diff --git a/recoverer.go b/recoverer.go
index 7fde8a4..c0dce5e 100644
--- a/recoverer.go
+++ b/recoverer.go
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ type recoverer struct {
 	// channel to communicate back to the long running "recoverer" goroutine.
 	done chan struct{}
 
+	// list of queues to check for deadline.
+	queues []string
+
 	// poll interval.
 	interval time.Duration
 }
@@ -28,6 +31,7 @@ type recoverer struct {
 type recovererParams struct {
 	logger         *log.Logger
 	broker         base.Broker
+	queues         []string
 	interval       time.Duration
 	retryDelayFunc retryDelayFunc
 }
@@ -37,6 +41,7 @@ func newRecoverer(params recovererParams) *recoverer {
 		logger:         params.logger,
 		broker:         params.broker,
 		done:           make(chan struct{}),
+		queues:         params.queues,
 		interval:       params.interval,
 		retryDelayFunc: params.retryDelayFunc,
 	}
@@ -62,7 +67,7 @@ func (r *recoverer) start(wg *sync.WaitGroup) {
 			case <-timer.C:
 				// Get all tasks which have expired 30 seconds ago or earlier.
 				deadline := time.Now().Add(-30 * time.Second)
-				msgs, err := r.broker.ListDeadlineExceeded(deadline)
+				msgs, err := r.broker.ListDeadlineExceeded(deadline, r.queues...)
 				if err != nil {
 					r.logger.Warn("recoverer: could not list deadline exceeded tasks")
 					continue
diff --git a/recoverer_test.go b/recoverer_test.go
index 2f9e82f..c43f5f0 100644
--- a/recoverer_test.go
+++ b/recoverer_test.go
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@ func TestRecoverer(t *testing.T) {
 	r := setup(t)
 	rdbClient := rdb.NewRDB(r)
 
-	t1 := h.NewTaskMessage("task1", nil)
-	t2 := h.NewTaskMessage("task2", nil)
+	t1 := h.NewTaskMessageWithQueue("task1", nil, "default")
+	t2 := h.NewTaskMessageWithQueue("task2", nil, "default")
 	t3 := h.NewTaskMessageWithQueue("task3", nil, "critical")
-	t4 := h.NewTaskMessage("task4", nil)
+	t4 := h.NewTaskMessageWithQueue("task4", nil, "default")
 	t4.Retried = t4.Retry // t4 has reached its max retry count
 
