diff --git a/src/net.cpp b/src/net.cpp
index 96719367cee..eafb3356426 100644
--- a/src/net.cpp
+++ b/src/net.cpp
@@ -855,14 +855,18 @@ void ThreadSocketHandler2(void* parg)
             {
                 if (pnode->hSocket == INVALID_SOCKET)
                     continue;
-                FD_SET(pnode->hSocket, &fdsetRecv);
-                FD_SET(pnode->hSocket, &fdsetError);
-                hSocketMax = max(hSocketMax, pnode->hSocket);
-                have_fds = true;
                 {
                     TRY_LOCK(pnode->cs_vSend, lockSend);
-                    if (lockSend && !pnode->vSend.empty())
-                        FD_SET(pnode->hSocket, &fdsetSend);
+                    if (lockSend) {
+                        // do not read, if draining write queue
+                        if (!pnode->vSend.empty())
+                            FD_SET(pnode->hSocket, &fdsetSend);
+                        else
+                            FD_SET(pnode->hSocket, &fdsetRecv);
+                        FD_SET(pnode->hSocket, &fdsetError);
+                        hSocketMax = max(hSocketMax, pnode->hSocket);
+                        have_fds = true;
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/net.h b/src/net.h
index 78f8e72fb03..03d32526bc5 100644
--- a/src/net.h
+++ b/src/net.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ unsigned short GetListenPort();
 bool BindListenPort(const CService &bindAddr, std::string& strError=REF(std::string()));
 void StartNode(void* parg);
 bool StopNode();
+void SocketSendData(CNode *pnode);
 
 enum
 {
@@ -437,6 +438,10 @@ public:
             printf("(%d bytes)\n", nSize);
         }
 
+        // If write queue empty, attempt "optimistic write"
+        if (nHeaderStart == 0)
+            SocketSendData(this);
+
         nHeaderStart = -1;
         nMessageStart = -1;
         LEAVE_CRITICAL_SECTION(cs_vSend);