diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a132ae3d1..58ce3ef58 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ changes.
 - lightningd: fixed occasional hang on `connect` when peer had sent error.
 - JSON RPC: `decodeinvoice` and `pay` now handle unknown invoice fields properly.
 - JSON API: `waitsendpay` (PAY_STOPPED_RETRYING) error handler now returns valid JSON
+- protocol: don't send multiple identical feerate changes if we want the feerate higher than we can afford.
 
 ### Security
 
diff --git a/channeld/channeld.c b/channeld/channeld.c
index 2b2631498..c49d93450 100644
--- a/channeld/channeld.c
+++ b/channeld/channeld.c
@@ -1133,9 +1133,7 @@ static void send_commit(struct peer *peer)
 	}
 
 	/* If we wanted to update fees, do it now. */
-	if (peer->channel->funder == LOCAL
-	    && peer->desired_feerate != channel_feerate(peer->channel, REMOTE)) {
-		u8 *msg;
+	if (peer->channel->funder == LOCAL) {
 		u32 feerate, max = approx_max_feerate(peer->channel);
 
 		feerate = peer->desired_feerate;
@@ -1145,14 +1143,19 @@ static void send_commit(struct peer *peer)
 		if (feerate > max)
 			feerate = max;
 
-		if (!channel_update_feerate(peer->channel, feerate))
-			status_failed(STATUS_FAIL_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-				      "Could not afford feerate %u"
-				      " (vs max %u)",
-				      feerate, max);
+		if (feerate != channel_feerate(peer->channel, REMOTE)) {
+			u8 *msg;
 
-		msg = towire_update_fee(NULL, &peer->channel_id, feerate);
-		sync_crypto_write(peer->pps, take(msg));
+			if (!channel_update_feerate(peer->channel, feerate))
+				status_failed(STATUS_FAIL_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+					      "Could not afford feerate %u"
+					      " (vs max %u)",
+					      feerate, max);
+
+			msg = towire_update_fee(NULL, &peer->channel_id,
+						feerate);
+			sync_crypto_write(peer->pps, take(msg));
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* BOLT #2:
diff --git a/tests/test_connection.py b/tests/test_connection.py
index 22cc3e259..27909da8a 100644
--- a/tests/test_connection.py
+++ b/tests/test_connection.py
@@ -1692,7 +1692,6 @@ def test_change_chaining(node_factory, bitcoind):
     l1.rpc.fundchannel(l3.info['id'], 10**7, minconf=0)
 
 
-@pytest.mark.xfail(strict=True)
 def test_feerate_spam(node_factory):
     l1, l2 = node_factory.line_graph(2)