diff --git a/include/class.h b/include/class.h
index c076c185a..33b99e73f 100644
--- a/include/class.h
+++ b/include/class.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ struct Class
 	int max_global;
 	int max_ident;
 	int max_sendq;
+	int max_sendq_hard;
 	int con_freq;
 	int ping_freq;
 	int total;
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ extern struct Class *default_class;
 #define MaxUsers(x)	((x)->max_total)
 #define PingFreq(x)     ((x)->ping_freq)
 #define MaxSendq(x)     ((x)->max_sendq)
+#define MaxSendqHard(x)	((x)->max_sendq_hard)
 #define CurrUsers(x)    ((x)->total)
 #define IpLimits(x)     ((x)->ip_limits)
 #define CidrIpv4Bitlen(x)   ((x)->cidr_ipv4_bitlen)
@@ -81,12 +83,14 @@ extern struct Class *default_class;
 #define ConfCidrAmount(x) (ClassPtr(x)->cidr_amount)
 #define ConfCidrIpv4Bitlen(x) (ClassPtr(x)->cidr_ipv4_bitlen)
 #define ConfCidrIpv6Bitlen(x) (ClassPtr(x)->cidr_ipv6_bitlen)
+#define ConfMaxSendqHard(x) (ClassPtr(x)->max_sendq_hard)
 
 void add_class(struct Class *);
 
 struct Class *make_class(void);
 
 extern long get_sendq(struct Client *);
+extern long get_sendq_hard(struct Client *);
 extern int get_con_freq(struct Class *);
 extern struct Class *find_class(const char *);
 extern const char *get_client_class(struct Client *);
diff --git a/ircd/class.c b/ircd/class.c
index a7eb528ac..25a7f53f9 100644
--- a/ircd/class.c
+++ b/ircd/class.c
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ make_class(void)
 	PingFreq(tmp) = DEFAULT_PINGFREQUENCY;
 	MaxUsers(tmp) = 1;
 	MaxSendq(tmp) = DEFAULT_SENDQ;
+	MaxSendqHard(tmp) = DEFAULT_SENDQ * 4;
 
 	tmp->ip_limits = rb_new_patricia(PATRICIA_BITS);
 	return tmp;
@@ -198,6 +199,7 @@ add_class(struct Class *classptr)
 		MaxIdent(tmpptr) = MaxIdent(classptr);
 		PingFreq(tmpptr) = PingFreq(classptr);
 		MaxSendq(tmpptr) = MaxSendq(classptr);
+		MaxSendqHard(tmpptr) = MaxSendq(classptr) * 4;
 		ConFreq(tmpptr) = ConFreq(classptr);
 		CidrIpv4Bitlen(tmpptr) = CidrIpv4Bitlen(classptr);
 		CidrIpv6Bitlen(tmpptr) = CidrIpv6Bitlen(classptr);
@@ -342,3 +344,33 @@ get_sendq(struct Client *client_p)
 
 	return DEFAULT_SENDQ;
 }
+
+/*
+ * get_sendq_hard
+ *
+ * inputs	- pointer to client
+ * output	- hard sendq limit for this client as found from its class
+ * side effects	- NONE
+ */
+long
+get_sendq_hard(struct Client *client_p)
+{
+	if(client_p == NULL || IsMe(client_p))
+		return DEFAULT_SENDQ;
+
+	if(IsServer(client_p))
+	{
+		struct server_conf *server_p;
+		server_p = client_p->localClient->att_sconf;
+		return MaxSendqHard(server_p->class);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		struct ConfItem *aconf = client_p->localClient->att_conf;
+
+		if(aconf != NULL && aconf->status & CONF_CLIENT)
+			return ConfMaxSendqHard(aconf);
+	}
+
+	return DEFAULT_SENDQ;
+}
diff --git a/ircd/packet.c b/ircd/packet.c
index fe18b1df8..9ee4f7aae 100644
--- a/ircd/packet.c
+++ b/ircd/packet.c
@@ -108,11 +108,23 @@ parse_client_queued(struct Client *client_p)
 		else
 			allow_read = ConfigFileEntry.client_flood_burst_rate;
 		allow_read *= ConfigFileEntry.client_flood_message_time;
+
 		/* allow opers 4 times the amount of messages as users. why 4?
 		 * why not. :) --fl_
 		 */
 		if(IsOper(client_p) && ConfigFileEntry.no_oper_flood)
 			allow_read *= 4;
+		else
+		{
+			/*
+			 * If a client's sendq is greater than the soft limit, do not allow any
+			 * more messages to be read.  This allows us to safely handle commands like
+			 * LIST without harming the server.  --kaniini
+			 */
+			if (rb_linebuf_len(&client_p->localClient->buf_sendq) > (get_sendq(client_p)))
+				allow_read = 0;
+		}
+
 		/*
 		 * Handle flood protection here - if we exceed our flood limit on
 		 * messages in this loop, we simply drop out of the loop prematurely.
diff --git a/ircd/send.c b/ircd/send.c
index cb2112054..a15d9d642 100644
--- a/ircd/send.c
+++ b/ircd/send.c
@@ -69,20 +69,20 @@ _send_linebuf(struct Client *to, buf_head_t *linebuf)
 	if(!MyConnect(to) || IsIOError(to))
 		return 0;
 
-	if(rb_linebuf_len(&to->localClient->buf_sendq) > get_sendq(to))
+	if(rb_linebuf_len(&to->localClient->buf_sendq) > get_sendq_hard(to))
 	{
 		if(IsServer(to))
 		{
 			sendto_realops_snomask(SNO_GENERAL, L_ALL,
-					     "Max SendQ limit exceeded for %s: %u > %lu",
+					     "Hard SendQ limit exceeded for %s: %u > %lu",
 					     to->name,
 					     rb_linebuf_len(&to->localClient->buf_sendq),
-					     get_sendq(to));
+					     get_sendq_hard(to));
 
-			ilog(L_SERVER, "Max SendQ limit exceeded for %s: %u > %lu",
+			ilog(L_SERVER, "Hard SendQ limit exceeded for %s: %u > %lu",
 			     log_client_name(to, SHOW_IP),
 			     rb_linebuf_len(&to->localClient->buf_sendq),
-			     get_sendq(to));
+			     get_sendq_hard(to));
 		}
 
 		dead_link(to, 1);