diff --git a/gossipsub.go b/gossipsub.go
index fdb0054..d125c1c 100644
--- a/gossipsub.go
+++ b/gossipsub.go
@@ -935,13 +935,21 @@ func fragmentRPC(rpc *RPC, limit int) ([]*RPC, error) {
 
 	c := (rpc.Size() / limit) + 1
 	rpcs := make([]*RPC, 1, c)
-	rpcs[0] = &RPC{RPC: pb.RPC{Control: &pb.ControlMessage{}}, from: rpc.from}
-	outRPC := func(sizeToAdd int) *RPC {
+	rpcs[0] = &RPC{RPC: pb.RPC{}, from: rpc.from}
+
+	// outRPC returns the current RPC message if it will fit sizeToAdd more bytes
+	// otherwise, it will create a new RPC message and add it to the list.
+	// if withCtl is true, the new RPC message will have a non-nil empty Control message.
+	outRPC := func(sizeToAdd int, withCtl bool) *RPC {
 		current := rpcs[len(rpcs)-1]
 		if current.Size()+sizeToAdd < limit {
 			return current
 		}
-		next := &RPC{RPC: pb.RPC{Control: &pb.ControlMessage{}}, from: rpc.from}
+		var ctl *pb.ControlMessage
+		if withCtl {
+			ctl = &pb.ControlMessage{}
+		}
+		next := &RPC{RPC: pb.RPC{Control: ctl}, from: rpc.from}
 		rpcs = append(rpcs, next)
 		return next
 	}
@@ -952,12 +960,12 @@ func fragmentRPC(rpc *RPC, limit int) ([]*RPC, error) {
 		if s > limit {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("message with len=%d exceeds limit %d", s, limit)
 		}
-		out := outRPC(s)
+		out := outRPC(s, false)
 		out.Publish = append(out.Publish, msg)
 	}
 
 	for _, sub := range rpc.GetSubscriptions() {
-		out := outRPC(sub.Size())
+		out := outRPC(sub.Size(), false)
 		out.Subscriptions = append(out.Subscriptions, sub)
 	}
 
@@ -966,23 +974,33 @@ func fragmentRPC(rpc *RPC, limit int) ([]*RPC, error) {
 		// if there were no control messages, we're done
 		return rpcs, nil
 	}
+	// if all the control messages fit into one RPC, we just add it to the end and return
+	ctlOut := &RPC{RPC: pb.RPC{Control: ctl}, from: rpc.from}
+	if ctlOut.Size() < limit {
+		rpcs = append(rpcs, ctlOut)
+		return rpcs, nil
+	}
+
+	// we need to split up the control messages into multiple RPCs
+	// add a blank rpc message to the end of the list, then use outRPC to get or create
+	// RPC messages to fit each control message
+	rpcs = append(rpcs, &RPC{RPC: pb.RPC{Control: &pb.ControlMessage{}}, from: rpc.from})
 	for _, graft := range ctl.Graft {
-		out := outRPC(graft.Size())
+		out := outRPC(graft.Size(), true)
 		out.Control.Graft = append(out.Control.Graft, graft)
 	}
 	for _, prune := range ctl.Prune {
-		out := outRPC(prune.Size())
+		out := outRPC(prune.Size(), true)
 		out.Control.Prune = append(out.Control.Prune, prune)
 	}
-	for _, ihave := range ctl.Ihave {
-		out := outRPC(ihave.Size())
-		out.Control.Ihave = append(out.Control.Ihave, ihave)
-	}
 	for _, iwant := range ctl.Iwant {
-		out := outRPC(iwant.Size())
+		out := outRPC(iwant.Size(), true)
 		out.Control.Iwant = append(out.Control.Iwant, iwant)
 	}
-
+	for _, ihave := range ctl.Ihave {
+		out := outRPC(ihave.Size(), true)
+		out.Control.Ihave = append(out.Control.Ihave, ihave)
+	}
 	return rpcs, nil
 }