diff --git a/electrumx_rpc.py b/electrumx_rpc.py
index b7e5708..7590619 100755
--- a/electrumx_rpc.py
+++ b/electrumx_rpc.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class RPCClient(JSONRPC):
                 future.cancel()
                 print('request timed out after {}s'.format(timeout))
             else:
-                await request.process(1)
+                await request.process(self)
 
     async def handle_response(self, result, error, method):
         if result and method in ('groups', 'sessions'):
diff --git a/lib/jsonrpc.py b/lib/jsonrpc.py
index 9c83be2..41d5aa6 100644
--- a/lib/jsonrpc.py
+++ b/lib/jsonrpc.py
@@ -15,63 +15,59 @@ import time
 from lib.util import LoggedClass
 
 
-class SingleRequest(object):
+class RequestBase(object):
+    '''An object that represents a queued request.'''
+
+    def __init__(self, remaining):
+        self.remaining = remaining
+
+class SingleRequest(RequestBase):
     '''An object that represents a single request.'''
-    def __init__(self, session, payload):
-        self.payload = payload
-        self.session = session
-        self.count = 1
 
-    def remaining(self):
-        return self.count
+    def __init__(self, payload):
+        super().__init__(1)
+        self.payload = payload
 
-    async def process(self, limit):
+    async def process(self, session):
         '''Asynchronously handle the JSON request.'''
-        binary = await self.session.process_single_payload(self.payload)
+        self.remaining = 0
+        binary = await session.process_single_payload(self.payload)
         if binary:
-            self.session._send_bytes(binary)
-        self.count = 0
-        return 1
+            session._send_bytes(binary)
 
     def __str__(self):
         return str(self.payload)
 
 
-class BatchRequest(object):
+class BatchRequest(RequestBase):
     '''An object that represents a batch request and its processing state.
 
     Batches are processed in chunks.
     '''
 
-    def __init__(self, session, payload):
-        self.session = session
+    def __init__(self, payload):
+        super().__init__(len(payload))
         self.payload = payload
-        self.done = 0
         self.parts = []
 
-    def remaining(self):
-        return len(self.payload) - self.done
-
-    async def process(self, limit):
+    async def process(self, session):
         '''Asynchronously handle the JSON batch according to the JSON 2.0
         spec.'''
-        count = min(limit, self.remaining())
-        for n in range(count):
-            item = self.payload[self.done]
-            part = await self.session.process_single_payload(item)
+        target = max(self.remaining - 4, 0)
+        while self.remaining > target:
+            item = self.payload[len(self.payload) - self.remaining]
+            self.remaining -= 1
+            part = await session.process_single_payload(item)
             if part:
                 self.parts.append(part)
-            self.done += 1
 
         total_len = sum(len(part) + 2 for part in self.parts)
-        self.session.check_oversized_request(total_len)
+        session.check_oversized_request(total_len)
 
-        if not self.remaining():
+        if not self.remaining:
             if self.parts:
                 binary = b'[' + b', '.join(self.parts) + b']'
-                self.session._send_bytes(binary)
-
-        return count
+                session._send_bytes(binary)
 
     def __str__(self):
         return str(self.payload)
@@ -151,6 +147,7 @@ class JSONRPC(asyncio.Protocol, LoggedClass):
         self.bandwidth_used = 0
         self.bandwidth_limit = 5000000
         self.transport = None
+        self.pause = False
         # Parts of an incomplete JSON line.  We buffer them until
         # getting a newline.
         self.parts = []
@@ -186,11 +183,22 @@ class JSONRPC(asyncio.Protocol, LoggedClass):
         '''Handle an incoming client connection.'''
         self.transport = transport
         self.peer_info = transport.get_extra_info('peername')
+        transport.set_write_buffer_limits(high=500000)
 
     def connection_lost(self, exc):
         '''Handle client disconnection.'''
         pass
 
+    def pause_writing(self):
+        '''Called by asyncio when the write buffer is full.'''
+        self.log_info('pausing writing')
+        self.pause = True
+
+    def resume_writing(self):
+        '''Called by asyncio when the write buffer has room.'''
+        self.log_info('resuming writing')
+        self.pause = False
+
     def close_connection(self):
         self.stop = time.time()
         if self.transport:
@@ -263,9 +271,9 @@ class JSONRPC(asyncio.Protocol, LoggedClass):
             if not message:
                 self.send_json_error('empty batch', self.INVALID_REQUEST)
                 return
-            request = BatchRequest(self, message)
+            request = BatchRequest(message)
         else:
-            request = SingleRequest(self, message)
+            request = SingleRequest(message)
 
         '''Queue the request for asynchronous handling.'''
         self.enqueue_request(request)
diff --git a/server/protocol.py b/server/protocol.py
index e7b5bbb..12945e0 100644
--- a/server/protocol.py
+++ b/server/protocol.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ from functools import partial
 import pylru
 
 from lib.hash import sha256, double_sha256, hash_to_str, hex_str_to_hash
-from lib.jsonrpc import JSONRPC
+from lib.jsonrpc import JSONRPC, RequestBase
 from lib.tx import Deserializer
 import lib.util as util
 from server.block_processor import BlockProcessor
@@ -217,16 +217,15 @@ class ServerManager(util.LoggedClass):
 
