diff --git a/evennia/server/portal/portalsessionhandler.py b/evennia/server/portal/portalsessionhandler.py
index f4cad5d2aa..b6eaf82d41 100644
--- a/evennia/server/portal/portalsessionhandler.py
+++ b/evennia/server/portal/portalsessionhandler.py
@@ -1,17 +1,19 @@
 """
 Sessionhandler for portal sessions
 """
-from collections import deque
+
 from time import time
-from twisted.internet import reactor, task
+from twisted.internet import reactor
+from django.conf import settings
 from evennia.server.sessionhandler import SessionHandler, PCONN, PDISCONN, PCONNSYNC
 
-_CONNECTION_RATE = 5.0
-_MIN_TIME_BETWEEN_CONNECTS = 1.0 / _CONNECTION_RATE
+# module import
 _MOD_IMPORT = None
 
-#_MAX_CMD_RATE = 80.0
-#_ERROR_COMMAND_OVERFLOW = "You entered commands too fast. Wait a moment and try again."
+# throttles
+_MIN_TIME_BETWEEN_CONNECTS = 1.0 / float(settings.MAX_CONNECTION_RATE) if float(settings.MAX_CONNECTION_RATE) > 0 else 1.0 / 5.0
+_MIN_TIME_BETWEEN_CMDS = 1.0 / float(settings.MAX_COMMAND_RATE) if float(settings.MAX_COMMAND_RATE) > 0 else -10
+_ERROR_COMMAND_OVERFLOW = settings.COMMAND_RATE_WARNING
 
 #------------------------------------------------------------
 # Portal-SessionHandler class
@@ -66,9 +68,8 @@ class PortalSessionHandler(SessionHandler):
             session.sessid = self.latest_sessid
 
         now = time()
-        current_rate = 1.0 / (now - self.time_last_connect)
 
-        if current_rate > _CONNECTION_RATE:
+        if now - self.time_last_connect <  _MIN_TIME_BETWEEN_CONNECTS:
             # we have too many connections per second. Delay.
             #print "  delaying connecting", session.sessid
             reactor.callLater(_MIN_TIME_BETWEEN_CONNECTS, self.connect, session)
@@ -80,9 +81,9 @@ class PortalSessionHandler(SessionHandler):
             reactor.callLater(0.5, self.connect, session)
             return
 
-        # sync with server-side
-
         self.time_last_connect = now
+
+        # sync with server-side
         sessdata = session.get_sync_data()
         self.sessions[session.sessid] = session
         session.server_connected = True
@@ -290,7 +291,13 @@ class PortalSessionHandler(SessionHandler):
         serialized before passed on.
 
         """
+        # data throttle (anti DoS measure)
+        prev_cmd_last = session.cmd_last
         session.cmd_last = time()
+        if session.cmd_last - prev_cmd_last < _MIN_TIME_BETWEEN_CMDS:
+            self.data_out(session.sessid, text=_ERROR_COMMAND_OVERFLOW)
+            return
+        # relay data to Server
         self.portal.amp_protocol.call_remote_MsgPortal2Server(session.sessid,
                                                               msg=text,
                                                               data=kwargs)
diff --git a/evennia/settings_default.py b/evennia/settings_default.py
index fe6abf40e7..ad7a06ae56 100644
--- a/evennia/settings_default.py
+++ b/evennia/settings_default.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ WEBSOCKET_CLIENT_ENABLED = True
 WEBSOCKET_CLIENT_PORT = 8001
 # Interface addresses to listen to. If 0.0.0.0, listen to all. Use :: for IPv6.
 WEBSOCKET_CLIENT_INTERFACE = '0.0.0.0'
-# Actual URL for webclient component to reach the websocket.  
+# Actual URL for webclient component to reach the websocket.
 # The WEBSOCKET_CLIENT_PORT will be automatically appended to this URL.
 WEBSOCKET_CLIENT_URL = "ws://localhost"
 # Activate SSH protocol communication (SecureShell)
@@ -179,6 +179,19 @@ AMP_INTERFACE = '127.0.0.1'
 # be necessary (use @server to see how many objects are in the idmapper
 # cache at any time). Setting this to None disables the cache cap.
 IDMAPPER_CACHE_MAXSIZE = 200      # (MB)
+# This determines how many connections per second the Portal should
+# accept, as a DoS countermeasure. If the rate exceeds this number, incoming
+# connections will be queued to this rate, so none will be lost.
+# Must be set to a value > 0.
+MAX_CONNECTION_RATE = 5
+# Determine how many commands per second a given Session is allowed
+# to send to the Portal via a connected protocol. Too high rate will
+# drop the command and echo a warning. Note that this will also cap
+# OOB messages so don't set it too low if you expect a lot of events
+# from the client! To turn the limiter off, set to <= 0.
+MAX_COMMAND_RATE = 80
+# The warning to echo back to users if they send commands too fast
+COMMAND_RATE_WARNING ="You entered commands too fast. Wait a moment and try again."
 
 ######################################################################
 # Evennia Database config