diff --git a/Changes b/Changes
index 4201e83..de2ac93 100644
--- a/Changes
+++ b/Changes
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-0.49.4 2015-02-04
+0.49.4 2015-02-05
         - [documentation] Improved documentation for API classes,
 	  improved test coverage for utility classes (diewald)
    	- [performance] Updated Lucene dependency from 4.5.1 to 4.10.3,
 	  Updated Jackson dependency from 2.4.0 to 2.4.4,
    	  Updated Jersey dependency from 2.4.1 to 2.15 (diewald)
         - [feature] Presorting of element terms in the index for coherent
-	  SpanQuery sorting (diewald)
+	  SpanQuery sorting; Removed buffering of element candidates (diewald)
 	  Warning: This is a breaking change!
 	- [cleanup] Renamed /filter to /collection, 
 	  merge KorapHTML and KorapString (diewald)
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/query/spans/ElementSpans.java b/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/query/spans/ElementSpans.java
index a4d7159..c51665e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/query/spans/ElementSpans.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/query/spans/ElementSpans.java
@@ -18,16 +18,13 @@
 import de.ids_mannheim.korap.query.SpanElementQuery;
 
 /**
- * Enumeration of spans which are elements such as phrases, sentences and
- * paragraphs.
+ * Enumeration of special spans which length is stored in their payload,
+ * representing elements such as phrases, sentences and paragraphs.
  * 
  * @author margaretha
  * @author diewald
  */
 public class ElementSpans extends SpansWithId {
-
-    private List<CandidateElementSpan> candidateList;
-    private int currentDoc, currentPosition;
     private TermSpans termSpans;
 
     /**
@@ -40,156 +37,82 @@
      * @throws IOException
      */
     public ElementSpans(SpanElementQuery spanElementQuery,
-            AtomicReaderContext context, Bits acceptDocs,
-            Map<Term, TermContext> termContexts) throws IOException {
+                        AtomicReaderContext context, Bits acceptDocs,
+                        Map<Term, TermContext> termContexts) throws IOException {
         super(spanElementQuery, context, acceptDocs, termContexts);
-        candidateList = new ArrayList<>();
-        termSpans = (TermSpans) firstSpans;
-        hasMoreSpans = termSpans.next();
-        if (hasMoreSpans) {
-            currentDoc = termSpans.doc();
-            currentPosition = termSpans.start();
-        }
-    }
+        termSpans = (TermSpans) this.firstSpans;
+        hasMoreSpans = true;
+    };
+
 
     @Override
     public boolean next() throws IOException {
         isStartEnumeration = false;
-        return advance();
-    }
 
-    /**
-     * Advances the ElementSpans to the next match by first checking the
-     * candidate match list. If the list is empty, it will be set/filled in
-     * first. Tells if there is a next match or not.
-     * 
-     * @return <code>true</code> if a match is found, <code>false</code>
-     *         otherwise.
-     * @throws IOException
-     */
-    private boolean advance() throws IOException {
-        while (hasMoreSpans || !candidateList.isEmpty()) {
-            if (!candidateList.isEmpty()) {
-                CandidateElementSpan cs = candidateList.get(0);
-                this.matchDocNumber = cs.getDoc();
-                this.matchStartPosition = cs.getStart();
-                this.matchEndPosition = cs.getEnd();
-                this.matchPayload = cs.getPayloads();
-                // this.setElementRef(cs.getSpanId());
-                this.setSpanId(cs.getSpanId());
-                candidateList.remove(0);
-                return true;
-            } else {
-                // logger.info("Setting candidate list");
-                setCandidateList();
-                currentDoc = termSpans.doc();
-                currentPosition = termSpans.start();
-            }
-        }
-        return false;
-    }
+        if (!hasMoreSpans || !(hasMoreSpans = termSpans.next()))
+            return false;
 