 	now := time.Now()
@@ -33,106 +33,201 @@ func TestRecoverer(t *testing.T) {
 
 	tests := []struct {
 		desc           string
-		inProgress     []*base.TaskMessage
-		deadlines      []base.Z
-		retry          []base.Z
-		dead           []base.Z
-		wantInProgress []*base.TaskMessage
-		wantDeadlines  []base.Z
-		wantRetry      []*base.TaskMessage
-		wantDead       []*base.TaskMessage
+		inProgress     map[string][]*base.TaskMessage
+		deadlines      map[string][]base.Z
+		retry          map[string][]base.Z
+		dead           map[string][]base.Z
+		wantInProgress map[string][]*base.TaskMessage
+		wantDeadlines  map[string][]base.Z
+		wantRetry      map[string][]*base.TaskMessage
+		wantDead       map[string][]*base.TaskMessage
 	}{
 		{
-			desc:       "with one task in-progress",
-			inProgress: []*base.TaskMessage{t1},
-			deadlines: []base.Z{
-				{Message: t1, Score: fiveMinutesAgo.Unix()},
+			desc: "with one task in-progress",
+			inProgress: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default": {t1},
 			},
-			retry:          []base.Z{},
-			dead:           []base.Z{},
-			wantInProgress: []*base.TaskMessage{},
-			wantDeadlines:  []base.Z{},
-			wantRetry: []*base.TaskMessage{
-				h.TaskMessageAfterRetry(*t1, "deadline exceeded"),
+			deadlines: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default": {{Message: t1, Score: fiveMinutesAgo.Unix()}},
+			},
+			retry: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default": {},
+			},
+			dead: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default": {},
+			},
+			wantInProgress: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default": {},
+			},
+			wantDeadlines: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default": {},
+			},
+			wantRetry: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default": {h.TaskMessageAfterRetry(*t1, "deadline exceeded")},
+			},
+			wantDead: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default": {},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "with a task with max-retry reached",
+			inProgress: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {t4},
+				"critical": {},
+			},
+			deadlines: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default":  {{Message: t4, Score: fiveMinutesAgo.Unix()}},
+				"critical": {},
+			},
+			retry: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
+			},
+			dead: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
+			},
+			wantInProgress: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
+			},
+			wantDeadlines: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
+			},
+			wantRetry: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
+			},
+			wantDead: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {h.TaskMessageWithError(*t4, "deadline exceeded")},
+				"critical": {},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "with multiple tasks in-progress, and one expired",
+			inProgress: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {t1, t2},
+				"critical": {t3},
+			},
+			deadlines: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default": {
+					{Message: t1, Score: oneHourAgo.Unix()},
+					{Message: t2, Score: fiveMinutesFromNow.Unix()},
+				},
+				"critical": {
+					{Message: t3, Score: oneHourFromNow.Unix()},
+				},
+			},
+			retry: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
+			},
+			dead: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
+			},
+			wantInProgress: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {t2},
+				"critical": {t3},
+			},
+			wantDeadlines: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default":  {{Message: t2, Score: fiveMinutesFromNow.Unix()}},
+				"critical": {{Message: t3, Score: oneHourFromNow.Unix()}},
+			},
+			wantRetry: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {h.TaskMessageAfterRetry(*t1, "deadline exceeded")},
+				"critical": {},
 			},
 			wantDead: []*base.TaskMessage{},
 		},
 		{
-			desc:       "with a task with max-retry reached",
-			inProgress: []*base.TaskMessage{t4},
-			deadlines: []base.Z{
-				{Message: t4, Score: fiveMinutesAgo.Unix()},
+			desc: "with multiple expired tasks in-progress",
+			inProgress: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {t1, t2},
+				"critical": {t3},
+			},
+			deadlines: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default": {
+					{Message: t1, Score: oneHourAgo.Unix()},
+					{Message: t2, Score: oneHourFromNow.Unix()},
+				},
+				"critical": {
+					{Message: t3, Score: fiveMinutesAgo.Unix()},
+				},
+			},
+			retry: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default": {},
+				"cricial": {},
+			},
+			dead: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default": {},
+				"cricial": {},
+			},
+			wantInProgress: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {t2},
+				"critical": {},
+			},
+			wantDeadlines: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default": {{Message: t2, Score: oneHourFromNow.Unix()}},
+			},
+			wantRetry: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {h.TaskMessageAfterRetry(*t1, "deadline exceeded")},
+				"critical": {h.TaskMessageAfterRetry(*t3, "deadline exceeded")},
+			},
+			wantDead: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
 			},
-			retry:          []base.Z{},
-			dead:           []base.Z{},
-			wantInProgress: []*base.TaskMessage{},
-			wantDeadlines:  []base.Z{},
-			wantRetry:      []*base.TaskMessage{},
-			wantDead:       []*base.TaskMessage{h.TaskMessageWithError(*t4, "deadline exceeded")},
 		},
 		{
-			desc:       "with multiple tasks in-progress, and one expired",
-			inProgress: []*base.TaskMessage{t1, t2, t3},
-			deadlines: []base.Z{
-				{Message: t1, Score: oneHourAgo.Unix()},
-				{Message: t2, Score: fiveMinutesFromNow.Unix()},
-				{Message: t3, Score: oneHourFromNow.Unix()},
+			desc: "with empty in-progress queue",
+			inProgress: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
 			},
-			retry:          []base.Z{},
-			dead:           []base.Z{},
-			wantInProgress: []*base.TaskMessage{t2, t3},
-			wantDeadlines: []base.Z{
-				{Message: t2, Score: fiveMinutesFromNow.Unix()},
-				{Message: t3, Score: oneHourFromNow.Unix()},
+			deadlines: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
 			},
-			wantRetry: []*base.TaskMessage{
-				h.TaskMessageAfterRetry(*t1, "deadline exceeded"),
+			retry: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
 			},
-			wantDead: []*base.TaskMessage{},
-		},
-		{
-			desc:       "with multiple expired tasks in-progress",
-			inProgress: []*base.TaskMessage{t1, t2, t3},
-			deadlines: []base.Z{
-				{Message: t1, Score: oneHourAgo.Unix()},
-				{Message: t2, Score: fiveMinutesAgo.Unix()},
-				{Message: t3, Score: oneHourFromNow.Unix()},
+			dead: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
 			},
-			retry:          []base.Z{},
-			dead:           []base.Z{},
-			wantInProgress: []*base.TaskMessage{t3},
-			wantDeadlines: []base.Z{
-				{Message: t3, Score: oneHourFromNow.Unix()},
+			wantInProgress: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
 			},
-			wantRetry: []*base.TaskMessage{
-				h.TaskMessageAfterRetry(*t1, "deadline exceeded"),
-				h.TaskMessageAfterRetry(*t2, "deadline exceeded"),
+			wantDeadlines: map[string][]base.Z{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
+			},
+			wantRetry: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
+			},
+			wantDead: map[string][]*base.TaskMessage{
+				"default":  {},
+				"critical": {},
 			},
-			wantDead: []*base.TaskMessage{},
-		},
-		{
-			desc:           "with empty in-progress queue",
-			inProgress:     []*base.TaskMessage{},
-			deadlines:      []base.Z{},
-			retry:          []base.Z{},
-			dead:           []base.Z{},
-			wantInProgress: []*base.TaskMessage{},
-			wantDeadlines:  []base.Z{},
-			wantRetry:      []*base.TaskMessage{},
-			wantDead:       []*base.TaskMessage{},
 		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range tests {
 		h.FlushDB(t, r)
-		h.SeedInProgressQueue(t, r, tc.inProgress)
-		h.SeedDeadlines(t, r, tc.deadlines)
-		h.SeedRetryQueue(t, r, tc.retry)
-		h.SeedDeadQueue(t, r, tc.dead)
+		h.SeedAllInProgressQueues(t, r, tc.inProgress)
+		h.SeedAllDeadlines(t, r, tc.deadlines)
+		h.SeedAllRetryQueues(t, r, tc.retry)
+		h.SeedAllDeadQueues(t, r, tc.dead)
 
