diff --git a/src/ssb.c b/src/ssb.c
index d1358b48..ddd4ec50 100644
--- a/src/ssb.c
+++ b/src/ssb.c
@@ -342,6 +342,8 @@ typedef struct _tf_ssb_connection_t
 
 	tf_ssb_debug_message_t* debug_messages[k_debug_close_message_count];
 	int ref_count;
+
+	int read_back_pressure;
 } tf_ssb_connection_t;
 
 static JSClassID _connection_class_id;
@@ -2062,6 +2064,30 @@ static void _tf_ssb_connection_client_send_hello(tf_ssb_connection_t* connection
 	connection->state = k_tf_ssb_state_sent_hello;
 }
 
+static bool _tf_ssb_connection_read_start(tf_ssb_connection_t* connection)
+{
+	int result = uv_read_start((uv_stream_t*)&connection->tcp, _tf_ssb_connection_on_tcp_alloc, _tf_ssb_connection_on_tcp_recv);
+	if (result && result != UV_EALREADY)
+	{
+		tf_printf("uv_read_start => %s\n", uv_strerror(result));
+		_tf_ssb_connection_close(connection, "uv_read_start failed");
+		return false;
+	}
+	return true;
+}
+
+static bool _tf_ssb_connection_read_stop(tf_ssb_connection_t* connection)
+{
+	int result = uv_read_stop((uv_stream_t*)&connection->tcp);
+	if (result && result != UV_EALREADY)
+	{
+		tf_printf("uv_read_stop => %s\n", uv_strerror(result));
+		_tf_ssb_connection_close(connection, "uv_read_stop failed");
+		return false;
+	}
+	return true;
+}
+
 static void _tf_ssb_connection_on_connect(uv_connect_t* connect, int status)
 {
 	tf_ssb_connection_t* connection = connect->data;
@@ -2069,13 +2095,7 @@ static void _tf_ssb_connection_on_connect(uv_connect_t* connect, int status)
 	if (status == 0)
 	{
 		connection->state = k_tf_ssb_state_connected;
-		int result = uv_read_start(connect->handle, _tf_ssb_connection_on_tcp_alloc, _tf_ssb_connection_on_tcp_recv);
-		if (result)
-		{
-			tf_printf("uv_read_start => %s\n", uv_strerror(status));
-			_tf_ssb_connection_close(connection, "uv_read_start failed");
-		}
-		else
+		if (_tf_ssb_connection_read_start(connection))
 		{
 			_tf_ssb_connection_client_send_hello(connection);
 		}
@@ -2826,7 +2846,7 @@ static void _tf_ssb_on_connection(uv_stream_t* stream, int status)
 	_tf_ssb_notify_connections_changed(ssb, k_tf_ssb_change_create, connection);
 
 	connection->state = k_tf_ssb_state_server_wait_hello;
-	uv_read_start((uv_stream_t*)&connection->tcp, _tf_ssb_connection_on_tcp_alloc, _tf_ssb_connection_on_tcp_recv);
+	_tf_ssb_connection_read_start(connection);
 }
 
 static void _tf_ssb_send_broadcast(tf_ssb_t* ssb, struct sockaddr_in* address, struct sockaddr_in* netmask)
@@ -4065,3 +4085,26 @@ JSValue tf_ssb_connection_requests_to_object(tf_ssb_connection_t* connection)
 	}
 	return object;
 }
+
+void tf_ssb_connection_adjust_read_backpressure(tf_ssb_connection_t* connection, int delta)
+{
+	const int k_threshold = 256;
+	int old_pressure = connection->read_back_pressure;
+	connection->read_back_pressure += delta;
+	if (!connection->closing)
+	{
+		if (old_pressure < k_threshold && connection->read_back_pressure >= k_threshold)
+		{
+			_tf_ssb_connection_read_stop(connection);
+		}
+		else if (old_pressure >= k_threshold && connection->read_back_pressure < k_threshold)
+		{
+			_tf_ssb_connection_read_start(connection);
+		}
+	}
+	connection->ref_count += delta;
+	if (connection->ref_count == 0 && connection->closing)
+	{
+		_tf_ssb_connection_destroy(connection, "backpressure released");
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/ssb.h b/src/ssb.h
index 4e24980b..e0f6c7bd 100644
--- a/src/ssb.h
+++ b/src/ssb.h
@@ -996,4 +996,13 @@ void tf_ssb_schedule_work(tf_ssb_t* ssb, int delay_ms, void (*callback)(tf_ssb_t
 */
 bool tf_ssb_hmacsha256_verify(const char* public_key, const void* payload, size_t payload_length, const char* signature, bool signature_is_urlb64);
 