-    /**
-     * Collects all the elements starting at the same position and sort them by
-     * their end positions. The list starts with the element having the smallest
-     * end position.
-     * 
-     * @throws IOException
-     */
-    private void setCandidateList() throws IOException {
-        while (hasMoreSpans && termSpans.doc() == currentDoc
-                && termSpans.start() == currentPosition) {
-            CandidateElementSpan cs = new CandidateElementSpan(termSpans,
-                    spanId);
-            // elementRef);
-            readPayload(cs);
-            candidateList.add(cs);
-            hasMoreSpans = termSpans.next();
-        }
-        Collections.sort(candidateList);
-    }
+        // Set current values
+        return this.setToCurrent();
+    };
 
-    /**
-     * Reads the payloads of the termSpan and sets the end position and element
-     * id from the payloads for the candidate match. The payloads for
-     * character-offsets are set as the candidate match payloads. <br/>
-     * <br/>
-     * <em>Note</em>: payloadbuffer should actually collects all other payload
-     * beside end position and element id, but KorapIndex identify element's
-     * payloads by its length (8), which represents the character offset
-     * payloads. So these offsets are directly set as the candidate match
-     * payload.
-     * 
-     * @param cs a candidate match
-     * @throws IOException
-     */
-    private void readPayload(CandidateElementSpan cs) throws IOException {
-        List<byte[]> payload = (List<byte[]>) termSpans.getPayload();
-        int length = payload.get(0).length;
-        ByteBuffer bb = ByteBuffer.allocate(length);
-        bb.put(payload.get(0));
+
+    // Set term values to current
+    private boolean setToCurrent () throws IOException {
+        // Get payload
+        this.matchStartPosition = termSpans.start();
+        this.matchDocNumber = termSpans.doc();
+
+        // No need to check if there is a pl - there has to be a payload!
+        this.matchPayload = termSpans.getPayload();
+
+        List<byte[]> payload = (List<byte[]>) this.matchPayload;
 
         if (!payload.isEmpty()) {
-            // set element end position from payload
-            cs.setEnd(bb.getInt(8));
 
-            if (hasSpanId) { // copy element id
-                cs.setSpanId(bb.getShort(12));
-            } else { // set element id -1
-                cs.setSpanId((short) -1);
-            }
+            // Get payload one by one
+            int length = payload.get(0).length;
+            ByteBuffer bb = ByteBuffer.allocate(length);
+            bb.put(payload.get(0));
+
+            // set element end position from payload
+            this.matchEndPosition = bb.getInt(8);
+
+            // Copy element id
+            this.setSpanId(this.hasSpanId ? bb.getShort(12) : (short) -1);
+
             // Copy the start and end character offsets
             byte[] b = new byte[8];
             b = Arrays.copyOfRange(bb.array(), 0, 8);
-            cs.setPayloads(Collections.singletonList(b));
-        } else {
-            cs.setEnd(cs.getStart());
-            cs.setSpanId((short) -1);
-            cs.setPayloads(null);
+            this.matchPayload = Collections.singletonList(b);
         }
-    }
+
+        // The span is extremely short ... well ...
+        else {
+            this.matchEndPosition = this.matchStartPosition;
+            this.setSpanId((short) -1);
+            this.matchPayload = null;
+        };
+        return true;
+    };
+
 
     @Override
     public boolean skipTo(int target) throws IOException {
-        if (hasMoreSpans && (firstSpans.doc() < target)) {
-            if (!firstSpans.skipTo(target)) {
-                candidateList.clear();
-                return false;
-            }
-        }
-        setCandidateList();
-        matchPayload.clear();
-        isStartEnumeration = false;
-        return advance();
-    }
+        if (hasMoreSpans &&
+            firstSpans.doc() < target &&
+            firstSpans.skipTo(target)) {
+            return this.setToCurrent();
+        };
+
+        hasMoreSpans = false;
+        this.matchPayload = null;
+        return false;
+    };
+
 
