diff --git a/transcoder/src/stream.go b/transcoder/src/stream.go
index 8950bcd2..5b8e5df1 100644
--- a/transcoder/src/stream.go
+++ b/transcoder/src/stream.go
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ type StreamHandle interface {
 }
 
 type Stream struct {
-	handle  StreamHandle
-	file    *FileStream
+	handle StreamHandle
+	file   *FileStream
 	// channel open if the segment is not ready. closed if ready.
 	// one can check if segment 1 is open by doing:
 	//
@@ -270,10 +270,17 @@ func (ts *Stream) Kill() {
 	ts.lock.Lock()
 	defer ts.lock.Unlock()
 
-	for _, cmd := range ts.commands {
-		if cmd == nil {
-			continue
-		}
-		cmd.Process.Signal(os.Interrupt)
+	for id := range ts.commands {
+		ts.KillHead(id)
 	}
 }
+
+// Stream assume to be locked
+func (ts *Stream) KillHead(encoder_id int) {
+	if ts.commands[encoder_id] == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	ts.commands[encoder_id].Process.Signal(os.Interrupt)
+	ts.commands[encoder_id] = nil
+	ts.heads[encoder_id] = -1
+}
diff --git a/transcoder/src/tracker.go b/transcoder/src/tracker.go
index 160fd9f1..a9958797 100644
--- a/transcoder/src/tracker.go
+++ b/transcoder/src/tracker.go
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 package src
 
+import (
+	"log"
+)
+
 type ClientInfo struct {
 	client  string
 	path    string
@@ -22,6 +26,13 @@ func NewTracker(t *Transcoder) *Tracker {
 	return ret
 }
 
+func Abs(x int32) int32 {
+	if x < 0 {
+		return -x
+	}
+	return x
+}
+
 func (t *Tracker) start() {
 	for {
 		info := <-t.transcoder.clientChan
@@ -44,6 +55,9 @@ func (t *Tracker) start() {
 			if old.quality != info.quality && old.quality != nil {
 				t.KillQualityIfDead(old.path, *old.quality)
 			}
+			if old.head != -1 && Abs(info.head-old.head) > 100 {
+				t.KillOrphanedHeads(old.path, old.quality, old.audio)
+			}
 		} else if ok {
 			t.KillStreamIfDead(old.path)
 		}
@@ -92,3 +106,43 @@ func (t *Tracker) KillQualityIfDead(path string, quality Quality) {
 	defer stream.vlock.RUnlock()
 	stream.streams[quality].Kill()
 }
+
+func (t *Tracker) KillOrphanedHeads(path string, quality *Quality, audio int32) {
+	t.transcoder.mutex.RLock()
+	stream := t.transcoder.streams[path]
+	t.transcoder.mutex.RUnlock()
+
+	if quality != nil {
+		stream.vlock.RLock()
+		vstream := stream.streams[*quality]
+		stream.vlock.RUnlock()
+
+		t.killOrphanedeheads(&vstream.Stream)
+	}
+	if audio != -1 {
+		stream.alock.RLock()
+		astream := stream.audios[audio]
+		stream.alock.RUnlock()
+
+		t.killOrphanedeheads(&astream.Stream)
+	}
+}
+
+func (t *Tracker) killOrphanedeheads(stream *Stream) {
+	stream.lock.Lock()
+	defer stream.lock.Unlock()
+
+	for encoder_id, head := range stream.heads {
+		distance := int32(99999)
+		for _, info := range t.clients {
+			if info.head == -1 {
+				continue
+			}
+			distance = min(Abs(info.head-head), distance)
+		}
+		if distance > 100 {
+			log.Printf("Killing orphaned head %s %d", stream.file.Path, encoder_id)
+			stream.KillHead(encoder_id)
+		}
+	}
+}