diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/udt/CongestionControl.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/udt/CongestionControl.cpp
index ea46d60acb..c1feae3911 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/udt/CongestionControl.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/udt/CongestionControl.cpp
@@ -161,13 +161,16 @@ void DefaultCC::onLoss(SequenceNumber rangeStart, SequenceNumber rangeEnd) {
         
         _lastDecreaseMaxSeq = _sendCurrSeqNum;
         
-        // avoid synchronous rate decrease across connections using randomization
-        std::random_device rd;
-        std::mt19937 generator(rd());
-        std::uniform_int_distribution<> distribution(1, _avgNAKNum);
-        
-        _randomDecreaseThreshold = distribution(generator);
-        
+        if (_avgNAKNum < 1) {
+            _randomDecreaseThreshold = 1;
+        } else {
+            // avoid synchronous rate decrease across connections using randomization
+            std::random_device rd;
+            std::mt19937 generator(rd());
+            std::uniform_int_distribution<> distribution(1, std::max(1, _avgNAKNum));
+
+            _randomDecreaseThreshold = distribution(generator);
+        }
     } else if ((_decreaseCount++ < MAX_DECREASES_PER_CONGESTION_EPOCH) && ((++_nakCount % _randomDecreaseThreshold) == 0)) {
         // there have been fewer than MAX_DECREASES_PER_CONGESTION_EPOCH AND this NAK matches the random count at which we
         // decided we would decrease the packet send period