     @Override
     public long cost() {
         return termSpans.cost();
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Match candidate for element spans.
-     * 
-     * @author margaretha
-     * 
-     */
-    class CandidateElementSpan extends CandidateSpan {
-
-        private short elementId;
-
-        public CandidateElementSpan(Spans span, short elementId)
-                throws IOException {
-            super(span);
-            setSpanId(elementId);
-        }
-
-        public void setSpanId(short elementId) {
-            this.elementId = elementId;
-        }
-
-        public short getSpanId() {
-            return elementId;
-        }
-    }
+    };
 };
diff --git a/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/index/TestNextIndex.java b/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/index/TestNextIndex.java
index 59b8525..00fa232 100644
--- a/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/index/TestNextIndex.java
+++ b/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/index/TestNextIndex.java
@@ -41,30 +41,29 @@
 
     @Test
     public void indexExample1 () throws IOException {
-	KorapIndex ki = new KorapIndex();
+        KorapIndex ki = new KorapIndex();
 
-	// abcabcabac
-	FieldDocument fd = new FieldDocument();
-	fd.addTV("base",
-		 "abcabcabac",
-		 "[(0-1)s:a|i:a|_0#0-1|-:t$<i>10]" +
-		 "[(1-2)s:b|i:b|_1#1-2]" +
-		 "[(2-3)s:c|i:c|_2#2-3]" +
-		 "[(3-4)s:a|i:a|_3#3-4]" +
-		 "[(4-5)s:b|i:b|_4#4-5]" +
-		 "[(5-6)s:c|i:c|_5#5-6]" +
-		 "[(6-7)s:a|i:a|_6#6-7]" +
-		 "[(7-8)s:b|i:b|_7#7-8]" +
-		 "[(8-9)s:a|i:a|_8#8-9]" +
-		 "[(9-10)s:c|i:c|_9#9-10]");
-	ki.addDoc(fd);
+        // abcabcabac
+        FieldDocument fd = new FieldDocument();
+        fd.addTV("base",
+                 "abcabcabac",
+                 "[(0-1)s:a|i:a|_0#0-1|-:t$<i>10]" +
+                 "[(1-2)s:b|i:b|_1#1-2]" +
+                 "[(2-3)s:c|i:c|_2#2-3]" +
+                 "[(3-4)s:a|i:a|_3#3-4]" +
+                 "[(4-5)s:b|i:b|_4#4-5]" +
+                 "[(5-6)s:c|i:c|_5#5-6]" +
+                 "[(6-7)s:a|i:a|_6#6-7]" +
+                 "[(7-8)s:b|i:b|_7#7-8]" +
+                 "[(8-9)s:a|i:a|_8#8-9]" +
+                 "[(9-10)s:c|i:c|_9#9-10]");
+        ki.addDoc(fd);
+        ki.commit();
 
-	ki.commit();
+        SpanQuery sq;
+        KorapResult kr;
 
-	SpanQuery sq;
-	KorapResult kr;
-
-	sq = new SpanNextQuery(
+        sq = new SpanNextQuery(
             new SpanTermQuery(new Term("base", "s:a")),
             new SpanTermQuery(new Term("base", "s:b"))
         );
@@ -188,76 +187,74 @@
 
     @Test
     public void indexExample4 () throws IOException {
-	KorapIndex ki = new KorapIndex();
+        KorapIndex ki = new KorapIndex();
 
