diff --git a/packages/slate/benchmark/models/from-json-big.js b/packages/slate/benchmark/models/from-json-big.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a3d902c8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/slate/benchmark/models/from-json-big.js
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+/* eslint-disable react/jsx-key */
+
+import { Value } from '../..'
+
+export default function(json) {
+  Value.fromJSON(json)
+}
+
+export const input = {
+  document: {
+    nodes: Array.from(Array(100)).map(() => ({
+      type: 'list',
+      object: 'block',
+      isVoid: false,
+      data: {},
+      nodes: Array.from(Array(10)).map(() => ({
+        type: 'list-item',
+        object: 'block',
+        isVoid: false,
+        data: {},
+        nodes: [
+          {
+            leaves: [
+              {
+                object: 'leaf',
+                marks: [],
+                text: '',
+              },
+            ],
+            object: 'text',
+          },
+          {
+            type: 'link',
+            object: 'inline',
+            isVoid: false,
+            data: {
+              id: 1,
+            },
+            nodes: [
+              {
+                leaves: [
+                  {
+                    object: 'leaf',
+                    marks: [],
+                    text: 'Some text for a link',
+                  },
+                ],
+                object: 'text',
+              },
+            ],
+          },
+          {
+            leaves: [
+              {
+                object: 'leaf',
+                marks: [],
+                text: '',
+              },
+            ],
+            object: 'text',
+          },
+        ],
+      })),
+    })),
+  },
+}
diff --git a/packages/slate/src/changes/with-schema.js b/packages/slate/src/changes/with-schema.js
index f2486dfed..4e6368742 100644
--- a/packages/slate/src/changes/with-schema.js
+++ b/packages/slate/src/changes/with-schema.js
@@ -65,32 +65,17 @@ function normalizeNodeAndChildren(change, node, schema) {
     return
   }
 
-  const normalizedKeys = []
-  let child = node.nodes.first()
+  let child = node.getFirstInvalidDescendant(schema)
   let path = change.value.document.getPath(node.key)
-
-  // We can't just loop the children and normalize them, because in the process
-  // of normalizing one child, we might end up creating another. Instead, we
-  // have to normalize one at a time, and check for new children along the way.
   while (node && child) {
-    const lastSize = change.operations.size
     normalizeNodeAndChildren(change, child, schema)
-    normalizedKeys.push(child.key)
-
-    // PERF: if size is unchanged, then no operation happens
-    // Therefore we can simply normalize the next child
-    if (lastSize === change.operations.size) {
-      const nextIndex = node.nodes.indexOf(child) + 1
-      child = node.nodes.get(nextIndex)
+    node = change.value.document.refindNode(path, node.key)
+    if (!node) {
+      path = []
+      child = null
     } else {
-      node = change.value.document.refindNode(path, node.key)
-      if (!node) {
-        path = []
-        child = null
-      } else {
-        path = change.value.document.refindPath(path, node.key)
-        child = node.nodes.find(c => !normalizedKeys.includes(c.key))
-      }
+      path = change.value.document.refindPath(path, node.key)
+      child = node.getFirstInvalidDescendant(schema)
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/slate/src/models/node.js b/packages/slate/src/models/node.js
index ddae92e7f..2d1d24e7c 100644
--- a/packages/slate/src/models/node.js
+++ b/packages/slate/src/models/node.js
@@ -1987,6 +1987,22 @@ class Node {
   validate(schema) {
     return schema.validateNode(this)
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Get the first invalid descendant
+   *
+   * @param {Schema} schema
+   * @return {Node|Text|Null}
+   */
+
+  getFirstInvalidDescendant(schema) {
+    let result = null
+    this.nodes.find(n => {
+      result = n.validate(schema) ? n : n.getFirstInvalidDescendant(schema)
+      return result
+    })
+    return result
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2072,6 +2088,7 @@ memoize(
     'getTextAtOffset',
     'getTextsAtRangeAsArray',
     'validate',
+    'getFirstInvalidDescendant',
   ],
   {
     takesArguments: true,
diff --git a/packages/slate/src/models/text.js b/packages/slate/src/models/text.js
index 29c8fc21f..3f3a890b2 100644
--- a/packages/slate/src/models/text.js
+++ b/packages/slate/src/models/text.js
@@ -495,6 +495,18 @@ class Text extends Record(DEFAULTS) {
   validate(schema) {
     return schema.validateNode(this)
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Get the first invalid descendant
+   * PREF: Do not cache this method; because it can cause cycle reference
+   *
+   * @param {Schema} schema
+   * @returns {Text|Null}
+   */
+
+  getFirstInvalidDescendant(schema) {
+    return this.validate(schema) ? this : null
+  }
 }
 
 /**