 		recoverer := newRecoverer(recovererParams{
 			logger:         testLogger,
 			broker:         rdbClient,
+			queues:         []string{"default", "critical"},
 			interval:       1 * time.Second,
 			retryDelayFunc: func(n int, err error, task *Task) time.Duration { return 30 * time.Second },
 		})
@@ -142,21 +237,29 @@ func TestRecoverer(t *testing.T) {
 		time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
 		recoverer.terminate()
 
-		gotInProgress := h.GetInProgressMessages(t, r)
-		if diff := cmp.Diff(tc.wantInProgress, gotInProgress, h.SortMsgOpt); diff != "" {
-			t.Errorf("%s; mismatch found in %q; (-want,+got)\n%s", tc.desc, base.InProgressQueue, diff)
+		for qname, want := range tc.wantInProgress {
+			gotInProgress := h.GetInProgressMessages(t, r, qname)
+			if diff := cmp.Diff(want, gotInProgress, h.SortMsgOpt); diff != "" {
+				t.Errorf("%s; mismatch found in %q; (-want,+got)\n%s", tc.desc, base.InProgressKey(qname), diff)
+			}
 		}
-		gotDeadlines := h.GetDeadlinesEntries(t, r)
-		if diff := cmp.Diff(tc.wantDeadlines, gotDeadlines, h.SortZSetEntryOpt); diff != "" {
-			t.Errorf("%s; mismatch found in %q; (-want,+got)\n%s", tc.desc, base.KeyDeadlines, diff)
+		for qname, want := range tc.wantDeadlines {
+			gotDeadlines := h.GetDeadlinesEntries(t, r, qname)
+			if diff := cmp.Diff(want, gotDeadlines, h.SortZSetEntryOpt); diff != "" {
+				t.Errorf("%s; mismatch found in %q; (-want,+got)\n%s", tc.desc, base.DeadlinesKey(qname), diff)
+			}
 		}
-		gotRetry := h.GetRetryMessages(t, r)
-		if diff := cmp.Diff(tc.wantRetry, gotRetry, h.SortMsgOpt); diff != "" {
-			t.Errorf("%s; mismatch found in %q: (-want, +got)\n%s", tc.desc, base.RetryQueue, diff)
+		for qname, want := range tc.wantRetry {
+			gotRetry := h.GetRetryMessages(t, r, qname)
+			if diff := cmp.Diff(want, gotRetry, h.SortMsgOpt); diff != "" {
+				t.Errorf("%s; mismatch found in %q: (-want, +got)\n%s", tc.desc, base.RetryKey(qname), diff)
+			}
 		}
-		gotDead := h.GetDeadMessages(t, r)
-		if diff := cmp.Diff(tc.wantDead, gotDead, h.SortMsgOpt); diff != "" {
-			t.Errorf("%s; mismatch found in %q: (-want, +got)\n%s", tc.desc, base.DeadQueue, diff)
+		for qname, want := range tc.wantDead {
+			gotDead := h.GetDeadMessages(t, r, qname)
+			if diff := cmp.Diff(want, gotDead, h.SortMsgOpt); diff != "" {
+				t.Errorf("%s; mismatch found in %q: (-want, +got)\n%s", tc.desc, base.DeadKey(qname), diff)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 6c634f6..8fbef00 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -357,6 +357,7 @@ func NewServer(r RedisConnOpt, cfg Config) *Server {
 		logger:         logger,
 		broker:         rdb,
 		retryDelayFunc: delayFunc,
+		queues:         qnames,
 		interval:       1 * time.Minute,
 	})
 	healthchecker := newHealthChecker(healthcheckerParams{