diff --git a/src/state/action-creators.js b/src/state/action-creators.js
index 6d5232a8ec..15b5bd3019 100644
--- a/src/state/action-creators.js
+++ b/src/state/action-creators.js
@@ -223,12 +223,12 @@ export const drop = (args: DropArgs) => ({
 
 export type DropPendingAction = {|
   type: 'DROP_PENDING',
-  payload: null,
+  payload: DropReason,
 |}
 
-export const dropPending = (): DropPendingAction => ({
+export const dropPending = (reason: DropReason): DropPendingAction => ({
   type: 'DROP_PENDING',
-  payload: null,
+  payload: reason,
 });
 
 export type DropAnimationFinishedAction = {|
@@ -253,6 +253,7 @@ export type Action =
   MoveForwardAction |
   CrossAxisMoveForwardAction |
   CrossAxisMoveBackwardAction |
+  DropPendingAction |
   DropAction |
   DropAnimateAction |
   DropAnimationFinishedAction |
diff --git a/src/state/auto-scroller/auto-scroller-types.js b/src/state/auto-scroller/auto-scroller-types.js
index b638b9ad3d..eab5c8b4ef 100644
--- a/src/state/auto-scroller/auto-scroller-types.js
+++ b/src/state/auto-scroller/auto-scroller-types.js
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 // @flow
-import type { State } from '../../types';
+import type { DraggingState, BulkCollectionState } from '../../types';
+
+type UserDragState = DraggingState | BulkCollectionState;
 
 export type AutoScroller = {|
-  onStateChange: (previous: State, current: State) => void,
+  cancel: () => void,
+  jumpScroll: (state: UserDragState) => void,
+  fluidScroll: (state: UserDragState) => void,
 |}
diff --git a/src/state/auto-scroller/index.js b/src/state/auto-scroller/index.js
index 1e8f70370f..924f1af7e9 100644
--- a/src/state/auto-scroller/index.js
+++ b/src/state/auto-scroller/index.js
@@ -37,34 +37,10 @@ export default ({
     scrollDroppable,
   });
 
-  const onStateChange = (previous: State, current: State): void => {
-    // now dragging
-
-    if (current.phase === 'DRAGGING' || current.phase === 'BULK_COLLECTING') {
-      if (current.autoScrollMode === 'FLUID') {
-        fluidScroll(current);
-        return;
-      }
-
-      // autoScrollMode == 'JUMP'
-
-      if (!current.scrollJumpRequest) {
-        return;
-      }
-
-      jumpScroll(current);
-      return;
-    }
-
-    // Not currently dragging
-    // Was previously dragging
-    if (previous.phase === 'DRAGGING' || previous.phase === 'BULK_COLLECTING') {
-      fluidScroll.cancel();
-    }
-  };
-
   const marshal: AutoScroller = {
-    onStateChange,
+    cancel: fluidScroll.cancel,
+    fluidScroll,
+    jumpScroll,
   };
 
   return marshal;
diff --git a/src/state/create-store.js b/src/state/create-store.js
index fa69386d29..653a97b46a 100644
--- a/src/state/create-store.js
+++ b/src/state/create-store.js
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import style from './middleware/style';
 import drop from './middleware/drop';
 import dropAnimationFinish from './middleware/drop-animation-finish';
 import dimensionMarshalStopper from './middleware/dimension-marshal-stopper';
+import autoScroll from './middleware/auto-scroll';
+import pendingDrop from './middleware/pending-drop';
 import type { DimensionMarshal } from './dimension-marshal/dimension-marshal-types';
 import type { StyleMarshal } from '../view/style-marshal/style-marshal-types';
 import type { Store, Hooks } from '../types';
@@ -33,6 +35,14 @@ export default ({
   reducer,
   composeEnhancers(
     applyMiddleware(
+      // ## Debug middleware
+      // > uncomment to use
+      // debugging logger
+      require('./debug-middleware/log-middleware').default,
+      // debugging timer
+      // require('./debug-middleware/timing-middleware').default,
+      // average action timer
+      // require('./debug-middleware/timing-average-middleware').default(20),
       // ## Application middleware
       // Style updates do not cause more actions. It is important to update styles
       // before hooks are called: specifically the onDragEnd hook. We need to clear
@@ -53,18 +63,12 @@ export default ({
       drop,
       // When a drop animation finishes - fire a drop complete
       dropAnimationFinish,
+      pendingDrop,
+      autoScroll,
 
