diff --git a/markets/storageadapter/dealpublisher.go b/markets/storageadapter/dealpublisher.go
index 7b1ca179366..f458e7a4f5d 100644
--- a/markets/storageadapter/dealpublisher.go
+++ b/markets/storageadapter/dealpublisher.go
@@ -228,11 +228,15 @@ func (p *DealPublisher) waitForMoreDeals() {
 	// Set a timeout to wait for more deals to arrive
 	log.Infof("waiting publish deals queue period of %s before publishing", p.publishPeriod)
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(p.ctx)
+
+	// Create the timer _before_ taking the current time so publishPeriod+timeout is always >=
+	// the actual timer timeout.
+	timer := build.Clock.Timer(p.publishPeriod)
+
 	p.publishPeriodStart = build.Clock.Now()
 	p.cancelWaitForMoreDeals = cancel
 
 	go func() {
-		timer := build.Clock.Timer(p.publishPeriod)
 		select {
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			timer.Stop()
@@ -257,7 +261,7 @@ func (p *DealPublisher) publishAllDeals() {
 
 	// Filter out any deals that have been cancelled
 	p.filterCancelledDeals()
-	deals := p.pending[:]
+	deals := p.pending
 	p.pending = nil
 
 	// Send the publish message
@@ -384,12 +388,12 @@ func pieceCids(deals []market2.ClientDealProposal) string {
 
 // filter out deals that have been cancelled
 func (p *DealPublisher) filterCancelledDeals() {
-	i := 0
+	filtered := p.pending[:0]
 	for _, pd := range p.pending {
-		if pd.ctx.Err() == nil {
-			p.pending[i] = pd
-			i++
+		if pd.ctx.Err() != nil {
+			continue
 		}
+		filtered = append(filtered, pd)
 	}
-	p.pending = p.pending[:i]
+	p.pending = filtered
 }