diff --git a/chain/messagepool/messagepool_test.go b/chain/messagepool/messagepool_test.go
index 484c72746fa..c97c031667c 100644
--- a/chain/messagepool/messagepool_test.go
+++ b/chain/messagepool/messagepool_test.go
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ type testMpoolAPI struct {
 	tipsets []*types.TipSet
 
 	published int
+
+	baseFee types.BigInt
 }
 
 func newTestMpoolAPI() *testMpoolAPI {
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@ func newTestMpoolAPI() *testMpoolAPI {
 		bmsgs:      make(map[cid.Cid][]*types.SignedMessage),
 		statenonce: make(map[address.Address]uint64),
 		balance:    make(map[address.Address]types.BigInt),
+		baseFee:    types.NewInt(100),
 	}
 	genesis := mock.MkBlock(nil, 1, 1)
 	tma.tipsets = append(tma.tipsets, mock.TipSet(genesis))
@@ -182,7 +185,7 @@ func (tma *testMpoolAPI) LoadTipSet(tsk types.TipSetKey) (*types.TipSet, error)
 }
 
 func (tma *testMpoolAPI) ChainComputeBaseFee(ctx context.Context, ts *types.TipSet) (types.BigInt, error) {
-	return types.NewInt(100), nil
+	return tma.baseFee, nil
 }
 
 func assertNonce(t *testing.T, mp *MessagePool, addr address.Address, val uint64) {
diff --git a/chain/messagepool/selection.go b/chain/messagepool/selection.go
index 5ba679d761a..df1d7b8012e 100644
--- a/chain/messagepool/selection.go
+++ b/chain/messagepool/selection.go
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ func (mp *MessagePool) selectMessagesOptimal(curTs, ts *types.TipSet, tq float64
 
 	if len(chains) != 0 && chains[0].gasPerf < 0 {
 		log.Warnw("all messages in mpool have non-positive gas performance", "bestGasPerf", chains[0].gasPerf)
-		return nil, nil
+		return result, nil
 	}
 
 	// 3. Parition chains into blocks (without trimming)
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ func (mp *MessagePool) selectMessagesGreedy(curTs, ts *types.TipSet) ([]*types.S
 
 	if len(chains) != 0 && chains[0].gasPerf < 0 {
 		log.Warnw("all messages in mpool have non-positive gas performance", "bestGasPerf", chains[0].gasPerf)
-		return nil, nil
+		return result, nil
 	}
 
 	// 3. Merge the head chains to produce the list of messages selected for inclusion, subject to
diff --git a/chain/messagepool/selection_test.go b/chain/messagepool/selection_test.go
index a9ead3c0129..d9ed3af9cef 100644
--- a/chain/messagepool/selection_test.go
+++ b/chain/messagepool/selection_test.go
@@ -728,6 +728,100 @@ func TestPriorityMessageSelection2(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestPriorityMessageSelection3(t *testing.T) {
+	mp, tma := makeTestMpool()
+
+	// the actors
+	w1, err := wallet.NewWallet(wallet.NewMemKeyStore())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	a1, err := w1.GenerateKey(crypto.SigTypeSecp256k1)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	w2, err := wallet.NewWallet(wallet.NewMemKeyStore())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	a2, err := w2.GenerateKey(crypto.SigTypeSecp256k1)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	block := tma.nextBlock()
+	ts := mock.TipSet(block)
+	tma.applyBlock(t, block)
+
+	gasLimit := gasguess.Costs[gasguess.CostKey{Code: builtin.StorageMarketActorCodeID, M: 2}]
+
+	tma.setBalance(a1, 1) // in FIL
+	tma.setBalance(a2, 1) // in FIL
+
+	mp.cfg.PriorityAddrs = []address.Address{a1}
+
+	tma.baseFee = types.NewInt(1000)
+	nMessages := 10
+	for i := 0; i < nMessages; i++ {
+		bias := (nMessages - i) / 3
+		m := makeTestMessage(w1, a1, a2, uint64(i), gasLimit, uint64(1000+i%3+bias))
+		mustAdd(t, mp, m)
+		// messages from a2 have negative performance
+		m = makeTestMessage(w2, a2, a1, uint64(i), gasLimit, 100)
+		mustAdd(t, mp, m)
+	}
+
+	// test greedy selection
+	msgs, err := mp.SelectMessages(ts, 1.0)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	expectedMsgs := 10
+	if len(msgs) != expectedMsgs {
+		t.Fatalf("expected %d messages but got %d", expectedMsgs, len(msgs))
+	}
+
+	// all messages must be from a1
+	nextNonce := uint64(0)
+	for _, m := range msgs {
+		if m.Message.From != a1 {
+			t.Fatal("expected messages from a1 before messages from a2")
+		}
+		if m.Message.Nonce != nextNonce {
+			t.Fatalf("expected nonce %d but got %d", nextNonce, m.Message.Nonce)
+		}
+		nextNonce++
+	}
+
+	// test optimal selection
+	msgs, err = mp.SelectMessages(ts, 0.1)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	expectedMsgs = 10
+	if len(msgs) != expectedMsgs {
+		t.Fatalf("expected %d messages but got %d", expectedMsgs, len(msgs))
+	}
+
+	// all messages must be from a1
+	nextNonce = uint64(0)
+	for _, m := range msgs {
+		if m.Message.From != a1 {
+			t.Fatal("expected messages from a1 before messages from a2")
+		}
+		if m.Message.Nonce != nextNonce {
+			t.Fatalf("expected nonce %d but got %d", nextNonce, m.Message.Nonce)
+		}
+		nextNonce++
+	}
+
+}
+
 func TestOptimalMessageSelection1(t *testing.T) {
 	// this test uses just a single actor sending messages with a low tq
 	// the chain depenent merging algorithm should pick messages from the actor