       // TODO: where should this go?
       // hooks(getHooks),
 
-      // ## Debug middleware
-      // > uncomment to use
-      // debugging logger
-      // require('./debug-middleware/log-middleware'),
-      // debugging timer
-      // require('./debug-middleware/timing-middleware').default,
-      // average action timer
-      // require('./debug-middleware/timing-average-middleware').default(20),
     ),
   ),
 );
diff --git a/src/state/dimension-marshal/collector.js b/src/state/dimension-marshal/collector.js
index e6626ac66f..3d1f50173a 100644
--- a/src/state/dimension-marshal/collector.js
+++ b/src/state/dimension-marshal/collector.js
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ export default ({
   getEntries,
 }: Args): Collector => {
   let frameId: ?AnimationFrameID = null;
+  // tmep
+  let timerId: ?TimeoutID = null;
 
   const collectFromDOM = (windowScroll: Position, options: CollectOptions): DimensionMap => {
     const { collection, includeCritical } = options;
@@ -133,6 +135,7 @@ export default ({
 
   const collect = (options: CollectOptions) => {
     abortFrame();
+    clearTimeout(timerId);
 
     // Perform DOM collection in next frame
     frameId = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
@@ -143,14 +146,16 @@ export default ({
 
       // Perform publish in next frame
       frameId = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-        timings.start('Bulk dimension publish');
-        bulkReplace({
-          dimensions,
-          viewport,
-          shouldReplaceCritical: options.includeCritical,
-        });
-        timings.finish('Bulk dimension publish');
-
+        console.log('waiting a really long time for publish');
+        timerId = setTimeout(() => {
+          timings.start('Bulk dimension publish');
+          bulkReplace({
+            dimensions,
+            viewport,
+            shouldReplaceCritical: options.includeCritical,
+          });
+          timings.finish('Bulk dimension publish');
+        }, 2000);
         frameId = null;
       });
     });
diff --git a/src/state/middleware/auto-scroll.js b/src/state/middleware/auto-scroll.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..86d7034d9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/state/middleware/auto-scroll.js
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+
+// @flow
+import { bindActionCreators } from 'redux';
+import createAutoScroller from '../auto-scroller';
+import type { AutoScroller } from '../auto-scroller/auto-scroller-types';
+import {
+  move,
+  updateDroppableScroll,
+} from '../action-creators';
+import scrollWindow from '../../view/window/scroll-window';
+import isDragEnding from './util/is-drag-ending';
+import type {
+  Store,
+  State,
+  Action,
+} from '../../types';
+
+export default (store: Store) => {
+  const scroller: AutoScroller = createAutoScroller({
+    ...bindActionCreators({
+      scrollDroppable: updateDroppableScroll,
+      move,
+    }, store.dispatch),
+    scrollWindow,
+  });
+  return (next: (Action) => mixed) => (action: Action): mixed => {
+    // Need to cancel any pending auto scrolling when drag is ending
+    if (isDragEnding(action)) {
+      scroller.cancel();
+      next(action);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // auto scroll happens in response to state changes
+    // releasing all actions to the reducer first
+    next(action);
+
+    const state: State = store.getState();
+
+    // Only want to auto scroll in the dragging phase
+    // Not allowing auto scrolling while bulk collecting
+    // This is to avoid a mismatch in scroll between the captured
+    // viewport in one frame and published in the next
+    // Also, jump scrolling would not occur during a BULK_COLLECTION
+    // as no changes to the impact are permitted in that time
+    if (state.phase !== 'DRAGGING') {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (state.autoScrollMode === 'FLUID') {
+      scroller.fluidScroll(state);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (!state.scrollJumpRequest) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    scroller.jumpScroll(state);
+  };
+};
diff --git a/src/state/middleware/dimension-marshal-stopper.js b/src/state/middleware/dimension-marshal-stopper.js
index e43c572a15..f8b6b39ce9 100644
--- a/src/state/middleware/dimension-marshal-stopper.js
+++ b/src/state/middleware/dimension-marshal-stopper.js
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 // @flow
-import type { Store, State, Action } from '../../types';
+import isDragEnding from './util/is-drag-ending';
+import type { Action } from '../../types';
 import type { DimensionMarshal } from '../dimension-marshal/dimension-marshal-types';
 
 export default (getMarshal: () => DimensionMarshal) =>
   () => (next: (Action) => mixed) => (action: Action): mixed => {
-    if (action.type === 'CLEAN' || action.type === 'DROP_ANIMATE' || action.type === 'DROP_COMPLETE') {
-      console.log('telling the marshal to stop');
+    if (isDragEnding(action)) {
       const marshal: DimensionMarshal = getMarshal();
       marshal.stopPublishing();
     }
diff --git a/src/state/middleware/drop.js b/src/state/middleware/drop.js
index 4a3fe3fb00..cddb4940eb 100644
--- a/src/state/middleware/drop.js
+++ b/src/state/middleware/drop.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ const getScrollDisplacement = (
 
 export default ({ getState, dispatch }: Store) =>
   (next: (Action) => mixed) => (action: Action): mixed => {
-  // TODO: pending drop flushing
+    // TODO: pending drop flushing
 
     const state: State = getState();
 
