diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c142c0b..1bfc70a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 CFLAGS=		-g -Wall -O2 -Wc++-compat
 CPPFLAGS=	-DHAVE_KALLOC
 INCLUDES=
-OBJS=		kthread.o kalloc.o misc.o bseq.o sketch.o sdust.o index.o chain.o align.o hit.o map.o format.o pe.o esterr.o ksw2_ll_sse.o
+OBJS=		kthread.o kalloc.o misc.o bseq.o sketch.o sdust.o options.o index.o chain.o align.o hit.o map.o format.o pe.o esterr.o ksw2_ll_sse.o
 PROG=		minimap2
 PROG_EXTRA=	sdust minimap2-lite
 LIBS=		-lm -lz -lpthread
@@ -98,9 +98,12 @@ ksw2_extd2_sse.o: ksw2.h kalloc.h
 ksw2_exts2_sse.o: ksw2.h kalloc.h
 ksw2_extz2_sse.o: ksw2.h kalloc.h
 ksw2_ll_sse.o: ksw2.h kalloc.h
+kthread.o: kthread.h
 main.o: bseq.h minimap.h mmpriv.h getopt.h
 map.o: kthread.h kvec.h kalloc.h sdust.h mmpriv.h minimap.h bseq.h khash.h
-misc.o: minimap.h ksort.h
+map.o: ksort.h
+misc.o: mmpriv.h minimap.h bseq.h ksort.h
+options.o: mmpriv.h minimap.h bseq.h
 pe.o: mmpriv.h minimap.h bseq.h kvec.h kalloc.h ksort.h
 sdust.o: kalloc.h kdq.h kvec.h sdust.h
-sketch.o: kvec.h kalloc.h minimap.h
+sketch.o: kvec.h kalloc.h mmpriv.h minimap.h bseq.h
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 8779282..dce85c5 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ static struct option long_options[] = {
 	{ "end-seed-pen",   required_argument, 0, 0 },   // 21
 	{ "for-only",       no_argument,       0, 0 },   // 22
 	{ "rev-only",       no_argument,       0, 0 },   // 23
+	{ "heap-sort",      optional_argument, 0, 0 },   // 24
 	{ "help",           no_argument,       0, 'h' },
 	{ "max-intron-len", required_argument, 0, 'G' },
 	{ "version",        no_argument,       0, 'V' },
@@ -169,6 +170,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			if (optarg == 0 || strcmp(optarg, "yes") == 0 || strcmp(optarg, "y") == 0)
 				opt.flag |= MM_F_SPLICE_FLANK;
 			else opt.flag &= ~MM_F_SPLICE_FLANK;
+		} else if (c == 0 && long_idx == 24) { // --heap-sort
+			if (optarg == 0 || strcmp(optarg, "yes") == 0 || strcmp(optarg, "y") == 0)
+				opt.flag |= MM_F_HEAP_SORT;
+			else opt.flag &= ~MM_F_HEAP_SORT;
 		} else if (c == 'S') {
 			opt.flag |= MM_F_OUT_CS | MM_F_CIGAR | MM_F_OUT_CS_LONG;
 			if (mm_verbose >= 2)
diff --git a/map.c b/map.c
index a4e0d2a..afdc31e 100644
--- a/map.c
+++ b/map.c
@@ -9,144 +9,6 @@
 #include "bseq.h"
 #include "khash.h"
 
-void mm_mapopt_init(mm_mapopt_t *opt)
-{
-	memset(opt, 0, sizeof(mm_mapopt_t));
-	opt->seed = 11;
-	opt->mid_occ_frac = 2e-4f;
-	opt->sdust_thres = 0; // no SDUST masking
-
-	opt->min_cnt = 3;
-	opt->min_chain_score = 40;
-	opt->bw = 500;
-	opt->max_gap = 5000;
-	opt->max_gap_ref = -1;
-	opt->max_chain_skip = 25;
-
-	opt->mask_level = 0.5f;
-	opt->pri_ratio = 0.8f;
-	opt->best_n = 5;
-
-	opt->max_join_long = 20000;
-	opt->max_join_short = 2000;
-	opt->min_join_flank_sc = 1000;
-
-	opt->a = 2, opt->b = 4, opt->q = 4, opt->e = 2, opt->q2 = 24, opt->e2 = 1;
-	opt->zdrop = 400;
-	opt->end_bonus = -1;
-	opt->min_dp_max = opt->min_chain_score * opt->a;
