diff --git a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub.nim b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub.nim
index 16d70b23be..98edd34fe3 100644
--- a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub.nim
+++ b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub.nim
@@ -157,8 +157,7 @@ method onNewPeer(g: GossipSub, peer: PubSubPeer) =
     peer.behaviourPenalty = stats.behaviourPenalty
 
     # Check if the score is below the threshold and disconnect the peer if necessary
-    if not g.disconnectIfBadPeer(peer, stats.score, g.parameters.graylistThreshold):
-      g.disconnectIfBadTrafficPeer(peer)
+    g.disconnectIfBadPeer(peer, stats.score)
 
   peer.iHaveBudget = IHavePeerBudget
   peer.pingBudget = PingsPeerBudget
@@ -359,6 +358,10 @@ method rpcHandler*(g: GossipSub,
                   peer: PubSubPeer,
                   rpcMsg: RPCMsg) {.async.} =
 
+  if peer.shouldDisconnectPeer:
+    discard g.disconnectPeer(peer)
+    return
+
   if rpcMsg.ping.len in 1..<64 and peer.pingBudget > 0:
     g.send(peer, RPCMsg(pong: rpcMsg.ping))
     peer.pingBudget.dec
@@ -644,3 +647,9 @@ method initPubSub*(g: GossipSub)
 
   # init gossip stuff
   g.mcache = MCache.init(g.parameters.historyGossip, g.parameters.historyLength)
+
+method shoulDisconnectPeer*(g: GossipSub, peer: PubSubPeer, score: float64): bool =
+  if g.parameters.disconnectBadPeers and score < g.parameters.graylistThreshold and
+     peer.peerId notin g.parameters.directPeers:
+    return true
+  return false
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/scoring.nim b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/scoring.nim
index ec85cfbe64..384e172e61 100644
--- a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/scoring.nim
+++ b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/scoring.nim
@@ -11,16 +11,17 @@
 
 import std/[tables, sets]
 import chronos, chronicles, metrics
+import chronos/ratelimit
 import "."/[types]
 import ".."/[pubsubpeer]
 import ../rpc/messages
 import "../../.."/[peerid, multiaddress, switch, utils/heartbeat]
+import ../pubsub
 
 logScope:
   topics = "libp2p gossipsub"
 
 declareGauge(libp2p_gossipsub_peers_scores, "the scores of the peers in gossipsub", labels = ["agent"])
-declareCounter(libp2p_gossipsub_bad_score_disconnection, "the number of peers disconnected by gossipsub", labels = ["agent"])
 declareGauge(libp2p_gossipsub_peers_score_firstMessageDeliveries, "Detailed gossipsub scoring metric", labels = ["agent"])
 declareGauge(libp2p_gossipsub_peers_score_meshMessageDeliveries, "Detailed gossipsub scoring metric", labels = ["agent"])
 declareGauge(libp2p_gossipsub_peers_score_meshFailurePenalty, "Detailed gossipsub scoring metric", labels = ["agent"])
@@ -90,50 +91,6 @@ proc colocationFactor(g: GossipSub, peer: PubSubPeer): float64 =
 
 {.pop.}
 
-proc getAgent(peer: PubSubPeer): string =
-  return
-    when defined(libp2p_agents_metrics):
-      if peer.shortAgent.len > 0:
-        peer.shortAgent
-      else:
-        "unknown"
-    else:
-      "unknown"
-
-proc disconnectPeer(g: GossipSub, peer: PubSubPeer) {.async.} =
-  let agent = getAgent(peer)
-  libp2p_gossipsub_bad_score_disconnection.inc(labelValues = [agent])
-
-  try:
-    await g.switch.disconnect(peer.peerId)
-  except CatchableError as exc: # Never cancelled
-    trace "Failed to close connection", peer, error = exc.name, msg = exc.msg
-
-proc disconnectIfBadPeer*(g: GossipSub, peer: PubSubPeer, score: float64, threshold: float64): bool =
-  if g.parameters.disconnectBadPeers and score < threshold and
-     peer.peerId notin g.parameters.directPeers:
-    debug "disconnecting bad score peer", peer, score, threshold
-    asyncSpawn(g.disconnectPeer(peer))
-    return true
-
-  return false
-
-proc disconnectIfBadTrafficPeer*(g: GossipSub, peer: PubSubPeer) =
-  if peer.totalTraffic > 0:
-    # dividing in this way to avoid integer overflow
-    let agent = getAgent(peer)
-    let invalidTrafficRatio = float64(peer.invalidTraffic) / float64(peer.totalTraffic)
-    let invalidIgnoredTrafficRatio = float64(peer.invalidIgnoredTraffic) / float64(peer.totalTraffic)
-    let totalInvalidTrafficRatio = invalidTrafficRatio + invalidIgnoredTrafficRatio
-    libp2p_gossipsub_peers_invalidTraffic_bytes.inc(float64(peer.invalidTraffic), labelValues = [agent])
-    libp2p_gossipsub_peers_invalidIgnoredTraffic_bytes.inc(float64(peer.invalidIgnoredTraffic), labelValues = [agent])
-    libp2p_gossipsub_peers_totalTraffic_bytes.inc(float64(peer.totalTraffic), labelValues = [agent])
-
-    # inverting the signs as we want to compare if the ratio is above the threshold
-    if g.disconnectIfBadPeer(peer, -totalInvalidTrafficRatio, -g.parameters.invalidTrafficRatioThreshold):
-      libp2p_gossipsub_peers_badTrafficScorePeerDisconnections.inc(labelValues = [getAgent(peer)])
-      debug "Bad traffic score peer disconnected", peer
-
 proc updateScores*(g: GossipSub) = # avoid async
   ## https://github.com/libp2p/specs/blob/master/pubsub/gossipsub/gossipsub-v1.1.md#the-score-function
   ##
@@ -202,7 +159,7 @@ proc updateScores*(g: GossipSub) = # avoid async
         score += topicScore * topicParams.topicWeight
 
