diff --git a/src/base.h b/src/base.h
index 62224e6..418c8ad 100644
--- a/src/base.h
+++ b/src/base.h
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 } while (0)
 
 #include "typedefs.h"
+#include "utils.h"
+
 #include "module.h"
 
 #include "chunk.h"
diff --git a/src/connection.c b/src/connection.c
index bb3c477..8a6052a 100644
--- a/src/connection.c
+++ b/src/connection.c
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ void connection_internal_error(connection *con) {
 
 static gboolean connection_handle_read(connection *con) {
 	vrequest *vr = con->mainvr;
+
 	if (con->raw_in->length == 0) return TRUE;
 
 	if (con->state == CON_STATE_KEEP_ALIVE) {
@@ -124,10 +125,7 @@ static gboolean connection_handle_read(connection *con) {
 		con->state = CON_STATE_READ_REQUEST_HEADER;
 		con->ts = CUR_TS(con->wrk);
 
-		connection_io_timeout_init(con);
 	} else {
-		if (vr->con->io_timeout.last_io != CUR_TS(vr->con->wrk))
-			connection_io_timeout_reset(con);
 		if (con->state == CON_STATE_REQUEST_START)
 			con->state = CON_STATE_READ_REQUEST_HEADER;
 	}
@@ -325,6 +323,8 @@ connection* connection_new(worker *wrk) {
 	ev_init(&con->keep_alive_data.watcher, connection_keepalive_cb);
 	con->keep_alive_data.watcher.data = con;
 
+	con->io_timeout_elem.data = con;
+
 	return con;
 }
 
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ void connection_reset(connection *con) {
 	con->stats.last_avg = 0;
 
 	/* remove from timeout queue */
-	connection_io_timeout_remove(con);
+	waitqueue_remove(&con->wrk->io_timeout_queue, &con->io_timeout_elem);
 }
 
 void server_check_keepalive(server *srv);
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ void connection_reset_keep_alive(connection *con) {
 	con->stats.bytes_out_5s_diff = G_GUINT64_CONSTANT(0);
 	con->stats.last_avg = 0;
 
-	connection_io_timeout_remove(con);
+	waitqueue_remove(&con->wrk->io_timeout_queue, &con->io_timeout_elem);
 }
 
 void connection_free(connection *con) {
@@ -477,57 +477,3 @@ gchar *connection_state_str(connection_state_t state) {
 
 	return (gchar*)states[state];
 }
-
-void connection_io_timeout_init(connection *con) {
-	worker *wrk = con->wrk;
-
-	if (wrk->io_timeout_queue_tail)
-		wrk->io_timeout_queue_tail->io_timeout.next = con;
-	else
-		/* if there is no tail, it means the queue is empty */
-		wrk->io_timeout_queue_head = con;
-
-	wrk->io_timeout_queue_tail = con;
-	con->io_timeout.last_io = CUR_TS(wrk);
-	con->io_timeout.next = NULL;
-}
-
-void connection_io_timeout_reset(connection *con) {
-	/* move con to the end of the timeout queue */
-	worker *wrk = con->wrk;
-
-	if (con == wrk->io_timeout_queue_head && con != wrk->io_timeout_queue_tail)
-		wrk->io_timeout_queue_head = con->io_timeout.next;
-
-	if (con != wrk->io_timeout_queue_tail)
-		con->io_timeout.prev = wrk->io_timeout_queue_tail;
-
-	if (wrk->io_timeout_queue_tail)
-		wrk->io_timeout_queue_tail->io_timeout.next = con;
-
-	con->io_timeout.next = NULL;
-	wrk->io_timeout_queue_tail = con;
-	con->io_timeout.last_io = CUR_TS(wrk);
-}
-
-void connection_io_timeout_remove(connection *con) {
-	/* remove con from the timeout queue */
-	worker *wrk = con->wrk;
-
-	/* check if connection is in the timeout queue, it might not be the case when it is in keep alive idle state */
-	if (con->io_timeout.prev == NULL && con->io_timeout.next == NULL && con != wrk->io_timeout_queue_head)
-		return;
-
-	if (con == wrk->io_timeout_queue_head)
-		wrk->io_timeout_queue_head = con->io_timeout.next;
-	else
-		con->io_timeout.prev->io_timeout.next = con->io_timeout.next;
-
-	if (con == wrk->io_timeout_queue_tail)
-		wrk->io_timeout_queue_tail = con->io_timeout.prev;
-	else
-		con->io_timeout.next->io_timeout.prev = con->io_timeout.prev;
-
-	con->io_timeout.prev = NULL;
-	con->io_timeout.next = NULL;
-}
diff --git a/src/connection.h b/src/connection.h
index 2773407..a066d74 100644
--- a/src/connection.h
+++ b/src/connection.h
@@ -58,11 +58,7 @@ struct connection {
 	} keep_alive_data;
 
