diff --git a/src/ripple/app/consensus/LedgerConsensus.cpp b/src/ripple/app/consensus/LedgerConsensus.cpp
index 57d26205c..e99691789 100644
--- a/src/ripple/app/consensus/LedgerConsensus.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/app/consensus/LedgerConsensus.cpp
@@ -988,9 +988,7 @@ private:
             protocol::TMValidation val;
             val.set_validation (&validation[0], validation.size ());
             // Send signed validation to all of our directly connected peers
-            getApp ().overlay ().foreach (send_always (
-                std::make_shared <Message> (
-                    val, protocol::mtVALIDATION)));
+            getApp().overlay().send(val);
             WriteLog (lsINFO, LedgerConsensus)
                 << "CNF Val " << newLCLHash;
         }
@@ -1256,9 +1254,7 @@ private:
         Blob sig = mOurPosition->sign ();
         prop.set_nodepubkey (&pubKey[0], pubKey.size ());
         prop.set_signature (&sig[0], sig.size ());
-        getApp ().overlay ().foreach (send_always (
-            std::make_shared<Message> (
-                prop, protocol::mtPROPOSE_LEDGER)));
+        getApp().overlay().send(prop);
     }
 
     /** Let peers know that we a particular transactions set so they
@@ -1681,11 +1677,6 @@ private:
         Blob validation = v->getSigned ();
         protocol::TMValidation val;
         val.set_validation (&validation[0], validation.size ());
-    #if 0
-        getApp ().overlay ().visit (RelayMessage (
-            std::make_shared <Message> (
-                val, protocol::mtVALIDATION)));
-    #endif
         getApp().getOPs ().setLastValidation (v);
         WriteLog (lsWARNING, LedgerConsensus) << "Sending partial validation";
     }
diff --git a/src/ripple/app/misc/NetworkOPs.cpp b/src/ripple/app/misc/NetworkOPs.cpp
index f3b6ba49b..254e361e3 100644
--- a/src/ripple/app/misc/NetworkOPs.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/app/misc/NetworkOPs.cpp
@@ -1710,21 +1710,10 @@ void NetworkOPsImp::processTrustedProposal (
         }
 
         if (relay)
-        {
-            std::set<Peer::id_t> peers;
-            if (getApp().getHashRouter ().swapSet (
-                proposal->getSuppressionID (), peers, SF_RELAYED))
-            {
-                getApp ().overlay ().foreach (send_if_not (
-                    std::make_shared<Message> (
-                        *set, protocol::mtPROPOSE_LEDGER),
-                    peer_in_set(peers)));
-            }
-        }
+            getApp().overlay().relay(*set,
+                proposal->getSuppressionID());
         else
-        {
             m_journal.info << "Not relaying trusted proposal";
-        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ripple/basics/BasicConfig.h b/src/ripple/basics/BasicConfig.h
index 703d3c783..aff78bbbe 100644
--- a/src/ripple/basics/BasicConfig.h
+++ b/src/ripple/basics/BasicConfig.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <beast/container/const_container.h>
 #include <beast/utility/ci_char_traits.h>
 #include <boost/lexical_cast.hpp>
+#include <boost/optional.hpp>
 #include <map>
 #include <ostream>
 #include <string>
@@ -139,6 +140,16 @@ public:
     std::pair <std::string, bool>
     find (std::string const& name) const;
 
+    template <class T>
+    boost::optional<T>
+    get (std::string const& name) const
+    {
+        auto const iter = cont().find(name);
+        if (iter == cont().end())
+            return boost::none;
+        return boost::lexical_cast<T>(iter->second);
+    }
+
     friend
     std::ostream&
     operator<< (std::ostream&, Section const& section);
diff --git a/src/ripple/overlay/Overlay.h b/src/ripple/overlay/Overlay.h
index f55666fb6..e28c47b6e 100644
--- a/src/ripple/overlay/Overlay.h
+++ b/src/ripple/overlay/Overlay.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include <beast/cxx14/type_traits.h> // <type_traits>
 #include <boost/asio/buffer.hpp>
 #include <boost/asio/ip/tcp.hpp>
+#include <boost/optional.hpp>
 
 namespace boost { namespace asio { namespace ssl { class context; } } }
 
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ public:
         bool auto_connect = true;
         Promote promote = Promote::automatic;
         std::shared_ptr<boost::asio::ssl::context> context;
+        bool expire = false;
     };
 
     typedef std::vector <Peer::ptr> PeerSequence;
@@ -131,6 +133,28 @@ public:
     Peer::ptr
     findPeerByShortID (Peer::id_t const& id) = 0;
 