-	opt->min_ksw_len = 200;
-	opt->anchor_ext_len = 20, opt->anchor_ext_shift = 6;
-	opt->mini_batch_size = 500000000;
-
-	opt->pe_ori = 0; // FF
-	opt->pe_bonus = 33;
-}
-
-void mm_mapopt_update(mm_mapopt_t *opt, const mm_idx_t *mi)
-{
-	if ((opt->flag & MM_F_SPLICE_FOR) && (opt->flag & MM_F_SPLICE_REV))
-		opt->flag |= MM_F_SPLICE;
-	if (opt->mid_occ <= 0)
-		opt->mid_occ = mm_idx_cal_max_occ(mi, opt->mid_occ_frac);
-	if (mm_verbose >= 3)
-		fprintf(stderr, "[M::%s::%.3f*%.2f] mid_occ = %d\n", __func__, realtime() - mm_realtime0, cputime() / (realtime() - mm_realtime0), opt->mid_occ);
-}
-
-void mm_mapopt_max_intron_len(mm_mapopt_t *opt, int max_intron_len)
-{
-	if ((opt->flag & MM_F_SPLICE) && max_intron_len > 0)
-		opt->max_gap_ref = opt->bw = max_intron_len;
-}
-
-int mm_set_opt(const char *preset, mm_idxopt_t *io, mm_mapopt_t *mo)
-{
-	if (preset == 0) {
-		mm_idxopt_init(io);
-		mm_mapopt_init(mo);
-	} else if (strcmp(preset, "ava-ont") == 0) {
-		io->flag = 0, io->k = 15, io->w = 5;
-		mo->flag |= MM_F_AVA | MM_F_NO_SELF;
-		mo->min_chain_score = 100, mo->pri_ratio = 0.0f, mo->max_gap = 10000, mo->max_chain_skip = 25;
-	} else if (strcmp(preset, "ava-pb") == 0) {
-		io->flag |= MM_I_HPC, io->k = 19, io->w = 5;
-		mo->flag |= MM_F_AVA | MM_F_NO_SELF;
-		mo->min_chain_score = 100, mo->pri_ratio = 0.0f, mo->max_gap = 10000, mo->max_chain_skip = 25;
-	} else if (strcmp(preset, "map10k") == 0 || strcmp(preset, "map-pb") == 0) {
-		io->flag |= MM_I_HPC, io->k = 19;
-	} else if (strcmp(preset, "map-ont") == 0) {
-		io->flag = 0, io->k = 15;
-	} else if (strcmp(preset, "asm5") == 0) {
-		io->flag = 0, io->k = 19, io->w = 19;
-		mo->a = 1, mo->b = 19, mo->q = 39, mo->q2 = 81, mo->e = 3, mo->e2 = 1, mo->zdrop = 200;
-		mo->min_dp_max = 200;
-		mo->best_n = 50;
-	} else if (strcmp(preset, "asm10") == 0) {
-		io->flag = 0, io->k = 19, io->w = 19;
-		mo->a = 1, mo->b = 9, mo->q = 16, mo->q2 = 41, mo->e = 2, mo->e2 = 1, mo->zdrop = 200;
-		mo->min_dp_max = 200;
-		mo->best_n = 50;
-	} else if (strcmp(preset, "short") == 0 || strcmp(preset, "sr") == 0) {
-		io->flag = 0, io->k = 21, io->w = 11;
-		mo->flag |= MM_F_SR | MM_F_FRAG_MODE | MM_F_NO_PRINT_2ND | MM_F_2_IO_THREADS;
-		mo->pe_ori = 0<<1|1; // FR
-		mo->a = 2, mo->b = 8, mo->q = 12, mo->e = 2, mo->q2 = 24, mo->e2 = 1;
-		mo->zdrop = 100;
-		mo->end_bonus = 10;
-		mo->max_frag_len = 800;
-		mo->max_gap = 100;
-		mo->bw = 100;
-		mo->pri_ratio = 0.5f;
-		mo->min_cnt = 2;
-		mo->min_chain_score = 25;
-		mo->min_dp_max = 40;
-		mo->best_n = 20;
-		mo->mid_occ = 1000;
-		mo->max_occ = 5000;
-		mo->mini_batch_size = 50000000;
-	} else if (strcmp(preset, "splice") == 0 || strcmp(preset, "cdna") == 0) {
-		io->flag = 0, io->k = 15, io->w = 5;
-		mo->flag |= MM_F_SPLICE | MM_F_SPLICE_FOR | MM_F_SPLICE_REV | MM_F_SPLICE_FLANK;
-		mo->max_gap = 2000, mo->max_gap_ref = mo->bw = 200000;
-		mo->a = 1, mo->b = 2, mo->q = 2, mo->e = 1, mo->q2 = 32, mo->e2 = 0;
-		mo->noncan = 9;
-		mo->zdrop = 200;
