diff --git a/crates/net/eth-wire/src/p2pstream.rs b/crates/net/eth-wire/src/p2pstream.rs
index 2faf4c2e8a..55b70877f5 100644
--- a/crates/net/eth-wire/src/p2pstream.rs
+++ b/crates/net/eth-wire/src/p2pstream.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,11 @@ const GRACE_PERIOD: Duration = Duration::from_secs(2);
 
 /// [`MAX_P2P_CAPACITY`] is the maximum number of messages that can be buffered to be sent in the
 /// `p2p` stream.
-const MAX_P2P_CAPACITY: usize = 64;
+///
+/// Note: this default is rather low because it is expected that the [P2PStream] wraps an
+/// [ECIESStream](reth_ecies::stream::ECIESStream) which internally already buffers a few MB of
+/// encoded data.
+const MAX_P2P_CAPACITY: usize = 2;
 
 /// An un-authenticated [`P2PStream`]. This is consumed and returns a [`P2PStream`] after the
 /// `Hello` handshake is completed.
@@ -212,6 +216,10 @@ pub struct P2PStream<S> {
     /// Outgoing messages buffered for sending to the underlying stream.
     outgoing_messages: VecDeque<Bytes>,
 
+    /// Maximum number of messages that we can buffer here before the [Sink] impl returns
+    /// [Poll::Pending].
+    outgoing_message_buffer_capacity: usize,
+
     /// Whether this stream is currently in the process of disconnecting by sending a disconnect
     /// message.
     disconnecting: bool,
@@ -229,10 +237,20 @@ impl<S> P2PStream<S> {
             pinger: Pinger::new(PING_INTERVAL, PING_TIMEOUT),
             shared_capability: capability,
             outgoing_messages: VecDeque::new(),
+            outgoing_message_buffer_capacity: MAX_P2P_CAPACITY,
             disconnecting: false,
         }
     }
 
+    /// Sets a custom outgoing message buffer capacity.
+    ///
+    /// # Panics
+    ///
+    /// If the provided capacity is `0`.
+    pub fn set_outgoing_message_buffer_capacity(&mut self, capacity: usize) {
+        self.outgoing_message_buffer_capacity = capacity;
+    }
+
     /// Returns the shared capability for this stream.
     pub fn shared_capability(&self) -> &SharedCapability {
         &self.shared_capability
@@ -243,6 +261,11 @@ impl<S> P2PStream<S> {
         self.disconnecting
     }
 
+    /// Returns `true` if the stream has outgoing capacity.
+    fn has_outgoing_capacity(&self) -> bool {
+        self.outgoing_messages.len() < self.outgoing_message_buffer_capacity
+    }
+
     /// Queues in a _snappy_ encoded [`P2PMessage::Pong`] message.
     fn send_pong(&mut self) {
         let pong = P2PMessage::Pong;
@@ -366,10 +389,6 @@ where
             let id = *bytes.first().ok_or(P2PStreamError::EmptyProtocolMessage)?;
             match id {
                 _ if id == P2PMessageID::Ping as u8 => {
-                    if this.outgoing_messages.len() > MAX_P2P_CAPACITY {
-                        return Poll::Ready(Some(Err(P2PStreamError::SendBufferFull)))
-                    }
-
                     tracing::trace!("Received Ping, Sending Pong");
                     this.send_pong();
                 }
@@ -467,7 +486,7 @@ where
             }
         }
 
-        if self.outgoing_messages.len() < MAX_P2P_CAPACITY {
+        if self.has_outgoing_capacity() {
             // still has capacity
             Poll::Ready(Ok(()))
         } else {
@@ -476,13 +495,13 @@ where
     }
 
     fn start_send(self: Pin<&mut Self>, item: Bytes) -> Result<(), Self::Error> {
-        let this = self.project();
-
         // ensure we have free capacity
-        if this.outgoing_messages.len() >= MAX_P2P_CAPACITY {
+        if !self.has_outgoing_capacity() {
             return Err(P2PStreamError::SendBufferFull)
         }
 
+        let this = self.project();
+
         let mut compressed = BytesMut::zeroed(1 + snap::raw::max_compress_len(item.len() - 1));
         let compressed_size =
             this.encoder.compress(&item[1..], &mut compressed[1..]).map_err(|err| {