diff --git a/src/ripple_app/websocket/WSConnection.cpp b/src/ripple_app/websocket/WSConnection.cpp
index c7ff94853e..051f09583d 100644
--- a/src/ripple_app/websocket/WSConnection.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple_app/websocket/WSConnection.cpp
@@ -80,6 +80,21 @@ void WSConnection::rcvMessage (message_ptr msg, bool& msgRejected, bool& runQueu
     }
 }
 
+bool WSConnection::checkMessage ()
+{
+    ScopedLockType sl (m_receiveQueueMutex, __FILE__, __LINE__);
+
+    assert (m_receiveQueueRunning);
+
+    if (m_isDead || m_receiveQueue.empty ())
+    {
+        m_receiveQueueRunning = false;
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 WSConnection::message_ptr WSConnection::getMessage ()
 {
     ScopedLockType sl (m_receiveQueueMutex, __FILE__, __LINE__);
@@ -100,7 +115,10 @@ void WSConnection::returnMessage (message_ptr ptr)
     ScopedLockType sl (m_receiveQueueMutex, __FILE__, __LINE__);
 
     if (!m_isDead)
-        m_receiveQueue.push_front(ptr);
+    {
+        m_receiveQueue.push_front (ptr);
+        m_receiveQueueRunning = false;
+    }
 }
 
 Json::Value WSConnection::invokeCommand (Json::Value& jvRequest)
@@ -140,7 +158,7 @@ Json::Value WSConnection::invokeCommand (Json::Value& jvRequest)
             ? Config::GUEST     // Don't check on the public interface.
             : getConfig ().getAdminRole (
                 jvRequest, m_remoteAddress);
-        
+
     if (Config::FORBID == role)
     {
         jvResult["result"]  = rpcError (rpcFORBIDDEN);
diff --git a/src/ripple_app/websocket/WSConnection.h b/src/ripple_app/websocket/WSConnection.h
index fd104104db..2bbda9b9bf 100644
--- a/src/ripple_app/websocket/WSConnection.h
+++ b/src/ripple_app/websocket/WSConnection.h
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ public:
     void onPong (const std::string&);
     void rcvMessage (message_ptr msg, bool& msgRejected, bool& runQueue);
     message_ptr getMessage ();
+    bool checkMessage ();
     void returnMessage (message_ptr ptr);
     Json::Value invokeCommand (Json::Value& jvRequest);
 
diff --git a/src/ripple_app/websocket/WSServerHandler.h b/src/ripple_app/websocket/WSServerHandler.h
index 1bd0f8182d..5dc2f2ef3d 100644
--- a/src/ripple_app/websocket/WSServerHandler.h
+++ b/src/ripple_app/websocket/WSServerHandler.h
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ public:
 
         if (bRunQ)
             getApp().getJobQueue ().addJob (jtCLIENT, "WSClient::command",
-                                           BIND_TYPE (&WSServerHandler<endpoint_type>::do_messages, this, P_1, cpClient));
+                      BIND_TYPE (&WSServerHandler<endpoint_type>::do_messages, this, P_1, cpClient));
     }
 
     void do_messages (Job& job, connection_ptr cpClient)
@@ -325,7 +325,11 @@ public:
             ptr = it->second;
         }
 
-        for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
+        // This loop prevents a single thread from handling more
+        // than 3 operations for the same client, otherwise a client
+        // can monopolize resources.
+        //
+        for (int i = 0; i < 3; ++i)
         {
             message_ptr msg = ptr->getMessage ();
 
@@ -339,7 +343,8 @@ public:
             }
         }
 
-        getApp().getJobQueue ().addJob (jtCLIENT, "WSClient::more",
+        if (ptr->checkMessage ())
+            getApp().getJobQueue ().addJob (jtCLIENT, "WSClient::more",
                                        BIND_TYPE (&WSServerHandler<endpoint_type>::do_messages, this, P_1, cpClient));
     }