@@ -58,16 +58,29 @@ export default ({ getState, dispatch }: Store) =>
       return;
     }
 
-    invariant(state.phase === 'DRAGGING' || state.phase === 'BULK_COLLECTING',
-      `Cannot drop in phase: ${state.phase}`);
+    invariant(
+      state.phase === 'DRAGGING' ||
+      state.phase === 'BULK_COLLECTING' ||
+      state.phase === 'DROP_PENDING',
+      `Cannot drop in phase: ${state.phase}`
+    );
+
+    const reason: DropReason = action.payload.reason;
 
     // Still waiting for a bulk collection to publish
+    // We are now shifting the application into the 'DROP_PENDING' phase
     if (state.phase === 'BULK_COLLECTING') {
-      dispatch(dropPending());
+      dispatch(dropPending(reason));
       return;
     }
 
-    const reason: DropReason = action.payload.reason;
+    // Still waiting for our drop pending to end
+    if (state.phase === 'DROP_PENDING' && state.isWaiting) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // We are now in the DRAGGING or DROP_PENDING phase
+
     const critical: Critical = state.critical;
     const dimensions: DimensionMap = state.dimensions;
     const impact: DragImpact = reason === 'DROP' ? state.impact : noImpact;
diff --git a/src/state/middleware/pending-drop.js b/src/state/middleware/pending-drop.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2ce9a1a907
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/state/middleware/pending-drop.js
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+
+// @flow
+import { drop } from '../action-creators';
+import type {
+  Store,
+  State,
+  Action,
+} from '../../types';
+
+export default (store: Store) => (next: (Action) => mixed) => (action: Action): mixed => {
+  next(action);
+
+  if (action.type !== 'BULK_REPLACE') {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  // A bulk replace occurred - check if
+  // 1. there was a pending drop
+  // 2. that the pending drop is no longer waiting
+
+  const postActionState: State = store.getState();
+
+  if (postActionState.phase !== 'DROP_PENDING') {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (!postActionState.isWaiting) {
+    console.log('ending a pending drop');
+    store.dispatch(drop({
+      reason: postActionState.reason,
+    }));
+  }
+};
diff --git a/src/state/middleware/util/is-drag-ending.js b/src/state/middleware/util/is-drag-ending.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a3b210ae97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/state/middleware/util/is-drag-ending.js
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// @flow
+import type { Action } from '../../../types';
+
+export default (action: Action): boolean =>
+  action.type === 'CLEAN' ||
+  action.type === 'DROP_ANIMATE' ||
+  action.type === 'DROP_COMPLETE' ||
+  action.type === 'DROP_PENDING';
diff --git a/src/state/reducer.js b/src/state/reducer.js
index 5fb115d573..3271de15c2 100644
--- a/src/state/reducer.js
+++ b/src/state/reducer.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import type {
   DraggableDescriptor,
   DraggableDimensionMap,
   DroppableDimensionMap,
-  DropResult,
+  DropReason,
   DraggableLocation,
   LiftRequest,
   PendingDrop,
@@ -73,12 +73,23 @@ const move = ({
   windowDetails,
   impact,
   scrollJumpRequest,
-}: MoveArgs): BulkCollectionState | DraggingState => {
+}: MoveArgs): BulkCollectionState | DraggingState | DropPendingState => {
   // BULK_COLLECTING: can update position but cannot update impact
   // DRAGGING: can update position and impact
-
-  invariant(state.phase === 'BULK_COLLECTING' || state.phase === 'DRAGGING',
-    `Attempting to move in an unsupported phase ${state.phase}`);
+  // TODO: DROP_PENDING: no movements should occur
+  invariant(
+    state.phase === 'DRAGGING' ||
+    state.phase === 'BULK_COLLECTING' ||
+    state.phase === 'DROP_PENDING',
+    `Attempting to move in an unsupported phase ${state.phase}`
+  );
+
+  // No longer accepting any movements
+  // This might happen as we have not told the
+  // drag handles that the drag has ended yet
+  if (state.phase === 'DROP_PENDING') {
+    return state;
+  }
 
   const client: ItemPositions = (() => {
     const offset: Position = subtract(clientSelection, state.initial.client.selection);
@@ -241,18 +252,33 @@ export default (state: State = clean(), action: Action): State => {
       },
     };
 