 	/* I/O timeout data */
-	struct {
-		ev_tstamp last_io;
-		connection *prev;
-		connection *next;
-	} io_timeout;
+	waitqueue_elem io_timeout_elem;
 
 	time_t ts;
 
@@ -82,10 +78,6 @@ LI_API void connection_reset(connection *con);
 LI_API void connection_reset_keep_alive(connection *con);
 LI_API void connection_free(connection *con);
 
-LI_API void connection_io_timeout_init(connection *con);
-LI_API void connection_io_timeout_reset(connection *con);
-LI_API void connection_io_timeout_remove(connection *con);
-
 LI_API void connection_error(connection *con);
 
 LI_API void connection_handle_direct(connection *con);
diff --git a/src/network.c b/src/network.c
index 3116aad..ae9ca2a 100644
--- a/src/network.c
+++ b/src/network.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ ssize_t net_read(int fd, void *buf, ssize_t nbyte) {
 
 network_status_t network_write(vrequest *vr, int fd, chunkqueue *cq) {
 	network_status_t res;
+	ev_tstamp now = CUR_TS(vr->con->wrk);
 #ifdef TCP_CORK
 	int corked = 0;
 #endif
@@ -61,8 +62,9 @@ network_status_t network_write(vrequest *vr, int fd, chunkqueue *cq) {
 	}
 #endif
 
-	if (vr->con->io_timeout.last_io != CUR_TS(vr->con->wrk))
-		connection_io_timeout_reset(vr->con);
+	/* only update once a second, the cast is to round the timestamp */
+	if ((guint)vr->con->io_timeout_elem.ts != now)
+		waitqueue_push(&vr->con->wrk->io_timeout_queue, &vr->con->io_timeout_elem);
 
 	return res;
 }
@@ -72,8 +74,8 @@ network_status_t network_read(vrequest *vr, int fd, chunkqueue *cq) {
 	const off_t max_read = 16 * blocksize; /* 256k */
 	ssize_t r;
 	off_t len = 0;
-	worker *wrk;
-	ev_tstamp ts;
+	worker *wrk = vr->con->wrk;
+	ev_tstamp now = CUR_TS(wrk);
 
 	do {
 		GString *buf = g_string_sized_new(blocksize);
@@ -106,14 +108,17 @@ network_status_t network_read(vrequest *vr, int fd, chunkqueue *cq) {
 		vr->con->stats.bytes_in += r;
 
 		/* update 5s stats */
-		ts = CUR_TS(wrk);
 
-		if ((ts - vr->con->stats.last_avg) > 5) {
+		if ((now - vr->con->stats.last_avg) > 5) {
 			vr->con->stats.bytes_in_5s_diff = vr->con->stats.bytes_in - vr->con->stats.bytes_in_5s;
 			vr->con->stats.bytes_in_5s = vr->con->stats.bytes_in;
-			vr->con->stats.last_avg = ts;
+			vr->con->stats.last_avg = now;
 		}
 	} while (r == blocksize && len < max_read);
 
+	/* only update once a second, the cast is to round the timestamp */
+	if ((guint)vr->con->io_timeout_elem.ts != now)
+		waitqueue_push(&vr->con->wrk->io_timeout_queue, &vr->con->io_timeout_elem);
+
 	return NETWORK_STATUS_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/src/server.h b/src/server.h
index 1a59b00..2ce41e6 100644
--- a/src/server.h
+++ b/src/server.h
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ struct server {
 	/* keep alive timeout */
 	guint keep_alive_queue_timeout;
 
-	guint io_timeout;
+	gdouble io_timeout;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/typedefs.h b/src/typedefs.h
index d40564b..cda39b5 100644
--- a/src/typedefs.h
+++ b/src/typedefs.h
@@ -154,6 +154,16 @@ typedef struct response response;
 struct server;
 typedef struct server server;
 
