diff --git a/src/leveled_bookie.erl b/src/leveled_bookie.erl
index 82abb86..04d4a5c 100644
--- a/src/leveled_bookie.erl
+++ b/src/leveled_bookie.erl
@@ -161,12 +161,14 @@
 -define(LEDGER_FP, "ledger").
 -define(SNAPSHOT_TIMEOUT, 300000).
 -define(CHECKJOURNAL_PROB, 0.2).
+-define(SLOWOFFER_DELAY, 10).
 
 -record(state, {inker :: pid(),
                 penciller :: pid(),
                 cache_size :: integer(),
                 ledger_cache :: gb_trees:tree(),
-                is_snapshot :: boolean()}).
+                is_snapshot :: boolean(),
+                slow_offer = false :: boolean()}).
 
 
 
@@ -286,11 +288,24 @@ handle_call({put, Bucket, Key, Object, IndexSpecs, Tag, TTL}, From, State) ->
                                         ObjSize,
                                         {IndexSpecs, TTL}),
     Cache0 = addto_ledgercache(Changes, State#state.ledger_cache),
+    % If the previous push to memory was returned then punish this PUT with a
+    % delay.  If the back-pressure in the Penciller continues, these delays
+    % will beocme more frequent
+    case State#state.slow_offer of
+        true ->
+            timer:sleep(?SLOWOFFER_DELAY);
+        false ->
+            ok
+    end,
     gen_server:reply(From, ok),
-    {ok, NewCache} = maybepush_ledgercache(State#state.cache_size,
+    case  maybepush_ledgercache(State#state.cache_size,
                                             Cache0,
-                                            State#state.penciller),
-    {noreply, State#state{ledger_cache=NewCache}};
+                                            State#state.penciller) of
+        {ok, NewCache} ->
+            {noreply, State#state{ledger_cache=NewCache, slow_offer=false}};
+        {returned, NewCache} ->
+            {noreply, State#state{ledger_cache=NewCache, slow_offer=true}}
+    end;
 handle_call({get, Bucket, Key, Tag}, _From, State) ->
     LedgerKey = leveled_codec:to_ledgerkey(Bucket, Key, Tag),
     case fetch_head(LedgerKey,
@@ -799,7 +814,7 @@ maybepush_ledgercache(MaxCacheSize, Cache, Penciller) ->
                 ok ->
                     {ok, gb_trees:empty()};
                 returned ->
-                    {ok, Cache}
+                    {returned, Cache}
             end;
         true ->
              {ok, Cache}
@@ -809,10 +824,9 @@ maybepush_ledgercache(MaxCacheSize, Cache, Penciller) ->
 maybe_withjitter(CacheSize, MaxCacheSize) ->    
     if
         CacheSize > MaxCacheSize ->
-            T = 2 * MaxCacheSize - CacheSize,
-            R = random:uniform(CacheSize),
+            R = random:uniform(7 * MaxCacheSize),
             if
-                R > T ->
+                (CacheSize - MaxCacheSize) > R ->
                     true;
                 true ->
                     false
diff --git a/src/leveled_inker.erl b/src/leveled_inker.erl
index f96800a..5689274 100644
--- a/src/leveled_inker.erl
+++ b/src/leveled_inker.erl
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@
 -define(JOURNAL_FILEX, "cdb").
 -define(MANIFEST_FILEX, "man").
 -define(PENDING_FILEX, "pnd").
--define(LOADING_PAUSE, 5000).
+-define(LOADING_PAUSE, 1000).
 -define(LOADING_BATCH, 1000).
 
 -record(state, {manifest = [] :: list(),