-	// abcabcabac
-	// abc<x>abc<x>a</x>b</x>ac
-	FieldDocument fd = new FieldDocument();
-	fd.addString("ID", "doc-1");
-	fd.addTV("base",
-		 "abcabcabac",
-		 "[(0-1)s:a|i:a|_0#0-1|-:t$<i>10]" +
-		 "[(1-2)s:b|i:b|_1#1-2]" +
-		 "[(2-3)s:c|i:c|_2#2-3]" +
-		 "[(3-4)s:a|i:a|_3#3-4|<>:x#3-7$<i>7]" +
-		 "[(4-5)s:b|i:b|_4#4-5]" +
-		 "[(5-6)s:c|i:c|_5#5-6]" +
-		 "[(6-7)s:a|i:a|_6#6-7]<>:x#6-8$<i>8]" +
-		 "[(7-8)s:b|i:b|_7#7-8]" +
-		 "[(8-9)s:a|i:a|_8#8-9]" +
-		 "[(9-10)s:c|i:c|_9#9-10]");
-	ki.addDoc(fd);
+        // abcabcabac
+        // abc<x>abc<x>a</x>b</x>ac
+        FieldDocument fd = new FieldDocument();
+        fd.addString("ID", "doc-1");
+        fd.addTV("base",
+                 "abcabcabac",
+                 "[(0-1)s:a|i:a|_0#0-1|-:t$<i>10]" +
+                 "[(1-2)s:b|i:b|_1#1-2]" +
+                 "[(2-3)s:c|i:c|_2#2-3]" +
+                 "[(3-4)s:a|i:a|_3#3-4|<>:x#3-7$<i>7]" +
+                 "[(4-5)s:b|i:b|_4#4-5]" +
+                 "[(5-6)s:c|i:c|_5#5-6]" +
+                 "[(6-7)s:a|i:a|_6#6-7]<>:x#6-8$<i>8]" +
+                 "[(7-8)s:b|i:b|_7#7-8]" +
+                 "[(8-9)s:a|i:a|_8#8-9]" +
+                 "[(9-10)s:c|i:c|_9#9-10]");
+        ki.addDoc(fd);
+        
+        // xbz<x>xbzx</x>bxz
+        fd = new FieldDocument();
+        fd.addString("ID", "doc-2");
+        fd.addTV("base",
+                 "xbzxbzxbxz",
+                 "[(0-1)s:x|i:x|_0#0-1|-:t$<i>10]" +
+                 "[(1-2)s:b|i:b|_1#1-2]" +
+                 "[(2-3)s:z|i:z|_2#2-3]" +
+                 "[(3-4)s:x|i:x|_3#3-4|<>:x#3-7$<i>7]" +
+                 "[(4-5)s:b|i:b|_4#4-5]" +
+                 "[(5-6)s:z|i:z|_5#5-6]" +
+                 "[(6-7)s:x|i:x|_6#6-7]" +
+                 "[(7-8)s:b|i:b|_7#7-8]" +
+                 "[(8-9)s:x|i:x|_8#8-9]" +
+                 "[(9-10)s:z|i:z|_9#9-10]");
+        ki.addDoc(fd);
+        ki.commit();
 
-	// xbz<x>xbzx</x>bxz
-	fd = new FieldDocument();
-	fd.addString("ID", "doc-2");
-	fd.addTV("base",
-		 "xbzxbzxbxz",
-		 "[(0-1)s:x|i:x|_0#0-1|-:t$<i>10]" +
-		 "[(1-2)s:b|i:b|_1#1-2]" +
-		 "[(2-3)s:z|i:z|_2#2-3]" +
-		 "[(3-4)s:x|i:x|_3#3-4|<>:x#3-7$<i>7]" +
-		 "[(4-5)s:b|i:b|_4#4-5]" +
-		 "[(5-6)s:z|i:z|_5#5-6]" +
-		 "[(6-7)s:x|i:x|_6#6-7]" +
-		 "[(7-8)s:b|i:b|_7#7-8]" +
-		 "[(8-9)s:x|i:x|_8#8-9]" +
-		 "[(9-10)s:z|i:z|_9#9-10]");
-	ki.addDoc(fd);
+        SpanQuery sq;
+        KorapResult kr;
 
