diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 19fa675a27e..741e30714b2 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ GEM
       mini_mime (>= 0.1.1)
     maxminddb (0.1.22)
     memory_profiler (0.9.13)
-    message_bus (2.2.0)
+    message_bus (2.2.2)
       rack (>= 1.1.3)
     metaclass (0.0.4)
     method_source (0.9.2)
diff --git a/config/discourse_defaults.conf b/config/discourse_defaults.conf
index 4f409f574e8..dd4587acc39 100644
--- a/config/discourse_defaults.conf
+++ b/config/discourse_defaults.conf
@@ -224,6 +224,10 @@ force_anonymous_min_queue_seconds = 1
 # only trigger anon if we see more than N requests for this path in last 10 seconds
 force_anonymous_min_per_10_seconds = 3
 
+# if a message bus request queues for 100ms or longer, we will reject it and ask consumer
+# to back off
+reject_message_bus_queue_seconds = 0.1
+
 # disable search if app server is queueing for longer than this (in seconds)
 disable_search_queue_threshold = 1
 
diff --git a/config/initializers/004-message_bus.rb b/config/initializers/004-message_bus.rb
index a39b6ee782c..6897ba4be94 100644
--- a/config/initializers/004-message_bus.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/004-message_bus.rb
@@ -17,6 +17,14 @@ end
 def setup_message_bus_env(env)
   return if env["__mb"]
 
+  ::Middleware::RequestTracker.populate_request_queue_seconds!(env)
+
+  if queue_time = env["REQUEST_QUEUE_SECONDS"]
+    if queue_time > (GlobalSetting.reject_message_bus_queue_seconds).to_f
+      raise RateLimiter::LimitExceeded, 30 + (rand * 120).to_i
+    end
+  end
+
   host = RailsMultisite::ConnectionManagement.host(env)
   RailsMultisite::ConnectionManagement.with_hostname(host) do
     extra_headers = {
diff --git a/lib/middleware/request_tracker.rb b/lib/middleware/request_tracker.rb
index 470ab5f1671..2a75adaf2e9 100644
--- a/lib/middleware/request_tracker.rb
+++ b/lib/middleware/request_tracker.rb
@@ -139,17 +139,23 @@ class Middleware::RequestTracker
 
   end
 
+  def self.populate_request_queue_seconds!(env)
+    if !env['REQUEST_QUEUE_SECONDS']
+      if queue_start = env['HTTP_X_REQUEST_START']
+        queue_start = queue_start.split("t=")[1].to_f
+        queue_time = (Time.now.to_f - queue_start)
+        env['REQUEST_QUEUE_SECONDS'] = queue_time
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   def call(env)
     result = nil
     log_request = true
 
     # doing this as early as possible so we have an
     # accurate counter
-    if queue_start = env['HTTP_X_REQUEST_START']
-      queue_start = queue_start.split("t=")[1].to_f
-      queue_time = (Time.now.to_f - queue_start)
-      env['REQUEST_QUEUE_SECONDS'] = queue_time
-    end
+    ::Middleware::RequestTracker.populate_request_queue_seconds!(env)
 
     request = Rack::Request.new(env)
 
diff --git a/spec/integration/rate_limiting_spec.rb b/spec/integration/rate_limiting_spec.rb
index 87a58490d45..5f609cf3196 100644
--- a/spec/integration/rate_limiting_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/integration/rate_limiting_spec.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,31 @@ describe 'rate limiter integration' do
     RateLimiter.disable
   end
 
+  it "will rate limit message bus requests once queueing" do
+    freeze_time
+
+    global_setting :reject_message_bus_queue_seconds, 0.1
+
+    post "/message-bus/#{SecureRandom.hex}/poll", headers: {
+      "HTTP_X_REQUEST_START" => "t=#{Time.now.to_f - 0.2}"
+    }
+
+    expect(response.status).to eq(429)
+    expect(response.headers['Retry-After']).to be > 29
+  end
+
+  it "will not rate limit when all is good" do
+    freeze_time
+
+    global_setting :reject_message_bus_queue_seconds, 0.1
+
+    post "/message-bus/#{SecureRandom.hex}/poll", headers: {
+      "HTTP_X_REQUEST_START" => "t=#{Time.now.to_f - 0.05}"
+    }
+
+    expect(response.status).to eq(200)
+  end
+
   it "will clear the token cookie if invalid" do
     name = Auth::DefaultCurrentUserProvider::TOKEN_COOKIE