diff --git a/p2p/src/msg.rs b/p2p/src/msg.rs
index 12c390149..93de6dca2 100644
--- a/p2p/src/msg.rs
+++ b/p2p/src/msg.rs
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@ use crate::types::{
 use crate::util::secp::pedersen::RangeProof;
 use bytes::Bytes;
 use num::FromPrimitive;
-use std::fmt;
 use std::fs::File;
 use std::io::{Read, Write};
 use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::{fmt, thread, time::Duration};
 
 /// Grin's user agent with current version
 pub const USER_AGENT: &str = concat!("MW/Grin ", env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"));
@@ -238,6 +238,17 @@ pub fn write_message<W: Write>(
 	msg: &Msg,
 	tracker: Arc<Tracker>,
 ) -> Result<(), Error> {
+	// Introduce a delay so messages are spaced at least 150ms apart.
+	// This gives a max msg rate of 60000/150 = 400 messages per minute.
+	// Exceeding 500 messages per minute will result in being banned as abusive.
+	if let Some(elapsed) = tracker.sent_bytes.read().elapsed_since_last_msg() {
+		let min_interval: u64 = 150;
+		let sleep_ms = min_interval.saturating_sub(elapsed);
+		if sleep_ms > 0 {
+			thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(sleep_ms))
+		}
+	}
+
 	let mut buf = ser::ser_vec(&msg.header, msg.version)?;
 	buf.extend(&msg.body[..]);
 	stream.write_all(&buf[..])?;
diff --git a/p2p/src/peer.rs b/p2p/src/peer.rs
index 617a9172b..1b28baeba 100644
--- a/p2p/src/peer.rs
+++ b/p2p/src/peer.rs
@@ -205,27 +205,13 @@ impl Peer {
 
 	/// Whether the peer is considered abusive, mostly for spammy nodes
 	pub fn is_abusive(&self) -> bool {
-		let rec = self.tracker.received_bytes.read();
-		let sent = self.tracker.sent_bytes.read();
-		rec.count_per_min() > MAX_PEER_MSG_PER_MIN || sent.count_per_min() > MAX_PEER_MSG_PER_MIN
+		let rec = self.tracker().received_bytes.read();
+		rec.count_per_min() > MAX_PEER_MSG_PER_MIN
 	}
 
-	/// Number of bytes sent to the peer
-	pub fn last_min_sent_bytes(&self) -> Option<u64> {
-		let sent_bytes = self.tracker.sent_bytes.read();
-		Some(sent_bytes.bytes_per_min())
-	}
-
-	/// Number of bytes received from the peer
-	pub fn last_min_received_bytes(&self) -> Option<u64> {
-		let received_bytes = self.tracker.received_bytes.read();
-		Some(received_bytes.bytes_per_min())
-	}
-
-	pub fn last_min_message_counts(&self) -> Option<(u64, u64)> {
-		let received_bytes = self.tracker.received_bytes.read();
-		let sent_bytes = self.tracker.sent_bytes.read();
-		Some((sent_bytes.count_per_min(), received_bytes.count_per_min()))
+	/// Tracker tracks sent/received bytes and message counts per minute.
+	pub fn tracker(&self) -> &conn::Tracker {
+		&self.tracker
 	}
 
 	/// Set this peer status to banned
diff --git a/p2p/src/peers.rs b/p2p/src/peers.rs
index c1bbccfaa..e045baca0 100644
--- a/p2p/src/peers.rs
+++ b/p2p/src/peers.rs
@@ -324,12 +324,12 @@ impl Peers {
 					debug!("clean_peers {:?}, not connected", peer.info.addr);
 					rm.push(peer.info.addr.clone());
 				} else if peer.is_abusive() {
-					if let Some(counts) = peer.last_min_message_counts() {
-						debug!(
-							"clean_peers {:?}, abusive ({} sent, {} recv)",
-							peer.info.addr, counts.0, counts.1,
-						);
-					}
+					let received = peer.tracker().received_bytes.read().count_per_min();
+					let sent = peer.tracker().sent_bytes.read().count_per_min();
+					debug!(
+						"clean_peers {:?}, abusive ({} sent, {} recv)",
+						peer.info.addr, sent, received,
+					);
 					let _ = self.update_state(peer.info.addr, State::Banned);
 					rm.push(peer.info.addr.clone());
 				} else {
diff --git a/servers/src/common/stats.rs b/servers/src/common/stats.rs
index f986edce3..811a084c6 100644
--- a/servers/src/common/stats.rs
+++ b/servers/src/common/stats.rs
@@ -240,8 +240,8 @@ impl PeerStats {
 			height: peer.info.height(),
 			direction: direction.to_string(),
 			last_seen: peer.info.last_seen(),
-			sent_bytes_per_sec: peer.last_min_sent_bytes().unwrap_or(0) / 60,
-			received_bytes_per_sec: peer.last_min_received_bytes().unwrap_or(0) / 60,
+			sent_bytes_per_sec: peer.tracker().sent_bytes.read().bytes_per_min() / 60,
+			received_bytes_per_sec: peer.tracker().received_bytes.read().bytes_per_min() / 60,
 			capabilities: peer.info.capabilities,
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/util/src/rate_counter.rs b/util/src/rate_counter.rs
index aa84ced96..0a9c92e1e 100644
--- a/util/src/rate_counter.rs
+++ b/util/src/rate_counter.rs
@@ -99,6 +99,14 @@ impl RateCounter {
 			.filter(|x| !x.is_quiet())
 			.count() as u64
 	}
+
+	/// Elapsed time in ms since the last entry.
+	/// We use this to rate limit when sending.
+	pub fn elapsed_since_last_msg(&self) -> Option<u64> {
+		self.last_min_entries
+			.last()
+			.map(|x| millis_since_epoch().saturating_sub(x.timestamp))
+	}
 }
 
 // turns out getting the millisecs since epoch in Rust isn't as easy as it