-	} else return -1;
-	return 0;
-}
-
-int mm_check_opt(const mm_idxopt_t *io, const mm_mapopt_t *mo)
-{
-	if (mo->best_n < 0) {
-		if (mm_verbose >= 1)
-			fprintf(stderr, "[ERROR]\033[1;31m -N must be no less than 0\033[0m\n");
-		return -4;
-	}
-	if (mo->best_n == 0 && mm_verbose >= 2)
-		fprintf(stderr, "[WARNING]\033[1;31m '-N 0' reduces mapping accuracy. Please use '--secondary=no' instead.\033[0m\n");
-	if (mo->pri_ratio < 0.0f || mo->pri_ratio > 1.0f) {
-		if (mm_verbose >= 1)
-			fprintf(stderr, "[ERROR]\033[1;31m -p must be within 0 and 1 (including 0 and 1)\033[0m\n");
-		return -4;
-	}
-	if ((mo->flag & MM_F_FOR_ONLY) && (mo->flag & MM_F_REV_ONLY)) {
-		if (mm_verbose >= 1)
-			fprintf(stderr, "[ERROR]\033[1;31m --for-only and --rev-only can't be applied at the same time\033[0m\n");
-		return -3;
-	}
-	if ((mo->q != mo->q2 || mo->e != mo->e2) && !(mo->e > mo->e2 && mo->q + mo->e < mo->q2 + mo->e2)) {
-		if (mm_verbose >= 1)
-			fprintf(stderr, "[ERROR]\033[1;31m dual gap penalties violating E1>E2 and O1+E1<O2+E2\033[0m\n");
-		return -2;
-	}
-	if ((mo->q + mo->e) + (mo->q2 + mo->e2) > 127) {
-		if (mm_verbose >= 1)
-			fprintf(stderr, "[ERROR]\033[1;31m scoring system violating ({-O}+{-E})+({-O2}+{-E2}) <= 127\033[0m\n");
-		return -1;
-	}
-	return 0;
-}
-
 struct mm_tbuf_s {
 	void *km;
 };
@@ -436,7 +298,8 @@ void mm_map_frag(const mm_idx_t *mi, int n_segs, const int *qlens, const char **
 	hash  = __ac_Wang_hash(hash);
 
 	collect_minimizers(b->km, opt, mi, n_segs, qlens, seqs, &mv);
-	a = collect_seed_hits(b->km, opt, opt->mid_occ, mi, qname, &mv, qlen_sum, &n_a, &rep_len, &n_mini_pos, &mini_pos);
+	if (opt->flag & MM_F_HEAP_SORT) a = collect_seed_hits_heap(b->km, opt, opt->mid_occ, mi, qname, &mv, qlen_sum, &n_a, &rep_len, &n_mini_pos, &mini_pos);
+	else a = collect_seed_hits(b->km, opt, opt->mid_occ, mi, qname, &mv, qlen_sum, &n_a, &rep_len, &n_mini_pos, &mini_pos);
 
 	if (mm_dbg_flag & MM_DBG_PRINT_SEED) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "RS\t%d\n", rep_len);
@@ -476,7 +339,8 @@ void mm_map_frag(const mm_idx_t *mi, int n_segs, const int *qlens, const char **
 			kfree(b->km, a);
 			kfree(b->km, u);
 			kfree(b->km, mini_pos);
-			a = collect_seed_hits(b->km, opt, opt->max_occ, mi, qname, &mv, qlen_sum, &n_a, &rep_len, &n_mini_pos, &mini_pos);
+			if (opt->flag & MM_F_HEAP_SORT) a = collect_seed_hits_heap(b->km, opt, opt->max_occ, mi, qname, &mv, qlen_sum, &n_a, &rep_len, &n_mini_pos, &mini_pos);
+			else a = collect_seed_hits(b->km, opt, opt->max_occ, mi, qname, &mv, qlen_sum, &n_a, &rep_len, &n_mini_pos, &mini_pos);
 			a = mm_chain_dp(max_chain_gap_ref, max_chain_gap_qry, opt->bw, opt->max_chain_skip, opt->min_cnt, opt->min_chain_score, is_splice, n_segs, n_a, a, &n_regs0, &u, b->km);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/minimap.h b/minimap.h
index 26cf187..b244639 100644
--- a/minimap.h
+++ b/minimap.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #define MM_F_SOFTCLIP      0x80000
 #define MM_F_FOR_ONLY      0x100000
