diff --git a/server/client.go b/server/client.go
index ce8ac613c47..6414c277990 100644
--- a/server/client.go
+++ b/server/client.go
@@ -1642,8 +1642,10 @@ func (c *client) flushOutbound() bool {
 		}
 		consumed := len(wnb)
 
-		// Actual write to the socket.
-		nc.SetWriteDeadline(start.Add(wdl))
+		// Actual write to the socket. The deadline applies to each batch
+		// rather than the total write, such that the configured deadline
+		// can be tuned to a known maximum quantity (64MB).
+		nc.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now().Add(wdl))
 		wn, err = wnb.WriteTo(nc)
 		nc.SetWriteDeadline(time.Time{})