diff --git a/src/peers.c b/src/peers.c
index 6f22e1751..e79d9d9d3 100644
--- a/src/peers.c
+++ b/src/peers.c
@@ -2905,6 +2905,7 @@ static void peer_io_handler(struct appctx *appctx)
 	int repl = 0;
 	unsigned int maj_ver, min_ver;
 	int prev_state;
+	int msg_done = 0;
 
 	if (unlikely(se_fl_test(appctx->sedesc, (SE_FL_EOS|SE_FL_ERROR)))) {
 		co_skip(sc_oc(sc), co_data(sc_oc(sc)));
@@ -3107,6 +3108,19 @@ switchstate:
 					applet_wont_consume(appctx);
 					goto out;
 				}
+
+				/* check if we've already hit the rx limit (i.e. we've
+				 * already gone through send_msgs and we don't want to
+				 * process input messages again). We must absolutely
+				 * leave via send_msgs otherwise we can leave the
+				 * connection in a stuck state if acks are missing for
+				 * example.
+				 */
+				if (msg_done >= peers_max_updates_at_once) {
+					applet_have_more_data(appctx); // make sure to come back here
+					goto send_msgs;
+				}
+
 				applet_will_consume(appctx);
 
 				/* local peer is assigned of a lesson, start it */
@@ -3128,6 +3142,12 @@ switchstate:
 
 				/* skip consumed message */
 				co_skip(sc_oc(sc), totl);
+
+				/* make sure we don't process too many at once */
+				if (msg_done >= peers_max_updates_at_once)
+					goto send_msgs;
+				msg_done++;
+
 				/* loop on that state to peek next message */
 				goto switchstate;