+    /** Broadcast a proposal. */
+    virtual
+    void
+    send (protocol::TMProposeSet& m) = 0;
+
+    /** Broadcast a validation. */
+    virtual
+    void
+    send (protocol::TMValidation& m) = 0;
+
+    /** Relay a proposal. */
+    virtual
+    void
+    relay (protocol::TMProposeSet& m,
+        uint256 const& uid) = 0;
+
+    /** Relay a validation. */
+    virtual
+    void
+    relay (protocol::TMValidation& m,
+        uint256 const& uid) = 0;
+
     /** Visit every active peer and return a value
         The functor must:
         - Be callable as:
diff --git a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/OverlayImpl.cpp b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/OverlayImpl.cpp
index d7361cd06..7bcf43708 100644
--- a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/OverlayImpl.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/OverlayImpl.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 //==============================================================================
 
 #include <BeastConfig.h>
+#include <ripple/app/misc/IHashRouter.h>
 #include <ripple/basics/Log.h>
 #include <ripple/basics/make_SSLContext.h>
 #include <ripple/protocol/JsonFields.h>
@@ -693,6 +694,75 @@ OverlayImpl::findPeerByShortID (Peer::id_t const& id)
     return Peer::ptr();
 }
 
+void
+OverlayImpl::send (protocol::TMProposeSet& m)
+{
+    if (setup_.expire)
+        m.set_hops(0);
+    auto const sm = std::make_shared<Message>(
+        m, protocol::mtPROPOSE_LEDGER);
+    for_each([&](std::shared_ptr<PeerImp> const& p)
+    {
+        if (! m.has_hops() || p->hopsAware())
+            p->send(sm);
+    });
+}
+void
+OverlayImpl::send (protocol::TMValidation& m)
+{
+    if (setup_.expire)
+        m.set_hops(0);
+    auto const sm = std::make_shared<Message>(
+        m, protocol::mtVALIDATION);
+    for_each([&](std::shared_ptr<PeerImp> const& p)
+    {
+        if (! m.has_hops() || p->hopsAware())
+            p->send(sm);
+    });
+}
+
+void
+OverlayImpl::relay (protocol::TMProposeSet& m,
+    uint256 const& uid)
+{
+    if (m.has_hops() && m.hops() >= maxTTL)
+        return;
+    std::set<Peer::id_t> skip;
+    if (! getApp().getHashRouter().swapSet (
+            uid, skip, SF_RELAYED))
+        return;
+    auto const sm = std::make_shared<Message>(
+        m, protocol::mtPROPOSE_LEDGER);
+    for_each([&](std::shared_ptr<PeerImp> const& p)
+    {
+        if (skip.find(p->id()) != skip.end())
+            return;
+        if (! m.has_hops() || p->hopsAware())
+            p->send(sm);
+    });
+}
+
+void
+OverlayImpl::relay (protocol::TMValidation& m,
+    uint256 const& uid)
+{
+    if (m.has_hops() && m.hops() >= maxTTL)
+        return;
+    std::set<Peer::id_t> skip;
+    if (! getApp().getHashRouter().swapSet (
+            uid, skip, SF_RELAYED))
+        return;
+    auto const sm = std::make_shared<Message>(
+        m, protocol::mtVALIDATION);
+    for_each([&](std::shared_ptr<PeerImp> const& p)
+    {
+        if (skip.find(p->id()) != skip.end())
+            return;
+        if (! m.has_hops() || p->hopsAware())
+            p->send(sm);
+    });
+}
+
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 void
@@ -777,6 +847,7 @@ setup_Overlay (BasicConfig const& config)
     else
         setup.promote = Overlay::Promote::automatic;
     setup.context = make_SSLContext();
+    setup.expire = get<bool>(section, "expire", false);
     return setup;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/OverlayImpl.h b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/OverlayImpl.h
index 46dd0ad37..5b1ce9521 100644
--- a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/OverlayImpl.h
+++ b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/OverlayImpl.h
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ namespace ripple {
 class PeerImp;
 class BasicConfig;
 
+enum
+{
+    maxTTL = 2
+};
+
 class OverlayImpl : public Overlay
 {
 public:
@@ -174,6 +179,20 @@ public:
     Peer::ptr
     findPeerByShortID (Peer::id_t const& id) override;
 
