diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 63e643c..2320212 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -326,9 +326,14 @@ impl WebSocketService {
     async fn send(&mut self, m: Message) -> Result<(), Error> {
         // Throttling: we consume burst tokens, but we do not throttle on output
         if m.len() > self.burst_tokens {
-            self.burst_tokens = 0;
+            log::info!(target: "Client", "{}: Rate limited exceeded", self.peer);
+            let reply = NostrReply::Notice("Rate limit exceeded.".into());
+            self.websocket.send(Message::text(reply.as_json())).await?;
+            let error = ChorusError::RateLimitExceeded;
+            self.error_punishment += error.punishment();
+            return Err(error.into());
         } else {
-            self.burst_tokens = self.burst_tokens - m.len();
+            self.burst_tokens -= m.len();
         }
 
         self.replied = true;
@@ -443,7 +448,7 @@ impl WebSocketService {
 
             // Grant new tokens
             let new_tokens = throttling_bytes_per_second * elapsed.as_millis() as usize / 1_000;
-            self.burst_tokens = self.burst_tokens + new_tokens;
+            self.burst_tokens += new_tokens;
 
             // Cap tokens to a maximum
             if self.burst_tokens > throttling_burst {
@@ -454,12 +459,12 @@ impl WebSocketService {
             if message.len() > self.burst_tokens {
                 log::info!(target: "Client", "{}: Rate limited exceeded", self.peer);
                 let reply = NostrReply::Notice("Rate limit exceeded.".into());
-                self.send(Message::text(reply.as_json())).await?;
+                self.websocket.send(Message::text(reply.as_json())).await?;
                 let error = ChorusError::RateLimitExceeded;
                 self.error_punishment += error.punishment();
                 return Err(error.into());
             } else {
-                self.burst_tokens = self.burst_tokens - message.len();
+                self.burst_tokens -= message.len();
             }
         }