 #define MM_F_REV_ONLY      0x200000
+#define MM_F_HEAP_SORT     0x400000
 
 #define MM_I_HPC          0x1
 #define MM_I_NO_SEQ       0x2
diff --git a/options.c b/options.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..edf75de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/options.c
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include "mmpriv.h"
+
+void mm_mapopt_init(mm_mapopt_t *opt)
+{
+	memset(opt, 0, sizeof(mm_mapopt_t));
+	opt->seed = 11;
+	opt->mid_occ_frac = 2e-4f;
+	opt->sdust_thres = 0; // no SDUST masking
+
+	opt->min_cnt = 3;
+	opt->min_chain_score = 40;
+	opt->bw = 500;
+	opt->max_gap = 5000;
+	opt->max_gap_ref = -1;
+	opt->max_chain_skip = 25;
+
+	opt->mask_level = 0.5f;
+	opt->pri_ratio = 0.8f;
+	opt->best_n = 5;
+
+	opt->max_join_long = 20000;
+	opt->max_join_short = 2000;
+	opt->min_join_flank_sc = 1000;
+
+	opt->a = 2, opt->b = 4, opt->q = 4, opt->e = 2, opt->q2 = 24, opt->e2 = 1;
+	opt->zdrop = 400;
+	opt->end_bonus = -1;
+	opt->min_dp_max = opt->min_chain_score * opt->a;
+	opt->min_ksw_len = 200;
+	opt->anchor_ext_len = 20, opt->anchor_ext_shift = 6;
+	opt->mini_batch_size = 500000000;
+
+	opt->pe_ori = 0; // FF
+	opt->pe_bonus = 33;
+}
+
+void mm_mapopt_update(mm_mapopt_t *opt, const mm_idx_t *mi)
+{
+	if ((opt->flag & MM_F_SPLICE_FOR) && (opt->flag & MM_F_SPLICE_REV))
+		opt->flag |= MM_F_SPLICE;
+	if (opt->mid_occ <= 0)
+		opt->mid_occ = mm_idx_cal_max_occ(mi, opt->mid_occ_frac);
+	if (mm_verbose >= 3)
+		fprintf(stderr, "[M::%s::%.3f*%.2f] mid_occ = %d\n", __func__, realtime() - mm_realtime0, cputime() / (realtime() - mm_realtime0), opt->mid_occ);
+}
+
+void mm_mapopt_max_intron_len(mm_mapopt_t *opt, int max_intron_len)
+{
+	if ((opt->flag & MM_F_SPLICE) && max_intron_len > 0)
+		opt->max_gap_ref = opt->bw = max_intron_len;
+}
+
+int mm_set_opt(const char *preset, mm_idxopt_t *io, mm_mapopt_t *mo)
+{
+	if (preset == 0) {
+		mm_idxopt_init(io);
+		mm_mapopt_init(mo);
+	} else if (strcmp(preset, "ava-ont") == 0) {
+		io->flag = 0, io->k = 15, io->w = 5;
+		mo->flag |= MM_F_AVA | MM_F_NO_SELF;
+		mo->min_chain_score = 100, mo->pri_ratio = 0.0f, mo->max_gap = 10000, mo->max_chain_skip = 25;
+	} else if (strcmp(preset, "ava-pb") == 0) {
+		io->flag |= MM_I_HPC, io->k = 19, io->w = 5;
+		mo->flag |= MM_F_AVA | MM_F_NO_SELF;
+		mo->min_chain_score = 100, mo->pri_ratio = 0.0f, mo->max_gap = 10000, mo->max_chain_skip = 25;
+	} else if (strcmp(preset, "map10k") == 0 || strcmp(preset, "map-pb") == 0) {
+		io->flag |= MM_I_HPC, io->k = 19;
+	} else if (strcmp(preset, "map-ont") == 0) {
+		io->flag = 0, io->k = 15;
+	} else if (strcmp(preset, "asm5") == 0) {
+		io->flag = 0, io->k = 19, io->w = 19;
+		mo->a = 1, mo->b = 19, mo->q = 39, mo->q2 = 81, mo->e = 3, mo->e2 = 1, mo->zdrop = 200;
+		mo->min_dp_max = 200;
+		mo->best_n = 50;
+	} else if (strcmp(preset, "asm10") == 0) {
+		io->flag = 0, io->k = 19, io->w = 19;
+		mo->a = 1, mo->b = 9, mo->q = 16, mo->q2 = 41, mo->e = 2, mo->e2 = 1, mo->zdrop = 200;
