diff --git c/p2p/peer.go w/p2p/peer.go
index 73e33418e..322268b28 100644
--- c/p2p/peer.go
+++ w/p2p/peer.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"sort"
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/mclock"
@@ -38,7 +39,10 @@ const (
 
 	snappyProtocolVersion = 5
 
-	pingInterval = 15 * time.Second
+	pingInterval = 1 * time.Second
+	// watchdogInterval intentionally lower than ping interval.
+	// this way we reduce potential flaky window size.
+	watchdogInterval = 200 * time.Millisecond
 )
 
 const (
@@ -100,6 +104,7 @@ type Peer struct {
 	log     log.Logger
 	created mclock.AbsTime
 
+	flaky    int32
 	wg       sync.WaitGroup
 	protoErr chan error
 	closed   chan struct{}
@@ -118,6 +123,11 @@ func NewPeer(id discover.NodeID, name string, caps []Cap) *Peer {
 	return peer
 }
 
+// IsFlaky returns true if there was no incoming traffic recently.
+func (p *Peer) IsFlaky() bool {
+	return atomic.LoadInt32(&p.flaky) == 1
+}
+
 // ID returns the node's public key.
 func (p *Peer) ID() discover.NodeID {
 	return p.rw.id
@@ -188,8 +198,10 @@ func (p *Peer) run() (remoteRequested bool, err error) {
 		readErr    = make(chan error, 1)
 		reason     DiscReason // sent to the peer
 	)
-	p.wg.Add(2)
-	go p.readLoop(readErr)
+	p.wg.Add(3)
+	reads := make(chan struct{}, 10) // channel for reads
+	go p.readLoop(readErr, reads)
+	go p.watchdogLoop(reads)
 	go p.pingLoop()
 
 	// Start all protocol handlers.
@@ -248,7 +260,24 @@ func (p *Peer) pingLoop() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (p *Peer) readLoop(errc chan<- error) {
+func (p *Peer) watchdogLoop(reads <-chan struct{}) {
+	defer p.wg.Done()
+	hb := time.NewTimer(watchdogInterval)
+	defer hb.Stop()
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-reads:
+			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.flaky, 0)
+		case <-hb.C:
+			atomic.StoreInt32(&p.flaky, 1)
+		case <-p.closed:
+			return
+		}
+		hb.Reset(watchdogInterval)
+	}
+}
+
+func (p *Peer) readLoop(errc chan<- error, reads chan<- struct{}) {
 	defer p.wg.Done()
 	for {
 		msg, err := p.rw.ReadMsg()
@@ -261,6 +290,7 @@ func (p *Peer) readLoop(errc chan<- error) {
 			errc <- err
 			return
 		}
+		reads <- struct{}{}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git c/p2p/server.go w/p2p/server.go
index c41d1dc15..04c6f7147 100644
--- c/p2p/server.go
+++ w/p2p/server.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ const (
 
 	// Maximum time allowed for reading a complete message.
 	// This is effectively the amount of time a connection can be idle.
-	frameReadTimeout = 30 * time.Second
+	frameReadTimeout = 10 * time.Second
 
 	// Maximum amount of time allowed for writing a complete message.
 	frameWriteTimeout = 20 * time.Second
diff --git c/whisper/whisperv6/peer.go w/whisper/whisperv6/peer.go
index 427127290..c30e92d1c 100644
--- c/whisper/whisperv6/peer.go
+++ w/whisper/whisperv6/peer.go
@@ -187,6 +187,10 @@ func (peer *Peer) expire() {
 // broadcast iterates over the collection of envelopes and transmits yet unknown
 // ones over the network.
 func (peer *Peer) broadcast() error {
+	if peer.peer.IsFlaky() {
+		log.Trace("Waiting for a peer to restore communication", "ID", peer.peer.ID())
+		return nil
+	}
 	envelopes := peer.host.Envelopes()
 	bundle := make([]*Envelope, 0, len(envelopes))
 	for _, envelope := range envelopes {