diff --git a/export_swe_chat.py b/export_swe_chat.py
index ce8a6fc..6580ea1 100644
--- a/export_swe_chat.py
+++ b/export_swe_chat.py
@@ -166,9 +166,12 @@ def select_candidates(
         ):
             funnel["rejectedMalformedOrEmpty"] += 1
             continue
-        by_session[session_id].append(
-            Turn(session_id, turn_id, conversation_turn_number, turn_number, prompt)
-        )
+        # Retain only the first three checked ordinals while streaming.  This bounds
+        # memory by sessions × 3, not by every eligible prompt in the large config.
+        turns = by_session[session_id]
+        turns.append(Turn(session_id, turn_id, conversation_turn_number, turn_number, prompt))
+        turns.sort(key=lambda turn: (turn.conversation_turn_number, turn.turn_number, turn.turn_id))
+        del turns[3:]
         funnel["eligibleRows"] += 1
 
     preliminary: list[Candidate] = []