       # Score metrics
-      let agent = getAgent(peer)
+      let agent = peer.getAgent()
       libp2p_gossipsub_peers_score_firstMessageDeliveries.inc(info.firstMessageDeliveries, labelValues = [agent])
       libp2p_gossipsub_peers_score_meshMessageDeliveries.inc(info.meshMessageDeliveries, labelValues = [agent])
       libp2p_gossipsub_peers_score_meshFailurePenalty.inc(info.meshFailurePenalty, labelValues = [agent])
@@ -239,7 +196,7 @@ proc updateScores*(g: GossipSub) = # avoid async
     score += colocationFactor * g.parameters.ipColocationFactorWeight
 
     # Score metrics
-    let agent = getAgent(peer)
+    let agent = peer.getAgent()
     libp2p_gossipsub_peers_score_appScore.inc(peer.appScore, labelValues = [agent])
     libp2p_gossipsub_peers_score_behaviourPenalty.inc(peer.behaviourPenalty, labelValues = [agent])
     libp2p_gossipsub_peers_score_colocationFactor.inc(colocationFactor, labelValues = [agent])
@@ -259,10 +216,7 @@ proc updateScores*(g: GossipSub) = # avoid async
 
     trace "updated peer's score", peer, score = peer.score, n_topics, is_grafted
 
-    if not g.disconnectIfBadPeer(peer, stats.score, g.parameters.graylistThreshold):
-      # this is necessary to disconnect peers that send only non-parseable messages as the message won't go through the normal path
-      g.disconnectIfBadTrafficPeer(peer)
-
+    g.disconnectIfBadPeer(peer, stats.score)
     libp2p_gossipsub_peers_scores.inc(peer.score, labelValues = [agent])
 
   for peer in evicting:
@@ -276,8 +230,8 @@ proc scoringHeartbeat*(g: GossipSub) {.async.} =
     g.updateScores()
 
 proc punishInvalidMessage*(g: GossipSub, peer: PubSubPeer, msg: Message) =
-  peer.invalidTraffic += byteSize(msg)
-  g.disconnectIfBadTrafficPeer(peer)
+  if not peer.uselessAppBytesRate.tryConsume(len(msg.data)):
+    discard g.disconnectPeer(peer)
 
   for tt in msg.topicIds:
     let t = tt
diff --git a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/pubsub.nim b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/pubsub.nim
index 02436a9b4b..e3e32fb55f 100644
--- a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/pubsub.nim
+++ b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/pubsub.nim
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ declarePublicCounter(libp2p_pubsub_received_ihave, "pubsub broadcast ihave", lab
 declarePublicCounter(libp2p_pubsub_received_graft, "pubsub broadcast graft", labels = ["topic"])
 declarePublicCounter(libp2p_pubsub_received_prune, "pubsub broadcast prune", labels = ["topic"])
 
+declareCounter(libp2p_gossipsub_bad_score_disconnection, "the number of peers disconnected by gossipsub", labels = ["agent"])
+
 type
   InitializationError* = object of LPError
 