+/**
+** Adjust read backpressure.  If it gets too high, TCP receive will be paused
+** until it lowers.
+** @param connection The connection on which to affect backpressure.
+** @param delta The change in backpressure.  Higher will eventually pause
+** receive.  Lower will resume it.
+*/
+void tf_ssb_connection_adjust_read_backpressure(tf_ssb_connection_t* connection, int delta);
+
 /** @} */
diff --git a/src/ssb.rpc.c b/src/ssb.rpc.c
index 9fa6cf8b..1f36568f 100644
--- a/src/ssb.rpc.c
+++ b/src/ssb.rpc.c
@@ -404,6 +404,7 @@ typedef struct _blobs_get_t
 	bool done;
 	bool storing;
 	tf_ssb_t* ssb;
+	tf_ssb_connection_t* connection;
 	uint8_t buffer[];
 } blobs_get_t;
 
@@ -411,6 +412,7 @@ static void _tf_ssb_rpc_blob_store_callback(const char* id, bool is_new, void* u
 {
 	blobs_get_t* get = user_data;
 	get->storing = false;
+	tf_ssb_connection_adjust_read_backpressure(get->connection, -1);
 	if (get->done)
 	{
 		tf_free(get);
@@ -433,6 +435,7 @@ static void _tf_ssb_rpc_connection_blobs_get_callback(
 		if (JS_ToBool(context, args))
 		{
 			get->storing = true;
+			tf_ssb_connection_adjust_read_backpressure(connection, 1);
 			tf_ssb_db_blob_store_async(ssb, get->buffer, get->received, _tf_ssb_rpc_blob_store_callback, get);
 		}
 		/* TODO: Should we send the response in the callback? */
@@ -455,7 +458,7 @@ static void _tf_ssb_rpc_connection_blobs_get_cleanup(tf_ssb_t* ssb, void* user_d
 static void _tf_ssb_rpc_connection_blobs_get(tf_ssb_connection_t* connection, const char* blob_id, size_t size)
 {
 	blobs_get_t* get = tf_malloc(sizeof(blobs_get_t) + size);
-	*get = (blobs_get_t) { .ssb = tf_ssb_connection_get_ssb(connection), .expected_size = size };
+	*get = (blobs_get_t) { .ssb = tf_ssb_connection_get_ssb(connection), .connection = connection, .expected_size = size };
 	snprintf(get->id, sizeof(get->id), "%s", blob_id);
 	memset(get->buffer, 0, size);
 
@@ -1000,6 +1003,12 @@ static void _tf_ssb_rpc_ebt_replicate_send_messages(tf_ssb_connection_t* connect
 	}
 }
 
+static void _tf_ssb_rpc_ebt_replicate_store_callback(const char* id, bool verified, bool is_new, void* user_data)
+{
+	tf_ssb_connection_t* connection = user_data;
+	tf_ssb_connection_adjust_read_backpressure(connection, -1);
+}
+
 static void _tf_ssb_rpc_ebt_replicate(tf_ssb_connection_t* connection, uint8_t flags, int32_t request_number, JSValue args, const uint8_t* message, size_t size, void* user_data)
 {
 	tf_ssb_t* ssb = tf_ssb_connection_get_ssb(connection);
@@ -1022,7 +1031,8 @@ static void _tf_ssb_rpc_ebt_replicate(tf_ssb_connection_t* connection, uint8_t f
 	if (!JS_IsUndefined(author))
 	{
 		/* Looks like a message. */
-		tf_ssb_verify_strip_and_store_message(ssb, args, NULL, NULL);
+		tf_ssb_connection_adjust_read_backpressure(connection, 1);
+		tf_ssb_verify_strip_and_store_message(ssb, args, _tf_ssb_rpc_ebt_replicate_store_callback, connection);
 	}
 	else
 	{