diff --git a/src/test/overlay/base_squelch_test.cpp b/src/test/overlay/base_squelch_test.cpp
index f18ea4deaf..b69bfb8324 100644
--- a/src/test/overlay/base_squelch_test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/overlay/base_squelch_test.cpp
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ public:
     Slots::slots_map const&
     getSlots() const
     {
-        return slots_;
+        return trustedSlots_;
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/test/overlay/enhanced_squelch_test.cpp b/src/test/overlay/enhanced_squelch_test.cpp
index 600832286f..5c6636103c 100644
--- a/src/test/overlay/enhanced_squelch_test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/overlay/enhanced_squelch_test.cpp
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ public:
     getSlots(bool trusted) const
     {
         if (trusted)
-            return slots_;
+            return trustedSlots_;
 
         return untrustedSlots_;
     }
diff --git a/src/xrpld/overlay/Slot.h b/src/xrpld/overlay/Slot.h
index a1e864ef20..6262923173 100644
--- a/src/xrpld/overlay/Slot.h
+++ b/src/xrpld/overlay/Slot.h
@@ -482,7 +482,14 @@ protected:
 
     std::atomic_bool reduceRelayReady_{false};
 
-    slots_map slots_;
+    // Maintain an open number of slots for trusted validators to reduce
+    // duplicate traffic from trusted validators.
+    slots_map trustedSlots_;
+
+    // Maintain slots for untrusted validators to reduce duplicate traffic from
+    // untrusted validators. If enhanced squelching is enabled, the number of
+    // untrustedSlots_ is capped at reduce_relay::MAX_UNTRUSTED_SLOTS.
+    // Otherwise, there is no limit.
     slots_map untrustedSlots_;
 
     SquelchHandler& handler_;  // squelch/unsquelch handler
diff --git a/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/OverlayImpl.cpp b/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/OverlayImpl.cpp
index 33f6ffbaf1..05bfaedcd8 100644
--- a/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/OverlayImpl.cpp
+++ b/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/OverlayImpl.cpp
@@ -1481,7 +1481,7 @@ OverlayImpl::updateSlotAndSquelch(
 }
 
 void
-OverlayImpl::updateValidatorSlot(
+OverlayImpl::updateUntrustedValidatorSlot(
     uint256 const& key,
     PublicKey const& validator,
     Peer::id_t peer)
@@ -1491,7 +1491,7 @@ OverlayImpl::updateValidatorSlot(
 
     if (!strand_.running_in_this_thread())
         return post(strand_, [this, key, validator, peer]() {
-            updateValidatorSlot(key, validator, peer);
+            updateUntrustedValidatorSlot(key, validator, peer);
         });
 
     slots_.updateUntrustedValidatorSlot(key, validator, peer, [&]() {
diff --git a/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/OverlayImpl.h b/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/OverlayImpl.h
index 3911d1b63b..863451585e 100644
--- a/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/OverlayImpl.h
+++ b/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/OverlayImpl.h
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ public:
      * @param peer Peer's id to update the slot for
      */
     void
-    updateValidatorSlot(
+    updateUntrustedValidatorSlot(
         uint256 const& key,
         PublicKey const& validator,
         Peer::id_t peer);
diff --git a/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/PeerImp.cpp b/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/PeerImp.cpp
index 696e691a26..129175a7f2 100644
--- a/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/PeerImp.cpp
+++ b/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/PeerImp.cpp
@@ -2386,7 +2386,8 @@ PeerImp::onMessage(std::shared_ptr<protocol::TMValidation> const& m)
                 TrafficCount::category::validation_untrusted,
                 Message::messageSize(*m));
 
-            overlay_.updateValidatorSlot(key, val->getSignerPublic(), id_);
+            overlay_.updateUntrustedValidatorSlot(
+                key, val->getSignerPublic(), id_);
 
             // If the operator has specified that untrusted validations be
             // dropped then this happens here I.e. before further wasting CPU
diff --git a/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/Slot.cpp b/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/Slot.cpp
index 4fb83d781f..09ead75fc5 100644
--- a/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/Slot.cpp
+++ b/src/xrpld/overlay/detail/Slot.cpp
@@ -410,7 +410,10 @@ Slots::updateSlotAndSquelch(
     {
         JLOG(journal_.trace())
             << "updateSlotAndSquelch: new slot " << Slice(validator);
-        auto it = slots_
+
+        // if enhanced squelching is disabled, keep untrusted validator slots
+        // separately from trusted ones
+        auto it = (isTrusted ? trustedSlots_ : untrustedSlots_)
                       .emplace(std::make_pair(
                           validator,
                           Slot(
@@ -420,6 +423,7 @@ Slots::updateSlotAndSquelch(
                               isTrusted,
                               clock_)))
                       .first;
+
         it->second.update(validator, id, callback);
     }
     else
@@ -511,21 +515,23 @@ Slots::updateConsideredValidator(PublicKey const& validator, Peer::id_t peer)
                 .peers = {peer},
             }));
 
-        return {};
+        return std::nullopt;
     }
 
     // the validator idled. Don't update it, it will be cleaned later
     if (now - it->second.lastMessage > IDLED)
-        return {};
+        return std::nullopt;
 
     it->second.peers.insert(peer);
-
     it->second.lastMessage = now;
     ++it->second.count;
 
+    // if the validator has not met selection criteria yet
     if (it->second.count < MAX_MESSAGE_THRESHOLD ||
         it->second.peers.size() < reduce_relay::MAX_SELECTED_PEERS)
-        return {};
+    {
+        return std::nullopt;
+    }
 
     auto const key = it->first;
     consideredValidators_.erase(it);
@@ -541,7 +547,7 @@ Slots::deletePeer(Peer::id_t id, bool erase)
             slot.deletePeer(validator, id, erase);
     };
 
-    f(slots_);
+    f(trustedSlots_);
     f(untrustedSlots_);
 }
 
@@ -573,7 +579,7 @@ Slots::deleteIdlePeers()
         }
     };
 
-    f(slots_);
+    f(trustedSlots_);
     f(untrustedSlots_);
 
     // remove and squelch all validators that the selector deemed unsuitable
@@ -621,7 +627,7 @@ Slots::onWrite(beast::PropertyStream::Map& stream) const
 
     {
         beast::PropertyStream::Set set("trusted", slots);
-        writeSlot(set, slots_);
+        writeSlot(set, trustedSlots_);
     }
 
     {