-    // We are now moving out of the BULK_PUBLISH phase into DRAGGING
-    const newState: State = {
-      phase: 'DRAGGING',
+    // Moving into the DRAGGING phase
+    if (state.phase === 'BULK_COLLECTING') {
+      return {
+        // appeasing flow
+        phase: 'DRAGGING',
+        ...state,
+        // eslint-disable-next-line
+        phase: 'DRAGGING',
+        impact,
+        dimensions,
+        window: windowDetails,
+      };
+    }
+
+    // There was a pending drop
+    return {
+      // appeasing flow
+      phase: 'DROP_PENDING',
       ...state,
       // eslint-disable-next-line
-      phase: 'DRAGGING',
+        phase: 'DROP_PENDING',
       impact,
       dimensions,
       window: windowDetails,
+      // No longer waiting
+      isWaiting: false,
     };
-
-    return newState;
   }
 
   if (action.type === 'MOVE') {
@@ -499,15 +525,30 @@ export default (state: State = clean(), action: Action): State => {
     });
   }
 
+  if (action.type === 'DROP_PENDING') {
+    const reason: DropReason = action.payload;
+    invariant(state.phase === 'BULK_COLLECTING',
+      'Can only move into the DROP_PENDING phase from the BULK_COLLECTING phase');
+
+    const newState: DropPendingState = {
+      // appeasing flow
+      phase: 'DROP_PENDING',
+      ...state,
+      // eslint-disable-next-line
+      phase: 'DROP_PENDING',
+      isWaiting: true,
+      reason,
+    };
+    return newState;
+  }
+
   if (action.type === 'DROP_ANIMATE') {
     const pending: PendingDrop = action.payload;
+    invariant(state.phase === 'DRAGGING' || state.phase === 'DROP_PENDING',
+      `Cannot animate drop from phase ${state.phase}`
+    );
 
-    // TODO: pending drop?
-    if (state.phase !== 'DRAGGING') {
-      console.error('Cannot animate drop while not dragging', action);
-      return clean();
-    }
-
+    // Moving into a new phase
     const result: DropAnimatingState = {
       phase: 'DROP_ANIMATING',
       pending,
diff --git a/src/types.js b/src/types.js
index fee2ab7226..ee0170d8f3 100644
--- a/src/types.js
+++ b/src/types.js
@@ -293,6 +293,8 @@ export type BulkCollectionState = {|
 export type DropPendingState = {|
   ...DraggingState,
   phase: 'DROP_PENDING',
+  isWaiting: boolean,
+  reason: DropReason,
 |}
 
 // An optional phase for animating the drop / cancel if it is needed
diff --git a/src/view/animation.js b/src/view/animation.js
index bfed8c2bca..d4af0878dc 100644
--- a/src/view/animation.js
+++ b/src/view/animation.js
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ import type { SpringHelperConfig } from 'react-motion/lib/Types';
 
 export const physics = (() => {
   const base = {
-    stiffness: 1000, // fast
-    // stiffness: 100, // slow
+    // stiffness: 1000, // fast
+    stiffness: 100, // slow (for debugging)
     damping: 60,
     // precision: 0.5,
     precision: 0.99,
diff --git a/src/view/draggable/connected-draggable.js b/src/view/draggable/connected-draggable.js
index 474ff4b06f..b6c9c08c25 100644
--- a/src/view/draggable/connected-draggable.js
+++ b/src/view/draggable/connected-draggable.js
@@ -122,7 +122,9 @@ export const makeMapStateToProps = (): Selector => {
 
   const draggingSelector = (state: State, ownProps: OwnProps): ?MapProps => {
     // Dragging
-    if (state.phase === 'DRAGGING' || state.phase === 'BULK_COLLECTING') {
+    if (state.phase === 'DRAGGING' ||
+      state.phase === 'BULK_COLLECTING' ||
+      state.phase === 'DROP_PENDING') {
       // not the dragging item
       if (state.critical.draggable.id !== ownProps.draggableId) {
         return null;
@@ -178,7 +180,10 @@ export const makeMapStateToProps = (): Selector => {
 
   const movingOutOfTheWaySelector = (state: State, ownProps: OwnProps): ?MapProps => {
     // Dragging
-    if (state.phase === 'DRAGGING' || state.phase === 'BULK_COLLECTING') {
+    if (
+      state.phase === 'DRAGGING' ||
+      state.phase === 'BULK_COLLECTING' ||
+      state.phase === 'DROP_PENDING') {
       // we do not care about the dragging item
       if (state.critical.draggable.id === ownProps.draggableId) {
         return null;