-
-	ki.commit();
-
-	SpanQuery sq;
-	KorapResult kr;
-
-	sq = new SpanNextQuery(
-	       new SpanElementQuery("base", "x"),
-	       new SpanTermQuery(new Term("base", "s:b"))
-	);
+        sq = new SpanNextQuery(
+            new SpanElementQuery("base", "x"),
+            new SpanTermQuery(new Term("base", "s:b"))
+        );
 	
-	kr = ki.search(sq, (short) 10);
-	assertEquals("TotalResults", kr.getTotalResults(), 2);
-	assertEquals("abc[abcab]ac", kr.getMatch(0).getSnippetBrackets());
-	assertEquals("xbz[xbzxb]xz", kr.getMatch(1).getSnippetBrackets());
+        kr = ki.search(sq, (short) 10);
+        assertEquals("TotalResults", kr.getTotalResults(), 2);
+        assertEquals("abc[abcab]ac", kr.getMatch(0).getSnippetBrackets());
+        assertEquals("xbz[xbzxb]xz", kr.getMatch(1).getSnippetBrackets());
 
-	sq = new SpanNextQuery(
-	       new SpanTermQuery(new Term("base", "s:c")),
- 	       new SpanElementQuery("base", "x")
-	);
-	
-	kr = ki.search(sq, (short) 10);
-	assertEquals(kr.getTotalResults(), 1);
-	assertEquals("ab[cabca]bac", kr.getMatch(0).getSnippetBrackets());
-
-	sq = new SpanNextQuery(
-	       new SpanTermQuery(new Term("base", "s:z")),
- 	       new SpanElementQuery("base", "x")
-	);
-	
-	kr = ki.search(sq, (short) 10);
-	assertEquals(kr.getTotalResults(), 1);
-	assertEquals("xb[zxbzx]bxz", kr.getMatch(0).getSnippetBrackets());
+        sq = new SpanNextQuery(
+            new SpanTermQuery(new Term("base", "s:c")),
+            new SpanElementQuery("base", "x")
+        );
+        
+        kr = ki.search(sq, (short) 10);
+        assertEquals(kr.getTotalResults(), 1);
+        assertEquals("ab[cabca]bac", kr.getMatch(0).getSnippetBrackets());
+        
+        sq = new SpanNextQuery(
+            new SpanTermQuery(new Term("base", "s:z")),
+            new SpanElementQuery("base", "x")
+        );
+        
+        kr = ki.search(sq, (short) 10);
+        assertEquals(1, kr.getTotalResults());
+        assertEquals("xb[zxbzx]bxz", kr.getMatch(0).getSnippetBrackets());
     };
     
     /**
diff --git a/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/query/TestSpanElementQuery.java b/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/query/TestSpanElementQuery.java
index 3581b3b..8fab7b3 100644
--- a/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/query/TestSpanElementQuery.java
+++ b/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/query/TestSpanElementQuery.java
@@ -11,18 +11,28 @@
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
 import org.junit.runners.JUnit4;
 
+/**
+ * @author diewald
+ */
+
 @RunWith(JUnit4.class)
 public class TestSpanElementQuery {
 
     @Test
     public void spanElementQuery () {
-	SpanElementQuery sequery = new SpanElementQuery("field", "b");
-	assertEquals("<field:b />", sequery.toString());
+        SpanElementQuery sequery = new SpanElementQuery("field", "b");
+        assertEquals("<field:b />", sequery.toString());
     };
 
     @Test
     public void spanElement2Query () {
-	SpanElementQuery sequery = new SpanElementQuery("field", "xyz");
-	assertEquals("<field:xyz />", sequery.toString());
+        SpanElementQuery sequery = new SpanElementQuery("field", "xyz");
+        assertEquals("<field:xyz />", sequery.toString());
+    };
+
+    @Test
+    public void spanElement3Query () {
+        SpanElementQuery sequery = new SpanElementQuery("field", "");
+        assertEquals("<field: />", sequery.toString());
     };
 };