diff --git a/src/taskgraph/graph.py b/src/taskgraph/graph.py
index 573275087..a521cdfc4 100644
--- a/src/taskgraph/graph.py
+++ b/src/taskgraph/graph.py
@@ -61,21 +61,29 @@ def transitive_closure(self, nodes, reverse=False):
                 f"Unknown nodes in transitive closure: {nodes - self.nodes}"
             )
 
-        # generate a new graph by expanding along edges until reaching a fixed
-        # point
-        new_nodes, new_edges = nodes, set()
-        nodes, edges = set(), set()
-        while (new_nodes, new_edges) != (nodes, edges):
-            nodes, edges = new_nodes, new_edges
-            add_edges = {
-                (left, right, name)
-                for (left, right, name) in self.edges
-                if (right if reverse else left) in nodes
-            }
-            add_nodes = {(left if reverse else right) for (left, right, _) in add_edges}
-            new_nodes = nodes | add_nodes
-            new_edges = edges | add_edges
-        return Graph(new_nodes, new_edges)
+        # Build an adjacency list once, then BFS — O(Vertices + Edges)
+        adjacency = collections.defaultdict(set)
+        for left, right, _name in self.edges:
+            if reverse:
+                adjacency[right].add(left)
+            else:
+                adjacency[left].add(right)
+
+        result_nodes = set(nodes)
+        queue = collections.deque(nodes)
+        while queue:
+            node = queue.popleft()
+            for neighbor in adjacency.get(node, ()):
+                if neighbor not in result_nodes:
+                    result_nodes.add(neighbor)
+                    queue.append(neighbor)
+
+        result_edges = frozenset(
+            (left, right, name)
+            for left, right, name in self.edges
+            if left in result_nodes and right in result_nodes
+        )
+        return Graph(frozenset(result_nodes), result_edges)
 
     def _visit(self, reverse):
         forward_links, reverse_links = self.links_and_reverse_links_dict()