diff --git a/kafka/producer/producer_batch.py b/kafka/producer/producer_batch.py
index 8be08f575..198a3a0c5 100644
--- a/kafka/producer/producer_batch.py
+++ b/kafka/producer/producer_batch.py
@@ -180,5 +180,6 @@ def __str__(self):
         return 'ProducerBatch(topic_partition=%s, record_count=%d)' % (
             self.topic_partition, self.records.next_offset())
 
-
-
+    # for heapq
+    def __lt__(self, other):
+        return self.created < other.created
diff --git a/test/test_producer_batch.py b/test/test_producer_batch.py
index bffa79fcb..7d959cbe9 100644
--- a/test/test_producer_batch.py
+++ b/test/test_producer_batch.py
@@ -134,3 +134,18 @@ def test_complete_exceptionally_with_null_record_errors(batch):
 
     with pytest.raises(AssertionError):
         _test_complete_exceptionally(batch, record_count, top_level_exception, None)
+
+
+def test_producer_batch_lt(tp, memory_records_builder):
+    b1 = ProducerBatch(tp, memory_records_builder, now=1)
+    b2 = ProducerBatch(tp, memory_records_builder, now=2)
+
+    assert b1 < b2
+    assert not b1 < b1
+
+    import heapq
+    q = []
+    heapq.heappush(q, b2)
+    heapq.heappush(q, b1)
+    assert q[0] == b1
+    assert q[1] == b2