diff --git a/lib/delayed/backend/active_record.rb b/lib/delayed/backend/active_record.rb
index 62b186a1..92bef39f 100644
--- a/lib/delayed/backend/active_record.rb
+++ b/lib/delayed/backend/active_record.rb
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class Job < ::ActiveRecord::Base
                           :failed_at, :locked_at, :locked_by, :handler
         end
 
-        scope :by_priority, lambda { order("priority ASC, run_at ASC") }
+        scope :by_priority, lambda { order(:priority, :run_at) }
         scope :min_priority, lambda { where("priority >= ?", Worker.min_priority) if Worker.min_priority }
         scope :max_priority, lambda { where("priority <= ?", Worker.max_priority) if Worker.max_priority }
         scope :for_queues, lambda { |queues = Worker.queues| where(queue: queues) if Array(queues).any? }
@@ -52,13 +52,14 @@ def self.set_delayed_job_table_name
 
         set_delayed_job_table_name
 
-        def self.ready_to_run(worker_name, max_run_time)
-          where(
-            "((run_at <= ? AND (locked_at IS NULL OR locked_at < ?)) OR locked_by = ?) AND failed_at IS NULL",
-            db_time_now,
-            db_time_now - max_run_time,
-            worker_name
-          )
+        def self.ready_to_run(worker_name, max_run_time) # rubocop:disable Metrics/AbcSize
+          not_failed = arel_table[:failed_at].eq(nil)
+          time_to_run = arel_table[:run_at].lteq(db_time_now)
+          not_locked = arel_table[:locked_at].eq(nil)
+          lock_expired = arel_table[:locked_at].lt(db_time_now - max_run_time)
+          locked_by_me = arel_table[:locked_by].eq(worker_name)
+
+          where(not_failed.and(time_to_run).and(not_locked.or(lock_expired).or(locked_by_me)))
         end
 
         def self.before_fork
@@ -128,11 +129,14 @@ def self.reserve_with_scope_using_optimized_postgres(ready_scope, worker, now)
           # http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.0/static/sql-select.html#SQL-FOR-UPDATE-SHARE
           # Note: active_record would attempt to generate UPDATE...LIMIT like
           # SQL for Postgres if we use a .limit() filter, but it would not
-          # use 'FOR UPDATE' and we would have many locking conflicts
-          quoted_name = connection.quote_table_name(table_name)
-          subquery    = ready_scope.limit(1).lock(true).select("id").to_sql
-          sql         = "UPDATE #{quoted_name} SET locked_at = ?, locked_by = ? WHERE id IN (#{subquery}) RETURNING *"
-          reserved    = find_by_sql([sql, now, worker.name])
+          # use 'FOR UPDATE' and we would have many locking conflicts.
+          # This was further updated for some edge cases around locking multiple records
+          # with solutions discussed at length here
+          # https://dba.stackexchange.com/questions/69471/postgres-update-limit-1
+          quoted_name = Delayed::Job.arel_table.alias(:dj).to_sql
+          subquery = ready_scope.where("pg_try_advisory_xact_lock(id)").limit(1).lock(true).select(:id).to_sql
+          sql = "UPDATE #{quoted_name} SET locked_at = ?, locked_by = ? WHERE dj.id = (#{subquery}) RETURNING dj.*"
+          reserved = transaction { find_by_sql([sql, now, worker.name]) }
           reserved[0]
         end
 
@@ -143,12 +147,16 @@ def self.reserve_with_scope_using_optimized_mysql(ready_scope, worker, now)
           # while updating. But during the where clause, for mysql(>=5.6.4),
           # it queries with precision as well. So removing the precision
           now = now.change(usec: 0)
+
           # This works on MySQL and possibly some other DBs that support
           # UPDATE...LIMIT. It uses separate queries to lock and return the job
-          count = ready_scope.limit(1).update_all(locked_at: now, locked_by: worker.name)
-          return nil if count == 0
+          sets = "locked_at = :now, locked_by = :name, id = (SELECT @dj_update_id := id)"
+          transaction do
+            count = ready_scope.limit(1).update_all([sets, now: now, name: worker.name])
+            return nil if count == 0
 
-          where(locked_at: now, locked_by: worker.name, failed_at: nil).first
+            where("id = @dj_update_id").first
+          end
         end
 
         def self.reserve_with_scope_using_optimized_mssql(ready_scope, worker, now)