diff --git a/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/handler.rs b/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/handler.rs
index 0db249f90a8b7..5029e1c6525ee 100644
--- a/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/handler.rs
+++ b/client/network/src/protocol/generic_proto/handler.rs
@@ -712,10 +712,32 @@ impl ProtocolsHandler for NotifsHandler {
 	) -> Poll<
 		ProtocolsHandlerEvent<Self::OutboundProtocol, Self::OutboundOpenInfo, Self::OutEvent, Self::Error>
 	> {
+
+		// Only fill up queue more when rather empty, otherwise impose back pressure:
+		//
+		// NOTE: Compared to an approach of just returning events from `poll_work`, instead of
+		// pushing to `events_queue`, we impose back pressure evenly to all substreams.
+		if 2 * self.events_queue.len() < self.events_queue.capacity() {
+			self.poll_work(cx)
+		}
+
 		if let Some(ev) = self.events_queue.pop_front() {
-			return Poll::Ready(ev);
+			Poll::Ready(ev)
+		} else {
+			Poll::Pending
 		}
+	}
+}
 
+impl NotifsHandler {
+	/// Do the actual work of `poll`.
+	///
+	/// Instead of just returning events, we push to `events_queue`. We do this, to avoid busy
+	/// substreams starving others. In particular we had problems of `poll_flush` not getting
+	/// called in a timely manner.
+	fn poll_work( &mut self, cx: &mut Context)
+	{
+		// Employ some back pressure when queue is getting full:
 		for protocol_index in 0..self.protocols.len() {
 			// Poll inbound substreams.
 			// Inbound substreams being closed is always tolerated, except for the
@@ -733,7 +755,7 @@ impl ProtocolsHandler for NotifsHandler {
 								protocol_index,
 								message,
 							};
-							return Poll::Ready(ProtocolsHandlerEvent::Custom(event))
+							self.events_queue.push_back(ProtocolsHandlerEvent::Custom(event));
 						},
 						Poll::Ready(None) | Poll::Ready(Some(Err(_))) =>
 							*in_substream = None,
@@ -748,9 +770,9 @@ impl ProtocolsHandler for NotifsHandler {
 							self.protocols[protocol_index].state = State::Closed {
 								pending_opening: *pending_opening,
 							};
-							return Poll::Ready(ProtocolsHandlerEvent::Custom(
+							self.events_queue.push_back(ProtocolsHandlerEvent::Custom(
 								NotifsHandlerOut::CloseDesired { protocol_index }
-							))
+							));
 						},
 					}
 				}
@@ -772,7 +794,7 @@ impl ProtocolsHandler for NotifsHandler {
 						Poll::Ready(Err(_)) => {
 							*out_substream = None;
 							let event = NotifsHandlerOut::CloseDesired { protocol_index };
-							return Poll::Ready(ProtocolsHandlerEvent::Custom(event));
+							self.events_queue.push_back(ProtocolsHandlerEvent::Custom(event));
 						}
 					};
 				}
@@ -816,7 +838,7 @@ impl ProtocolsHandler for NotifsHandler {
 							cx.waker().wake_by_ref();
 						}
 						NotificationsSinkMessage::ForceClose => {
-							return Poll::Ready(
+							self.events_queue.push_back(
 								ProtocolsHandlerEvent::Close(NotifsHandlerError::SyncNotificationsClogged)
 							);
 						}
@@ -824,7 +846,5 @@ impl ProtocolsHandler for NotifsHandler {
 				}
 			}
 		}
-
-		Poll::Pending
 	}
 }