@@ -603,3 +605,20 @@ proc removeObserver*(p: PubSub; observer: PubSubObserver) {.public.} =
   let idx = p.observers[].find(observer)
   if idx != -1:
     p.observers[].del(idx)
+
+proc disconnectPeer*(p: PubSub, peer: PubSubPeer) {.async.} =
+  let agent = peer.getAgent()
+  libp2p_gossipsub_bad_score_disconnection.inc(labelValues = [agent])
+
+  try:
+    await p.switch.disconnect(peer.peerId)
+  except CatchableError as exc: # Never cancelled
+    trace "Failed to close connection", peer, error = exc.name, msg = exc.msg
+
+method shoulDisconnectPeer*(p: PubSub, peer: PubSubPeer, score: float64): bool {.base.} =
+  doAssert(false, "Not implemented!")
+
+method disconnectIfBadPeer*(p: PubSub, peer: PubSubPeer, score: float64) {.base.} =
+  if p.shoulDisconnectPeer(peer, score):
+    debug "disconnecting bad score peer", peer, score
+    asyncSpawn(p.disconnectPeer(peer))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/pubsubpeer.nim b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/pubsubpeer.nim
index 9c119aff22..97ece0bc86 100644
--- a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/pubsubpeer.nim
+++ b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/pubsubpeer.nim
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 import std/[sequtils, strutils, tables, hashes, options, sets, deques]
 import stew/results
 import chronos, chronicles, nimcrypto/sha2, metrics
+import chronos/ratelimit
 import rpc/[messages, message, protobuf],
        ../../peerid,
        ../../peerinfo,
@@ -65,9 +66,8 @@ type
     maxMessageSize: int
     appScore*: float64 # application specific score
     behaviourPenalty*: float64 # the eventual penalty score
-    totalTraffic*: int64
-    invalidTraffic*: int64 # data that was parsed by protobuf but was invalid
-    invalidIgnoredTraffic*: int64 # data that couldn't be parsed by protobuf
+    uselessAppBytesRate*: TokenBucket
+    shouldDisconnectPeer*: bool
 
   RPCHandler* = proc(peer: PubSubPeer, msg: RPCMsg): Future[void]
     {.gcsafe, raises: [].}
@@ -129,6 +129,9 @@ proc handle*(p: PubSubPeer, conn: Connection) {.async.} =
   try:
     try:
       while not conn.atEof:
+        if p.shouldDisconnectPeer:
+          debug "Ignoring peer", conn, peer = p
+          break
         trace "waiting for data", conn, peer = p, closed = conn.closed
 
         var data = await conn.readLp(p.maxMessageSize)
@@ -138,14 +141,22 @@ proc handle*(p: PubSubPeer, conn: Connection) {.async.} =
 
         # In this way we count even ignored fields by protobuf
         let msgSize = len(data)
-        p.totalTraffic += msgSize
         var rmsg = decodeRpcMsg(data).valueOr:
-          p.invalidIgnoredTraffic += msgSize
+          if not p.uselessAppBytesRate.tryConsume(msgSize):
+            p.shouldDisconnectPeer = true
           debug "failed to decode msg from peer",
             conn, peer = p, closed = conn.closed,
             err = error
           break
-        p.invalidIgnoredTraffic += msgSize - byteSize(rmsg)
+
+        let uselessAppBytesNum = block:
+          rmsg.control.withValue(control):
+            msgSize - byteSize(control.ihave) - byteSize(control.iwant)
+          else: msgSize
+
+        if not p.uselessAppBytesRate.tryConsume(uselessAppBytesNum):
+          p.shouldDisconnectPeer = true
+
         data = newSeq[byte]() # Release memory
 
         trace "decoded msg from peer",
@@ -322,6 +333,18 @@ proc new*(
     codec: codec,
     peerId: peerId,
     connectedFut: newFuture[void](),
-    maxMessageSize: maxMessageSize
+    maxMessageSize: maxMessageSize,
+    uselessAppBytesRate: TokenBucket.new(1024, 1.seconds),
+    shouldDisconnectPeer: false,
   )
   result.sentIHaves.addFirst(default(HashSet[MessageId]))
+
+proc getAgent*(peer: PubSubPeer): string =
+  return
+    when defined(libp2p_agents_metrics):
+      if peer.shortAgent.len > 0:
+        peer.shortAgent
+      else:
+        "unknown"
+    else:
+      "unknown"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/rpc/messages.nim b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/rpc/messages.nim
index 6693716db7..3e82fb3921 100644
--- a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/rpc/messages.nim
+++ b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/rpc/messages.nim
@@ -127,6 +127,21 @@ proc byteSize*(msg: Message): int =
     total += topicId.len
   return total
 
+proc byteSize*(ihave: seq[ControlIHave]): int =
+  var total = 0
+  for item in ihave:
+    total += item.topicId.len
+    for msgId in item.messageIds:
+      total += msgId.len
+  return total
+
+proc byteSize*(iwant: seq[ControlIWant]): int =
+  var total = 0
+  for item in iwant:
+    for msgId in item.messageIds:
+      total += msgId.len
+  return total
+
 proc byteSize*(msg: RPCMsg): int =
   var total = 0
 
@@ -139,14 +154,9 @@ proc byteSize*(msg: RPCMsg): int =
 
   if msg.control.isSome:
     let ctrl = msg.control.get()
-    for item in ctrl.ihave:
-      total += item.topicId.len
-      for msgId in item.messageIds:
-        total += msgId.len
+    total += byteSize(ctrl.ihave)
 
-    for item in ctrl.iwant:
-      for msgId in item.messageIds:
-        total += msgId.len
+    total += byteSize(ctrl.iwant)
 
     for item in ctrl.graft:
       total += item.topicId.len