diff --git a/services/real-time/app/coffee/DrainManager.coffee b/services/real-time/app/coffee/DrainManager.coffee
index a71ffa8ed9..2219291267 100644
--- a/services/real-time/app/coffee/DrainManager.coffee
+++ b/services/real-time/app/coffee/DrainManager.coffee
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ module.exports = DrainManager =
 
 	startDrainTimeWindow: (io, minsToDrain)->
 		drainPerMin = io.sockets.clients().length / minsToDrain
-		DrainManager.startDrain(io, drainPerMin / 60)
+		DrainManager.startDrain(io, Math.max(drainPerMin / 60, 4)) # enforce minimum drain rate
 
 	startDrain: (io, rate) ->
 		# Clear out any old interval
diff --git a/services/real-time/test/unit/coffee/DrainManagerTests.coffee b/services/real-time/test/unit/coffee/DrainManagerTests.coffee
index cd34aea4c4..88009f02cd 100644
--- a/services/real-time/test/unit/coffee/DrainManagerTests.coffee
+++ b/services/real-time/test/unit/coffee/DrainManagerTests.coffee
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ describe "DrainManager", ->
 	describe "startDrainTimeWindow", ->
 		beforeEach ->
 			@clients = []
-			for i in [0..1619]
+			for i in [0..5399]
 				@clients[i] = {
 					id: i
 					emit: sinon.stub()
@@ -25,8 +25,7 @@ describe "DrainManager", ->
 
 		it "should set a drain rate fast enough", (done)->
 			@DrainManager.startDrainTimeWindow(@io, 9)
-			console.log(@DrainManager.startDrain.args[0])
-			@DrainManager.startDrain.calledWith(@io, 3).should.equal true
+			@DrainManager.startDrain.calledWith(@io, 10).should.equal true
 			done()