diff --git a/docs/manual.rst b/docs/manual.rst
index 22f31b4fc..d4573abac 100644
--- a/docs/manual.rst
+++ b/docs/manual.rst
@@ -3038,6 +3038,8 @@ that will be sent to the tracker. The user-agent is a good way to identify your
 
 		bool prioritize_partial_pieces;
 		int auto_manage_startup;
+
+		bool rate_limit_ip_overhead;
 	};
 
 ``user_agent`` this is the client identification to the tracker.
@@ -3319,6 +3321,9 @@ active after it was started, regardless of upload and download speed. This
 is so that newly started torrents are not considered inactive until they
 have a fair chance to start downloading.
 
+If ``rate_limit_ip_overhead`` is set to true, the estimated TCP/IP overhead is
+drained from the rate limiters, to avoid exceeding the limits with the total traffic
+
 
 pe_settings
 ===========
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/session_settings.hpp b/include/libtorrent/session_settings.hpp
index b7dc62a44..d8c974396 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/session_settings.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/session_settings.hpp
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			, min_announce_interval(5 * 60)
 			, prioritize_partial_pieces(false)
 			, auto_manage_startup(120)
+			, rate_limit_ip_overhead(true)
 		{}
 
 		// this is the user agent that will be sent to the tracker
@@ -450,6 +451,11 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		// inactive until they have a fair chance to
 		// start downloading.
 		int auto_manage_startup;
+
+		// if set to true, the estimated TCP/IP overhead is
+		// drained from the rate limiters, to avoid exceeding
+		// the limits with the total traffic
+		bool rate_limit_ip_overhead;
 	};
 
 #ifndef TORRENT_DISABLE_DHT
diff --git a/src/session_impl.cpp b/src/session_impl.cpp
index e1a479e9e..092fd0102 100644
--- a/src/session_impl.cpp
+++ b/src/session_impl.cpp
@@ -1121,10 +1121,13 @@ namespace aux {
 		}
 
 		// drain the IP overhead from the bandwidth limiters
-		m_download_channel.drain(
-			m_stat.download_ip_overhead()
-			+ m_stat.download_dht()
-			+ m_stat.download_tracker());
+		if (m_settings.rate_limit_ip_overhead)
+		{
+			m_download_channel.drain(
+				m_stat.download_ip_overhead()
+				+ m_stat.download_dht()
+				+ m_stat.download_tracker());
+		}
 
 		if (m_stat.download_ip_overhead() >= m_download_channel.throttle()
 			&& m_alerts.should_post<performance_alert>())
@@ -1133,10 +1136,13 @@ namespace aux {
 				, performance_alert::download_limit_too_low));
 		}
 
-		m_upload_channel.drain(
-			m_stat.upload_ip_overhead()
-			+ m_stat.upload_dht()
-			+ m_stat.upload_tracker());
+		if (m_settings.rate_limit_ip_overhead)
+		{
+			m_upload_channel.drain(
+				m_stat.upload_ip_overhead()
+				+ m_stat.upload_dht()
+				+ m_stat.upload_tracker());
+		}
 
 		if (m_stat.upload_ip_overhead() >= m_upload_channel.throttle()
 			&& m_alerts.should_post<performance_alert>())