+/* utils.h */
+
+struct waitqueue_elem;
+typedef struct waitqueue_elem waitqueue_elem;
+
+struct waitqueue;
+typedef struct waitqueue waitqueue;
+
+typedef void (*waitqueue_cb) (struct ev_loop *loop, struct ev_timer *w, int revents);
+
 /* value.h */
 
 struct value;
diff --git a/src/utils.c b/src/utils.c
index ca3e420..772d2b8 100644
--- a/src/utils.c
+++ b/src/utils.c
@@ -510,3 +510,105 @@ GString *sockaddr_to_string(sock_addr *saddr, GString *dest) {
 
 	return dest;
 }
+
+
+void waitqueue_init(waitqueue *queue, struct ev_loop *loop, waitqueue_cb callback, gdouble delay, gpointer data) {
+	ev_timer_init(&queue->timer, callback, delay, delay);
+	ev_timer_start(loop, &queue->timer);
+
+	queue->timer.data = data;
+	queue->head = queue->tail = NULL;
+	queue->loop = loop;
+	queue->delay = delay;
+}
+
+void waitqueue_stop(waitqueue *queue) {
+	ev_timer_stop(queue->loop, &queue->timer);
+}
+
+void waitqueue_update(waitqueue *queue) {
+	ev_tstamp repeat;
+
+	if (queue->head) {
+		repeat = queue->head->ts + queue->delay - ev_now(queue->loop);
+	} else
+		repeat = queue->delay;
+
+	if (queue->timer.repeat != repeat)
+	{
+		queue->timer.repeat = repeat;
+		ev_timer_again(queue->loop, &queue->timer);
+	}
+}
+
+void waitqueue_push(waitqueue *queue, waitqueue_elem *elem) {
+	elem->ts = ev_now(queue->loop);
+
+	if (!elem->queued) {
+		elem->queued = TRUE;
+		/* not in the queue yet, insert at the end */
+		if (!queue->head) {
+			/* queue is empty */
+			queue->head = elem;
+			queue->tail = elem;
+			elem->prev = NULL;
+			elem->next = NULL;
+		} else {
+			/* queue not empty */
+			elem->prev = queue->tail;
+			elem->next = NULL;
+			queue->tail->next = elem;
+			queue->tail = elem;
+		}
+	} else {
+		/* already queued, move to end */
+		if (elem == queue->tail)
+			return;
+
+		if (elem == queue->head) {
+			queue->head = elem->next;
+			if (elem->next)
+				elem->next->prev = NULL;
+		}
+
+		elem->prev = queue->tail;
+		elem->next = NULL;
+		queue->tail->next = elem;
+		queue->tail = elem;
+	}
+}
+
+waitqueue_elem *waitqueue_pop(waitqueue *queue) {
+	waitqueue_elem *elem = queue->head;
+	ev_tstamp now = ev_now(queue->loop);
+
+	if (!elem || (elem->ts + queue->delay) >= now) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (elem != queue->tail)
+		elem->next->prev = NULL;
+
+	queue->head = elem->next;
+
+	elem->queued = FALSE;
+
+	return elem;
+}
+
+void waitqueue_remove(waitqueue *queue, waitqueue_elem *elem) {
+	if (!elem->queued)
+		return;
+
+	if (elem == queue->head)
+		queue->head = elem->next;
+	else
+		elem->prev->next = elem->next;
+
+	if (elem == queue->tail)
+		queue->tail = elem->prev;
+	else
+		elem->next->prev = elem->prev;
+
+	elem->queued = FALSE;
+}
diff --git a/src/utils.h b/src/utils.h
index 5519c26..e2b733a 100644
--- a/src/utils.h
+++ b/src/utils.h
@@ -12,6 +12,25 @@ typedef enum {
 	COUNTER_UNITS
 } counter_type;
 
+
+struct waitqueue_elem {
+	gboolean queued;
+	ev_tstamp ts;
+	waitqueue_elem *prev;
+	waitqueue_elem *next;
+	gpointer data;
+};
+
+struct waitqueue {
+	waitqueue_elem *head;
+	waitqueue_elem *tail;
+	ev_timer timer;
+	struct ev_loop *loop;
+	gdouble delay;
+};
+
+
+
 LI_API void fatal(const gchar* msg);
 
 /* set O_NONBLOCK and FD_CLOEXEC */
@@ -51,4 +70,24 @@ LI_API GString *mimetype_get(vrequest *vr, GString *filename);
 /* converts a sock_addr to a human readable string. ipv4 and ipv6 supported. if dest is NULL, a new string will be allocated */
 LI_API GString *sockaddr_to_string(sock_addr *saddr, GString *dest);
 
