diff --git a/datalad_slurm/common.py b/datalad_slurm/common.py
index 7961a54..5d82736 100644
--- a/datalad_slurm/common.py
+++ b/datalad_slurm/common.py
@@ -232,3 +232,41 @@ def check_finish_exists(dset, revision, rev_branch, allow_reschedule=True):
 
     return
 
+def extract_incomplete_jobs(dset):
+    """
+    Get the number of incomplete jobs, (re)-scheduled jobs with no finish command.
+
+    Finds the most recent finish or (re)-scheduled job. If none is found, returns 0.
+    Used to make datalad finish more efficient.
+    """
+    ds_repo = dset.repo
+    revrange = ds_repo.get_corresponding_branch() or ds_repo.get_active_branch() or "HEAD"
+    rev_lines = ds_repo.get_revisions(
+        revrange, fmt="%H %P", options=["--topo-order"]
+    )
+    if not rev_lines:
+        return 0
+
+    for rev_line in rev_lines:
+        # The strip() below is necessary because, with the format above, a
+        # commit without any parent has a trailing space. (We could also use a
+        # custom `rev-list --parents ...` call to avoid this.)
+        fields = rev_line.strip().split(" ")
+        rev, parents = fields[0], fields[1:]
+        full_msg = ds_repo.format_commit("%B", rev)
+        # see if we get a hit on a finish command
+        msg, info = get_finish_info(dset, full_msg)
+        if msg and info:
+            try:
+                return info["incomplete_job_number"]
+            except KeyError:
+                return 0
+        # see if we get a hit on a (re)schedule command
+        msg, info = get_schedule_info(dset, full_msg)
+        if msg and info:
+            try:
+                return info["incomplete_job_number"]
+            except KeyError:
+                return 0
+    return 0
+
diff --git a/datalad_slurm/finish.py b/datalad_slurm/finish.py
index cdbf4b1..1ecc517 100644
--- a/datalad_slurm/finish.py
+++ b/datalad_slurm/finish.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
     quote_cmdlinearg,
 )
 
-from .common import check_finish_exists, get_schedule_info
+from .common import check_finish_exists, get_schedule_info, extract_incomplete_jobs
 
 from datalad.core.local.run import _create_record, get_command_pwds
 
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ def get_scheduled_commits(since, dset, branch):
         revrange = "{}..{}".format(since, revision)
 
     rev_lines = ds_repo.get_revisions(
-        revrange, fmt="%H %P", options=["--reverse", "--topo-order"]
+        revrange, fmt="%H %P", options=["--topo-order"]
     )
     if not rev_lines:
         return
@@ -234,7 +234,11 @@ def get_scheduled_commits(since, dset, branch):
         # custom `rev-list --parents ...` call to avoid this.)
         fields = rev_line.strip().split(" ")
         rev, parents = fields[0], fields[1:]
-        res = get_status_dict("run", ds=dset, commit=rev, parents=parents)
+        # get the incomplete job number
+        incomplete_job_number = extract_incomplete_jobs(dset)
+        # only go as far back as the last commit with no unfinished jobs
+        if incomplete_job_number == 0:
+            break
         full_msg = ds_repo.format_commit("%B", rev)
         try:
             msg, info = get_schedule_info(dset, full_msg)
@@ -248,6 +252,9 @@ def get_scheduled_commits(since, dset, branch):
             # Recast the error so the message includes the revision.
             raise ValueError("Error on {}'s message".format(rev)) from exc
 
+    # reverse the order
+    commit_list.reverse()
+
     return commit_list
 
 
@@ -365,6 +372,10 @@ def finish_cmd(
     # slurm_submission_file = f"slurm-job-submission-{slurm_job_id}"
     # os.remove(slurm_submission_file)
 
+    # get the number of incomplete jobs and subtract one
+    incomplete_job_number = extract_incomplete_jobs(ds)
+    run_info["incomplete_job_number"] = incomplete_job_number - 1
+
     # expand the wildcards
     # TODO do this in a better way with GlobbedPaths
     globbed_outputs = []
diff --git a/datalad_slurm/schedule.py b/datalad_slurm/schedule.py
index 845fbe0..da2f8b9 100644
--- a/datalad_slurm/schedule.py
+++ b/datalad_slurm/schedule.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@
     _get_substitutions,
 )
 
-from .common import get_schedule_info, check_finish_exists
+from .common import get_schedule_info, check_finish_exists, extract_incomplete_jobs
 
 lgr = logging.getLogger("datalad.slurm.schedule")
 
@@ -673,6 +673,10 @@ def run_command(
         )
         return
 
+    # extract the incomplete job number
+    incomplete_job_number = extract_incomplete_jobs(ds)
+    run_info["incomplete_job_number"] = incomplete_job_number + 1
+
     # now check history of outputs in un-finished slurm commands
     if check_outputs:
         output_conflict = check_output_conflict(ds, run_info["outputs"])