+		mo->min_dp_max = 200;
+		mo->best_n = 50;
+	} else if (strcmp(preset, "short") == 0 || strcmp(preset, "sr") == 0) {
+		io->flag = 0, io->k = 21, io->w = 11;
+		mo->flag |= MM_F_SR | MM_F_FRAG_MODE | MM_F_NO_PRINT_2ND | MM_F_2_IO_THREADS;
+		mo->pe_ori = 0<<1|1; // FR
+		mo->a = 2, mo->b = 8, mo->q = 12, mo->e = 2, mo->q2 = 24, mo->e2 = 1;
+		mo->zdrop = 100;
+		mo->end_bonus = 10;
+		mo->max_frag_len = 800;
+		mo->max_gap = 100;
+		mo->bw = 100;
+		mo->pri_ratio = 0.5f;
+		mo->min_cnt = 2;
+		mo->min_chain_score = 25;
+		mo->min_dp_max = 40;
+		mo->best_n = 20;
+		mo->mid_occ = 1000;
+		mo->max_occ = 5000;
+		mo->mini_batch_size = 50000000;
+	} else if (strcmp(preset, "splice") == 0 || strcmp(preset, "cdna") == 0) {
+		io->flag = 0, io->k = 15, io->w = 5;
+		mo->flag |= MM_F_SPLICE | MM_F_SPLICE_FOR | MM_F_SPLICE_REV | MM_F_SPLICE_FLANK;
+		mo->max_gap = 2000, mo->max_gap_ref = mo->bw = 200000;
+		mo->a = 1, mo->b = 2, mo->q = 2, mo->e = 1, mo->q2 = 32, mo->e2 = 0;
+		mo->noncan = 9;
+		mo->zdrop = 200;
+	} else return -1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int mm_check_opt(const mm_idxopt_t *io, const mm_mapopt_t *mo)
+{
+	if (mo->best_n < 0) {
+		if (mm_verbose >= 1)
+			fprintf(stderr, "[ERROR]\033[1;31m -N must be no less than 0\033[0m\n");
+		return -4;
+	}
+	if (mo->best_n == 0 && mm_verbose >= 2)
+		fprintf(stderr, "[WARNING]\033[1;31m '-N 0' reduces mapping accuracy. Please use '--secondary=no' instead.\033[0m\n");
+	if (mo->pri_ratio < 0.0f || mo->pri_ratio > 1.0f) {
+		if (mm_verbose >= 1)
+			fprintf(stderr, "[ERROR]\033[1;31m -p must be within 0 and 1 (including 0 and 1)\033[0m\n");
+		return -4;
+	}
+	if ((mo->flag & MM_F_FOR_ONLY) && (mo->flag & MM_F_REV_ONLY)) {
+		if (mm_verbose >= 1)
+			fprintf(stderr, "[ERROR]\033[1;31m --for-only and --rev-only can't be applied at the same time\033[0m\n");
+		return -3;
+	}
+	if ((mo->q != mo->q2 || mo->e != mo->e2) && !(mo->e > mo->e2 && mo->q + mo->e < mo->q2 + mo->e2)) {
+		if (mm_verbose >= 1)
+			fprintf(stderr, "[ERROR]\033[1;31m dual gap penalties violating E1>E2 and O1+E1<O2+E2\033[0m\n");
+		return -2;
+	}
+	if ((mo->q + mo->e) + (mo->q2 + mo->e2) > 127) {
+		if (mm_verbose >= 1)
+			fprintf(stderr, "[ERROR]\033[1;31m scoring system violating ({-O}+{-E})+({-O2}+{-E2}) <= 127\033[0m\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 13365e7..9ed5556 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ setup(
 	keywords = 'sequence-alignment',
 	scripts = ['python/minimap2.py'],
     ext_modules = [Extension('mappy',
-		sources = [module_src, 'align.c', 'bseq.c', 'chain.c', 'format.c', 'hit.c', 'index.c', 'pe.c',
+		sources = [module_src, 'align.c', 'bseq.c', 'chain.c', 'format.c', 'hit.c', 'index.c', 'pe.c', 'options.c',
 				   'ksw2_extd2_sse.c', 'ksw2_exts2_sse.c', 'ksw2_extz2_sse.c', 'ksw2_ll_sse.c',
 				   'kalloc.c', 'kthread.c', 'map.c', 'misc.c', 'sdust.c', 'sketch.c', 'esterr.c'],
 		depends = ['minimap.h', 'bseq.h', 'kalloc.h', 'kdq.h', 'khash.h', 'kseq.h', 'ksort.h',