject.Inject;
 import org.elasticsearch.util.settings.Settings;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Queue;
+import java.util.concurrent.LinkedBlockingQueue;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicLong;
 
 /**
@@ -49,7 +49,10 @@ public class MemoryTranslog extends AbstractIndexShardComponent implements Trans
 
     private volatile long id;
 
-    private final Queue<Operation> operations = new LinkedTransferQueue<Operation>();
+    // we use LinkedBlockingQueue and not LinkedTransferQueue since we clear it on #newTranslog
+    // and with LinkedTransferQueue, nodes are not really cleared, just marked causing for memory
+    // not to be cleaned properly (besides, clear is  heavy..., "while ... poll").
+    private final Queue<Operation> operations = new LinkedBlockingQueue<Operation>();
 
     @Inject public MemoryTranslog(ShardId shardId, @IndexSettings Settings indexSettings) {
         super(shardId, indexSettings);