+    void
+    send (protocol::TMProposeSet& m) override;
+
+    void
+    send (protocol::TMValidation& m) override;
+
+    void
+    relay (protocol::TMProposeSet& m,
+        uint256 const& uid) override;
+
+    void
+    relay (protocol::TMValidation& m,
+        uint256 const& uid) override;
+
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     //
     // OverlayImpl
diff --git a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.cpp b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.cpp
index 49639186e..96a3f86c3 100644
--- a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,10 @@
 #include <ripple/server/ServerHandler.h>
 #include <ripple/protocol/BuildInfo.h>
 #include <ripple/protocol/JsonFields.h>
+#include <beast/module/core/diagnostic/SemanticVersion.h>
 #include <beast/streams/debug_ostream.h>
 #include <beast/weak_fn.h>
+#include <boost/algorithm/string/predicate.hpp>
 #include <boost/asio/io_service.hpp>
 #include <functional>
 #include <beast/cxx14/memory.h> // <memory>
@@ -100,6 +102,20 @@ PeerImp::run()
     if(! strand_.running_in_this_thread())
         return strand_.post(std::bind (
             &PeerImp::run, shared_from_this()));
+    {
+        auto s = getVersion();
+        if (boost::starts_with(s, "rippled-"))
+        {
+            s.erase(s.begin(), s.begin() + 8);
+            beast::SemanticVersion v;
+            if (v.parse(s))
+            {
+                beast::SemanticVersion av;
+                av.parse("0.28.0-rc3");
+                hopsAware_ = v >= av;
+            }
+        }
+    }
     if (m_inbound)
     {
         doAccept();
@@ -1008,6 +1024,10 @@ PeerImp::onMessage (std::shared_ptr <protocol::TMProposeSet> const& m)
 {
     protocol::TMProposeSet& set = *m;
 
+    if (overlay_.setup().expire &&
+            set.has_hops() && ! slot_->cluster())
+        set.set_hops(set.hops() + 1);
+
     // VFALCO Magic numbers are bad
     if ((set.closetime() + 180) < getApp().getOPs().getCloseTimeNC())
         return;
@@ -1276,6 +1296,10 @@ PeerImp::onMessage (std::shared_ptr <protocol::TMValidation> const& m)
     error_code ec;
     std::uint32_t closeTime = getApp().getOPs().getCloseTimeNC();
 
+    if (overlay_.setup().expire &&
+            m->has_hops() && ! slot_->cluster())
+        m->set_hops(m->hops() + 1);
+
     if (m->validation ().size () < 50)
     {
         p_journal_.warning << "Validation: Too small";
@@ -1651,15 +1675,7 @@ PeerImp::checkPropose (Job& job,
         // relay untrusted proposal
         p_journal_.trace <<
             "relaying UNTRUSTED proposal";
-        std::set<Peer::id_t> peers;
-
-        if (getApp().getHashRouter ().swapSet (
-            proposal->getSuppressionID (), peers, SF_RELAYED))
-        {
-            overlay_.foreach (send_if_not (
-                std::make_shared<Message> (set, protocol::mtPROPOSE_LEDGER),
-                peer_in_set(peers)));
-        }
+        overlay_.relay(set, proposal->getSuppressionID());
     }
     else
     {
@@ -1688,15 +1704,9 @@ PeerImp::checkValidation (Job&, STValidation::pointer val,
         validatorsConnection_->onValidation(*val);
     #endif
 
-        std::set<Peer::id_t> peers;
-        if (getApp().getOPs ().recvValidation (val, std::to_string(id())) &&
-                getApp().getHashRouter ().swapSet (
-                    signingHash, peers, SF_RELAYED))
-        {
-            overlay_.foreach (send_if_not (
-                std::make_shared<Message> (*packet, protocol::mtVALIDATION),
-                peer_in_set(peers)));
-        }
+        if (getApp().getOPs ().recvValidation(
+                val, std::to_string(id())))
+            overlay_.relay(*packet, signingHash);
     }
     catch (...)
     {
diff --git a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.h b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.h
index 632fd000e..4e245bab1 100644
--- a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.h
+++ b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.h
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ private:
     bool gracefulClose_ = false;
     std::unique_ptr <LoadEvent> load_event_;
     std::unique_ptr<Validators::Connection> validatorsConnection_;
+    bool hopsAware_ = false;
 
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -237,6 +238,12 @@ public:
         return slot_->cluster();
     }
 
+    bool
+    hopsAware() const
+    {
+        return hopsAware_;
+    }
+
     void
     check();
 
diff --git a/src/ripple/proto/ripple.proto b/src/ripple/proto/ripple.proto
index 69549b8c0..e47ff3057 100644
--- a/src/ripple/proto/ripple.proto
+++ b/src/ripple/proto/ripple.proto
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ message TMProposeSet
     optional bool checkedSignature      = 7;    // node vouches signature is correct
     repeated bytes addedTransactions    = 10;   // not required if number is large
     repeated bytes removedTransactions  = 11;   // not required if number is large
+    optional uint32 hops                = 12;   // Number of hops traveled
 }
 
 enum TxSetStatus
@@ -192,8 +193,9 @@ message TMHaveTransactionSet
 // Used to sign a final closed ledger after reprocessing
 message TMValidation
 {
-    required bytes validation       = 1;        // in STValidation signed form
-    optional bool checkedSignature  = 2;        // node vouches signature is correct
+    required bytes validation       = 1;    // in STValidation signed form
+    optional bool checkedSignature  = 2;    // node vouches signature is correct
+    optional uint32 hops            = 3;    // Number of hops traveled
 }
 
 message TMGetPeers