diff --git a/conn.go b/conn.go
index c0f8f16..7a6c63b 100644
--- a/conn.go
+++ b/conn.go
@@ -106,6 +106,52 @@ func (wa websocketAddr) String() string {
 	return string(wa)
 }
 
+type rateLimiter struct {
+	C <-chan struct{}
+	ticker *time.Ticker
+	stopped chan struct{}
+}
+
+func newRateLimiter(delay time.Duration, burst int) *rateLimiter {
+	ch := make(chan struct{}, burst)
+	for i := 0; i < burst; i++ {
+		ch <- struct{}{}
+	}
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(delay)
+	stopped := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-ticker.C:
+				select {
+				case ch <- struct{}{}:
+					// This space is intentionally left blank
+				case <-stopped:
+					return
+				}
+			case <-stopped:
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+	return &rateLimiter{
+		C: ch,
+		ticker: ticker,
+		stopped: stopped,
+	}
+}
+
+func (rl *rateLimiter) Stop() {
+	rl.ticker.Stop()
+	close(rl.stopped)
+}
+
+type connOptions struct {
+	Logger Logger
+	RateLimitDelay time.Duration
+	RateLimitBurst int
+}
+
 type conn struct {
 	conn   ircConn
 	srv    *Server
@@ -116,17 +162,27 @@ type conn struct {
 	closed   bool
 }
 
-func newConn(srv *Server, ic ircConn, logger Logger) *conn {
+func newConn(srv *Server, ic ircConn, options *connOptions) *conn {
 	outgoing := make(chan *irc.Message, 64)
 	c := &conn{
 		conn:     ic,
 		srv:      srv,
 		outgoing: outgoing,
-		logger:   logger,
+		logger:   options.Logger,
 	}
 
 	go func() {
+		var rl *rateLimiter
+		if options.RateLimitDelay > 0 && options.RateLimitBurst > 0 {
+			rl = newRateLimiter(options.RateLimitDelay, options.RateLimitBurst)
+			defer rl.Stop()
+		}
+
 		for msg := range outgoing {
+			if rl != nil {
+				<-rl.C
+			}
+
 			if c.srv.Debug {
 				c.logger.Printf("sent: %v", msg)
 			}
diff --git a/downstream.go b/downstream.go
index 8863f28..952121d 100644
--- a/downstream.go
+++ b/downstream.go
@@ -102,8 +102,9 @@ type downstreamConn struct {
 func newDownstreamConn(srv *Server, ic ircConn, id uint64) *downstreamConn {
 	remoteAddr := ic.RemoteAddr().String()
 	logger := &prefixLogger{srv.Logger, fmt.Sprintf("downstream %q: ", remoteAddr)}
+	options := connOptions{Logger: logger}
 	dc := &downstreamConn{
-		conn:          *newConn(srv, ic, logger),
+		conn:          *newConn(srv, ic, &options),
 		id:            id,
 		supportedCaps: make(map[string]string),
 		caps:          make(map[string]bool),
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 883b9b5..c538c20 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 // TODO: make configurable
-var retryConnectMinDelay = time.Minute
+var retryConnectDelay = time.Minute
 var connectTimeout = 15 * time.Second
 var writeTimeout = 10 * time.Second
+var upstreamMessageDelay = 2 * time.Second
+var upstreamMessageBurst = 10
 
 type Logger interface {
 	Print(v ...interface{})
diff --git a/upstream.go b/upstream.go
index 77c155f..29613af 100644
--- a/upstream.go
+++ b/upstream.go
@@ -157,8 +157,14 @@ func connectToUpstream(network *network) (*upstreamConn, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to dial %q: unknown scheme: %v", network.Addr, u.Scheme)
 	}
 
+	options := connOptions{
+		Logger: logger,
+		RateLimitDelay: upstreamMessageDelay,
+		RateLimitBurst: upstreamMessageBurst,
+	}
+
 	uc := &upstreamConn{
-		conn:                     *newConn(network.user.srv, newNetIRCConn(netConn), logger),
+		conn:                     *newConn(network.user.srv, newNetIRCConn(netConn), &options),
 		network:                  network,
 		user:                     network.user,
 		channels:                 make(map[string]*upstreamChannel),
diff --git a/user.go b/user.go
index 0090321..6b9512a 100644
--- a/user.go
+++ b/user.go
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@ func (net *network) run() {
 			return
 		}
 
-		if dur := time.Now().Sub(lastTry); dur < retryConnectMinDelay {
-			delay := retryConnectMinDelay - dur
+		if dur := time.Now().Sub(lastTry); dur < retryConnectDelay {
+			delay := retryConnectDelay - dur
 			net.user.srv.Logger.Printf("waiting %v before trying to reconnect to %q", delay.Truncate(time.Second), net.Addr)
 			time.Sleep(delay)
 		}