diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/DatagramSequencer.cpp b/libraries/metavoxels/src/DatagramSequencer.cpp
index 5c5aee49c2..65d548ba1c 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/DatagramSequencer.cpp
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/DatagramSequencer.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #include "MetavoxelMessages.h"
 
 // in sequencer parlance, a "packet" may consist of multiple datagrams.  clarify when we refer to actual datagrams
-const int MAX_DATAGRAM_SIZE = 1450;
+const int MAX_DATAGRAM_SIZE = MAX_PACKET_SIZE;
 
 const int DEFAULT_MAX_PACKET_SIZE = 3000;
 
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ DatagramSequencer::DatagramSequencer(const QByteArray& datagramHeader, QObject*
     _packetsToWrite(0.0f),
     _slowStartThreshold(DEFAULT_SLOW_START_THRESHOLD),
     _packetRateIncreasePacketNumber(0),
-    _packetRateDecreasePacketNumber(0) {
+    _packetRateDecreasePacketNumber(0),
+    _packetDropCount(0) {
 
     _outgoingPacketStream.setByteOrder(QDataStream::LittleEndian);
     _incomingDatagramStream.setByteOrder(QDataStream::LittleEndian);
@@ -348,11 +349,18 @@ void DatagramSequencer::sendRecordLost(const SendRecord& record) {
         }
     }
     
-    // halve the rate and remember as threshold
-    if (record.packetNumber >= _packetRateDecreasePacketNumber) {
-        _packetsPerGroup = qMax(_packetsPerGroup * 0.5f, 1.0f);
-        _slowStartThreshold = _packetsPerGroup;
-        _packetRateDecreasePacketNumber = _outgoingPacketNumber + 1;
+    // if we've lost three in a row, halve the rate and remember as threshold
+    if (_packetDropCount == 0 || record.packetNumber == _lastPacketDropped + 1) {
+        _packetDropCount++;
+        _lastPacketDropped = record.packetNumber;
+        const int CONSECUTIVE_DROPS_BEFORE_REDUCTION = 3;
+        if (_packetDropCount >= CONSECUTIVE_DROPS_BEFORE_REDUCTION && record.packetNumber >= _packetRateDecreasePacketNumber) {
+            _packetsPerGroup = qMax(_packetsPerGroup * 0.5f, 1.0f);
+            _slowStartThreshold = _packetsPerGroup;
+            _packetRateDecreasePacketNumber = _outgoingPacketNumber + 1;
+        }
+    } else {
+        _packetDropCount = 0;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/DatagramSequencer.h b/libraries/metavoxels/src/DatagramSequencer.h
index 02fbd0f365..d3d37f2621 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/DatagramSequencer.h
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/DatagramSequencer.h
@@ -238,6 +238,8 @@ private:
     float _slowStartThreshold;
     int _packetRateIncreasePacketNumber;
     int _packetRateDecreasePacketNumber;
+    int _packetDropCount;
+    int _lastPacketDropped;
     
     QHash<int, ReliableChannel*> _reliableOutputChannels;
     QHash<int, ReliableChannel*> _reliableInputChannels;
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.h b/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.h
index 2fc8751e3f..f367cb93ce 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.h
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.h
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 #include "DomainHandler.h"
 #include "Node.h"
 
-const int MAX_PACKET_SIZE = 1500;
+const int MAX_PACKET_SIZE = 1450;
 
 const quint64 NODE_SILENCE_THRESHOLD_MSECS = 2 * 1000;