     BANDS = 5
 
-    class NotificationRequest(object):
-        def __init__(self, fn_call):
-            self.fn_call = fn_call
+    class NotificationRequest(RequestBase):
+        def __init__(self, height, touched):
+            super().__init__(1)
+            self.height = height
+            self.touched = touched
 
-        def remaining(self):
-            return 0
-
-        async def process(self, limit):
-            await self.fn_call()
-            return 0
+        async def process(self, session):
+            self.remaining = 0
+            await session.notify(self.height, self.touched)
 
     def __init__(self, env):
         super().__init__()
@@ -294,8 +293,8 @@ class ServerManager(util.LoggedClass):
         if isinstance(session, LocalRPC):
             return 0
         group_bandwidth = sum(s.bandwidth_used for s in self.sessions[session])
-        return (bisect_left(self.bands, session.bandwidth_used)
-                + bisect_left(self.bands, group_bandwidth) + 1) // 2
+        return 1 + (bisect_left(self.bands, session.bandwidth_used)
+                    + bisect_left(self.bands, group_bandwidth) + 1) // 2
 
     async def enqueue_delayed_sessions(self):
         now = time.time()
@@ -317,9 +316,14 @@ class ServerManager(util.LoggedClass):
         item = (priority, self.next_queue_id, session)
         self.next_queue_id += 1
 
-        secs = priority - self.BANDS
-        if secs >= 0:
+        secs = int(session.pause)
+        if secs:
+            session.log_info('delaying processing whilst paused')
+        excess = priority - self.BANDS
+        if excess > 0:
+            secs = excess
             session.log_info('delaying response {:d}s'.format(secs))
+        if secs:
             self.delayed_sessions.append((time.time() + secs, item))
         else:
             self.queue.put_nowait(item)
@@ -403,8 +407,8 @@ class ServerManager(util.LoggedClass):
 
         for session in self.sessions:
             if isinstance(session, ElectrumX):
-                fn_call = partial(session.notify, self.bp.db_height, touched)
-                session.enqueue_request(self.NotificationRequest(fn_call))
+                request = self.NotificationRequest(self.bp.db_height, touched)
+                session.enqueue_request(request)
         # Periodically log sessions
         if self.env.log_sessions and time.time() > self.next_log_sessions:
             data = self.session_data(for_log=True)
@@ -480,7 +484,7 @@ class ServerManager(util.LoggedClass):
         if now > self.next_stale_check:
             self.next_stale_check = now + 60
             self.clear_stale_sessions()
-        group = self.groups[int(session.start - self.start) // 60]
+        group = self.groups[int(session.start - self.start) // 180]
         group.add(session)
         self.sessions[session] = group
         session.log_info('connection from {}, {:,d} total'
@@ -521,9 +525,14 @@ class ServerManager(util.LoggedClass):
         if stale:
             self.logger.info('closing stale connections {}'.format(stale))
 
-        # Clear out empty groups
-        for key in [k for k, v in self.groups.items() if not v]:
-            del self.groups[key]
+        # Consolidate small groups
+        keys = [k for k, v in self.groups.items() if len(v) <= 2
+                and sum(session.bandwidth_used for session in v) < 10000]
+        if len(keys) > 1:
+            group = set.union(*(self.groups[key] for key in keys))
+            for key in keys:
+                del self.groups[key]
+            self.groups[max(keys)] = group
 
     def new_subscription(self):
         if self.subscription_count >= self.max_subs:
@@ -728,7 +737,7 @@ class Session(JSONRPC):
         return status
 
     def requests_remaining(self):
-        return sum(request.remaining() for request in self.requests)
+        return sum(request.remaining for request in self.requests)
 
     def enqueue_request(self, request):
         '''Add a request to the session's list.'''
@@ -738,28 +747,28 @@ class Session(JSONRPC):
 
     async def serve_requests(self):
         '''Serve requests in batches.'''
-        done_reqs = 0
-        done_jobs = 0
-        limit = 4
+        total = 0
+        errs = []
+        # Process 8 items at a time
         for request in self.requests:
             try:
-                done_jobs += await request.process(limit - done_jobs)
+                initial = request.remaining
+                await request.process(self)
+                total += initial - request.remaining
             except asyncio.CancelledError:
                 raise
             except Exception:
-                # Getting here should probably be considered a bug and fixed
+                # Should probably be considered a bug and fixed
                 self.log_error('error handling request {}'.format(request))
                 traceback.print_exc()
-                done_reqs += 1
-            else:
-                if not request.remaining():
-                    done_reqs += 1
-            if done_jobs >= limit:
+                errs.append(request)
+            if total >= 8:
                 break
 
+        self.log_info('done {:,d} items'.format(total))
         # Remove completed requests and re-enqueue ourself if any remain.
-        if done_reqs:
-            self.requests = self.requests[done_reqs:]
+        self.requests = [req for req in self.requests
+                         if req.remaining and not req in errs]
         if self.requests:
             self.manager.enqueue_session(self)