diff --git a/django_q/brokers/orm.py b/django_q/brokers/orm.py
index b56c560..f3a180b 100644
--- a/django_q/brokers/orm.py
+++ b/django_q/brokers/orm.py
@@ -1,21 +1,30 @@
 from datetime import timedelta
 from time import sleep
+
 from django.utils import timezone
-from django.db.models import Q
+
 from django_q.brokers import Broker
 from django_q.models import OrmQ
 from django_q.conf import Conf
 
 
+def _timeout():
+    return timezone.now() - timedelta(seconds=Conf.RETRY)
+
+
 class ORM(Broker):
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_connection(list_key=Conf.PREFIX):
+        return OrmQ.objects.using(Conf.ORM)
+
     def queue_size(self):
-        return OrmQ.objects.using(Conf.ORM) \
-            .filter(Q(key=self.list_key, lock__isnull=True) |
-                    Q(key=self.list_key, lock__lte=timezone.now() - timedelta(seconds=Conf.RETRY))) \
-            .count()
+        return self.connection.filter(key=self.list_key, lock__lte=_timeout()).count()
+
+    def lock_size(self):
+        return self.connection.filter(key=self.list_key, lock__gte=_timeout()).count()
 
     def purge_queue(self):
-        return OrmQ.objects.using(Conf.ORM).filter(key=self.list_key).delete()
+        return self.connection.filter(key=self.list_key).delete()
 
     def ping(self):
         return True
@@ -27,25 +36,27 @@ class ORM(Broker):
         self.delete(task_id)
 
     def enqueue(self, task):
-        package = OrmQ.objects.using(Conf.ORM).create(key=self.list_key, payload=task)
+        package = self.connection.create(key=self.list_key, payload=task, lock=_timeout())
         return package.pk
 
     def dequeue(self):
-            tasks = OrmQ.objects.using(Conf.ORM).filter(
-                Q(key=self.list_key, lock__isnull=True) |
-                Q(key=self.list_key, lock__lte=timezone.now() - timedelta(seconds=Conf.RETRY)))[:Conf.BULK]
-            if tasks:
-                # lock them
-                OrmQ.objects.using(Conf.ORM).filter(pk__in=tasks).update(lock=timezone.now())
-                return [(t.pk, t.payload) for t in tasks]
-            # empty queue, spare the cpu
-            sleep(0.2)
+        tasks = self.connection.filter(key=self.list_key, lock__lt=_timeout())[0:Conf.BULK]
+        if tasks:
+            task_list = []
+            lock = timezone.now()
+            for task in tasks:
+                task.lock = lock
+                task.save(update_fields=['lock'])
+                task_list.append((task.pk, task.payload))
+            return task_list
+        # empty queue, spare the cpu
+        sleep(0.2)
 
     def delete_queue(self):
         return self.purge_queue()
 
     def delete(self, task_id):
-        return OrmQ.objects.using(Conf.ORM).filter(pk=task_id).delete()
+        self.connection.filter(pk=task_id).delete()
 
     def acknowledge(self, task_id):
         return self.delete(task_id)
diff --git a/django_q/tests/test_brokers.py b/django_q/tests/test_brokers.py
index 85d1e01..6222e34 100644
--- a/django_q/tests/test_brokers.py
+++ b/django_q/tests/test_brokers.py
@@ -268,9 +268,12 @@ def test_orm():
         broker.enqueue('test')
     Conf.BULK = 5
     tasks = broker.dequeue()
+    assert broker.lock_size() == Conf.BULK
     for task in tasks:
         assert task is not None
         broker.acknowledge(task[0])
+    # test lock size
+    assert broker.lock_size() == 0
     # test duplicate acknowledge
     broker.acknowledge(task[0])
     # delete queue