diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 113203adb..a4eecbcaf 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -228,20 +228,32 @@ impl Index {
             for positions in positions {
                 let before = Instant::now();
 
-                let mut intersect_docids: Option<RoaringBitmap> = None;
-                for (word, pos) in positions.iter().enumerate() {
-                    let before = Instant::now();
-                    let union_docids = union_cache.entry((word, *pos)).or_insert_with(|| unions_word_pos(word, *pos));
+                let mut to_intersect: Vec<_> = positions.iter()
+                    .enumerate()
+                    .map(|(word, pos)| {
+                        let docids = union_cache.entry((word, *pos)).or_insert_with(|| unions_word_pos(word, *pos));
+                        // FIXME don't clone here
+                        (docids.len(), docids.clone())
+                    })
+                    .collect();
 
-                    let before_intersect = Instant::now();
-                    match &mut intersect_docids {
-                        Some(left) => left.intersect_with(&union_docids),
-                        None => intersect_docids = Some(union_docids.clone()),
-                    }
+                to_intersect.sort_unstable_by_key(|(l, _)| *l);
+                let elapsed_retrieving = before.elapsed();
 
-                    eprintln!("retrieving words took {:.02?} and took {:.02?} to intersect",
-                        before.elapsed(), before_intersect.elapsed());
-                }
+                let before_intersect = Instant::now();
+                let intersect_docids: Option<RoaringBitmap> = to_intersect.into_iter()
+                    .fold(None, |acc, (_, union_docids)| {
+                        match acc {
+                            Some(mut left) => {
+                                left.intersect_with(&union_docids);
+                                Some(left)
+                            },
+                            None => Some(union_docids.clone()),
+                        }
+                    });
+
+                eprintln!("retrieving words took {:.02?} and took {:.02?} to intersect",
+                    elapsed_retrieving, before_intersect.elapsed());
 
                 eprintln!("for proximity {:?} {:?} we took {:.02?} to find {} documents",
                     proximity, positions, before.elapsed(),