diff --git a/docs/refguide.xml b/docs/refguide.xml
index dcc2898f7..f97b1baf7 100644
--- a/docs/refguide.xml
+++ b/docs/refguide.xml
@@ -2477,12 +2477,12 @@ seconds.</para>
 
 <para><option>--max-rate</option>, like <option>--min-rate</option>, is
 a global option affecting an entire scan. It affects only port and host
-discovery scans. Unlike <option>--min-rate</option>, which is a
-<quote>best-effort</quote> option, <option>--max-rate</option> is a hard
-upper bound on the scanning rate.</para>
+discovery scans.</para>
 
-<para>Nmap may go slower than the maximum rate if conditions require it.
-To keep the sending rate within a specified range, use
+<para>The sending rate may temporarily exceed the maximum to make up for
+unpredictable delays, but on average the rate will stay at or below the
+maximum. Nmap may go slower than the maximum rate if conditions require
+it. To keep the sending rate within a specified range, use
 <option>--min-rate</option> and <option>--max-rate</option>
 together.</para>
 
diff --git a/scan_engine.cc b/scan_engine.cc
index e1b980481..dbd95ebc1 100644
--- a/scan_engine.cc
+++ b/scan_engine.cc
@@ -888,12 +888,11 @@ void GroupScanStats::probeSent() {
 
   TIMEVAL_ADD(send_no_earlier_than, send_no_earlier_than,
     (time_t) (1000000.0 / o.max_packet_send_rate));
-  if (TIMEVAL_SUBTRACT(send_no_earlier_than, USI->now) < 0) {
-    /* Even after incrementing send_no_earlier_than, it's still in the past.
-       That means more packets could be sent immediately and make the rate too
-       high. Catch the time up to the present to prevent that. */
-    send_no_earlier_than = USI->now;
-  }
+  /* Allow send_no_earlier_than to slip into the past. This allows the sending
+     scheduler to catch up and make up for delays in other parts of the scan
+     engine. If we were to update send_no_earlier_than to the present the
+     sending rate could be much less than the maximum requested, even if the
+     connection is capable of the maximum. */
 
   if (TIMEVAL_SUBTRACT(send_no_later_than, USI->now) > 0) {
     /* The next scheduled send is in the future. That means there's slack time