+
+/*
+ * waitqueues are queues used to implement delays for certain tasks in a lightweight, non-blocking way
+ * they are used for io timeouts or throttling for example
+ * waitqueue_push, waitqueue_pop and waitqueue_remove have O(1) complexity
+ */
+
+/* initializes a waitqueue by creating and starting the ev_timer. precision is sub-seconds */
+LI_API void waitqueue_init(waitqueue *queue, struct ev_loop *loop, waitqueue_cb callback, gdouble delay, gpointer data);
+/* stops the waitqueue. to restart it, simply call waitqueue_update */
+LI_API void waitqueue_stop(waitqueue *queue);
+/* updates the timeout of the waitqueue, you should allways call this at the end of your callback */
+LI_API void waitqueue_update(waitqueue *queue);
+/* moves the element to the end of the queue if already queued, appends it to the end otherwise */
+LI_API void waitqueue_push(waitqueue *queue, waitqueue_elem *elem);
+/* pops the first ready! element from the queue or NULL if none ready yet. this should be called in your callback */
+LI_API waitqueue_elem *waitqueue_pop(waitqueue *queue);
+/* removes an element from the queue */
+LI_API void waitqueue_remove(waitqueue *queue, waitqueue_elem *elem);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/worker.c b/src/worker.c
index 4b53886..b0a8df3 100644
--- a/src/worker.c
+++ b/src/worker.c
@@ -101,20 +101,21 @@ static void worker_keepalive_cb(struct ev_loop *loop, ev_timer *w, int revents)
 static void worker_io_timeout_cb(struct ev_loop *loop, ev_timer *w, int revents) {
 	worker *wrk = (worker*) w->data;
 	connection *con;
+	waitqueue_elem *wqe;
+	ev_tstamp now = CUR_TS(wrk);
 
 	UNUSED(loop);
 	UNUSED(revents);
 
-	for (con = wrk->io_timeout_queue_head; con != NULL; con = con->io_timeout.next) {
-		if ((con->io_timeout.last_io + wrk->srv->io_timeout) < CUR_TS(wrk)) {
-			/* connection has timed out */
-			CON_TRACE(con, "connection io-timeout from %s after %u seconds", con->remote_addr_str->str, wrk->srv->io_timeout);
-			plugins_handle_close(con);
-			worker_con_put(con);
-		} else {
-			break;
-		}
+	while ((wqe = waitqueue_pop(&wrk->io_timeout_queue)) != NULL) {
+		/* connection has timed out */
+		con = wqe->data;
+		CON_TRACE(con, "connection io-timeout from %s after %.2f seconds", con->remote_addr_str->str, now - wqe->ts);
+		plugins_handle_close(con);
+		worker_con_put(con);
 	}
+
+	waitqueue_update(&wrk->io_timeout_queue);
 }
 
 /* cache timestamp */
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ void worker_new_con(worker *ctx, worker *wrk, sock_addr *remote_addr, int s) {
 		ev_io_start(wrk->loop, &con->sock_watcher);
 		con->ts = CUR_TS(con->wrk);
 		sockaddr_to_string(remote_addr, con->remote_addr_str);
-		connection_io_timeout_init(con);
+		waitqueue_push(&wrk->io_timeout_queue, &con->io_timeout_elem);
 	} else {
 		worker_new_con_data *d = g_slice_new(worker_new_con_data);
 		d->remote_addr = *remote_addr;
@@ -273,9 +274,8 @@ worker* worker_new(struct server *srv, struct ev_loop *loop) {
 	wrk->collect_queue = g_async_queue_new();
 	ev_unref(wrk->loop); /* this watcher shouldn't keep the loop alive */
 
-	ev_timer_init(&wrk->io_timer, worker_io_timeout_cb, 1, 1);
-	wrk->io_timer.data = wrk;
-	ev_timer_start(wrk->loop, &wrk->io_timer);
+	/* io timeout timer */
+	waitqueue_init(&wrk->io_timeout_queue, wrk->loop, worker_io_timeout_cb, srv->io_timeout, wrk);
 	ev_unref(wrk->loop); /* this watcher shouldn't keep the loop alive */
 
 	return wrk;
diff --git a/src/worker.h b/src/worker.h
index 4a387aa..1853f01 100644
--- a/src/worker.h
+++ b/src/worker.h
@@ -65,9 +65,9 @@ struct worker {
 	ev_timer keep_alive_timer;
 	GQueue keep_alive_queue;
 
-	ev_timer io_timer;
-	connection *io_timeout_queue_head;
-	connection *io_timeout_queue_tail;
+	waitqueue io_timeout_queue;
+
+	waitqueue throttle_queue;
 
 	guint connection_load;    /** incremented by server_accept_cb, decremented by worker_con_put. use atomic access */