diff --git a/gossipsub.go b/gossipsub.go
index 9608bec..e793e69 100644
--- a/gossipsub.go
+++ b/gossipsub.go
@@ -87,16 +87,17 @@ var (
 // NewGossipSub returns a new PubSub object using GossipSubRouter as the router.
 func NewGossipSub(ctx context.Context, h host.Host, opts ...Option) (*PubSub, error) {
 	rt := &GossipSubRouter{
-		peers:   make(map[peer.ID]protocol.ID),
-		mesh:    make(map[string]map[peer.ID]struct{}),
-		fanout:  make(map[string]map[peer.ID]struct{}),
-		lastpub: make(map[string]int64),
-		gossip:  make(map[peer.ID][]*pb.ControlIHave),
-		control: make(map[peer.ID]*pb.ControlMessage),
-		backoff: make(map[string]map[peer.ID]time.Time),
-		iasked:  make(map[peer.ID]int),
-		connect: make(chan connectInfo, GossipSubMaxPendingConnections),
-		mcache:  NewMessageCache(GossipSubHistoryGossip, GossipSubHistoryLength),
+		peers:    make(map[peer.ID]protocol.ID),
+		mesh:     make(map[string]map[peer.ID]struct{}),
+		fanout:   make(map[string]map[peer.ID]struct{}),
+		lastpub:  make(map[string]int64),
+		gossip:   make(map[peer.ID][]*pb.ControlIHave),
+		control:  make(map[peer.ID]*pb.ControlMessage),
+		backoff:  make(map[string]map[peer.ID]time.Time),
+		peerhave: make(map[peer.ID]int),
+		iasked:   make(map[peer.ID]int),
+		connect:  make(chan connectInfo, GossipSubMaxPendingConnections),
+		mcache:   NewMessageCache(GossipSubHistoryGossip, GossipSubHistoryLength),
 	}
 	return NewPubSub(ctx, h, rt, opts...)
 }
@@ -203,20 +204,21 @@ func WithDirectPeers(pis []peer.AddrInfo) Option {
 // is the fanout map. Fanout peer lists are expired if we don't publish any
 // messages to their topic for GossipSubFanoutTTL.
 type GossipSubRouter struct {
-	p       *PubSub
-	peers   map[peer.ID]protocol.ID          // peer protocols
-	direct  map[peer.ID]struct{}             // direct peers
-	mesh    map[string]map[peer.ID]struct{}  // topic meshes
-	fanout  map[string]map[peer.ID]struct{}  // topic fanout
-	lastpub map[string]int64                 // last publish time for fanout topics
-	gossip  map[peer.ID][]*pb.ControlIHave   // pending gossip
-	control map[peer.ID]*pb.ControlMessage   // pending control messages
-	iasked  map[peer.ID]int                  // messages we have asked for in the last heartbeat
-	backoff map[string]map[peer.ID]time.Time // prune backoff
-	connect chan connectInfo                 // px connection requests
-	mcache  *MessageCache
-	tracer  *pubsubTracer
-	score   *peerScore
+	p        *PubSub
+	peers    map[peer.ID]protocol.ID          // peer protocols
+	direct   map[peer.ID]struct{}             // direct peers
+	mesh     map[string]map[peer.ID]struct{}  // topic meshes
+	fanout   map[string]map[peer.ID]struct{}  // topic fanout
+	lastpub  map[string]int64                 // last publish time for fanout topics
+	gossip   map[peer.ID][]*pb.ControlIHave   // pending gossip
+	control  map[peer.ID]*pb.ControlMessage   // pending control messages
+	peerhave map[peer.ID]int                  // number of IHAVEs received from peer in the last heartbeat
+	iasked   map[peer.ID]int                  // number of messages we have asked from peer in the last heartbeat
+	backoff  map[string]map[peer.ID]time.Time // prune backoff
+	connect  chan connectInfo                 // px connection requests
+	mcache   *MessageCache
+	tracer   *pubsubTracer
+	score    *peerScore
 
 	// whether PX is enabled; this should be enabled in bootstrappers and other well connected/trusted
 	// nodes.
@@ -374,6 +376,12 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) handleIHave(p peer.ID, ctl *pb.ControlMessage) []*pb.
 	}
 
 	// IHAVE flood protection
+	if gs.peerhave[p] > 2 {
+		log.Debugf("IHAVE: peer %s has advertised too many times within this heartbeat interval; ignoring", p)
+		return nil
+	}
+	gs.peerhave[p]++
+
 	if gs.iasked[p] >= GossipSubMaxIHaveLength {
 		log.Debugf("IHAVE: peer %s has already advertised too many messages; ignoring", p)
 		return nil
@@ -892,7 +900,7 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) heartbeat() {
 	gs.clearBackoff()
 
 	// clean up iasked counters
-	gs.clearIasked()
+	gs.clearIHaveCounters()
 
 	// ensure direct peers are connected
 	gs.directConnect()
@@ -1066,7 +1074,12 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) heartbeat() {
 	gs.mcache.Shift()
 }
 
-func (gs *GossipSubRouter) clearIasked() {
+func (gs *GossipSubRouter) clearIHaveCounters() {
+	if len(gs.peerhave) > 0 {
+		// throw away the old map and make a new one
+		gs.peerhave = make(map[peer.ID]int)
+	}
+
 	if len(gs.iasked) > 0 {
 		// throw away the old map and make a new one
 		gs.iasked = make(map[peer.ID]int)
diff --git a/gossipsub_spam_test.go b/gossipsub_spam_test.go
index b2f90c6..73b46ed 100644
--- a/gossipsub_spam_test.go
+++ b/gossipsub_spam_test.go
@@ -215,13 +215,11 @@ func TestGossipsubAttackSpamIHAVE(t *testing.T) {
 
 					// Should have sent more IWANTs after the heartbeat
 					iwc = getIWantCount()
-					if iwc <= GossipSubMaxIHaveLength {
+					if iwc == firstBatchCount {
 						t.Fatal("Expecting to receive more IWANTs after heartbeat but did not")
 					}
 					// Should not be more than the maximum per heartbeat
-					// note that we multiply by 2 because things may come in the middle of the heartbeat which
-					// results in a reset of the heartbeat counter (has been observed in travis)
-					if iwc-firstBatchCount > 2*GossipSubMaxIHaveLength {
+					if iwc-firstBatchCount > GossipSubMaxIHaveLength {
 						t.Fatalf("Expecting max %d IWANTs per heartbeat but received %d", GossipSubMaxIHaveLength, iwc-firstBatchCount)
 					}
 				}()