diff --git a/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic.h b/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic.h
index 3251b67369..b4831d82d9 100644
--- a/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic.h
+++ b/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic.h
@@ -206,6 +206,10 @@ typedef struct opal_btl_usnic_component_t {
     /** retrans characteristics */
     int retrans_timeout;
 
+    /** max number of messages re-sent during a single progress
+        iteration */
+    int max_resends_per_iteration;
+
     /** minimum number of times through component progress before
         checking to see if standalone ACKs need to be sent */
     int ack_iteration_delay;
diff --git a/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic_mca.c b/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic_mca.c
index 54050dde30..f0399cbeb8 100644
--- a/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic_mca.c
+++ b/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic_mca.c
@@ -260,6 +260,10 @@ int opal_btl_usnic_component_register(void)
                   100000, &mca_btl_usnic_component.retrans_timeout,
                   REGINT_GE_ONE, OPAL_INFO_LVL_5));
 
+    CHECK(reg_int("max_resends_per_iteration", "Maximum number of frames to resend in a single iteration through usNIC component progress",
+                  16, &mca_btl_usnic_component.max_resends_per_iteration,
+                  REGINT_GE_ONE, OPAL_INFO_LVL_5));
+
     CHECK(reg_int("ack_iteration_delay", "Minimum number of times through usNIC \"progress\" function before checking to see if standalone ACKs need to be sent",
                   0, &mca_btl_usnic_component.ack_iteration_delay,
                   REGINT_GE_ZERO, OPAL_INFO_LVL_5));
diff --git a/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic_module.c b/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic_module.c
index 2c3d8e0463..086f99f512 100644
--- a/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic_module.c
+++ b/opal/mca/btl/usnic/btl_usnic_module.c
@@ -963,11 +963,12 @@ usnic_do_resends(
     opal_btl_usnic_send_segment_t *sseg;
     opal_btl_usnic_endpoint_t *endpoint;
     struct opal_btl_usnic_channel_t *data_channel;
-    int ret;
+    int ret, count;
 
     data_channel = &module->mod_channels[USNIC_DATA_CHANNEL];
 
-    while ((get_send_credits(data_channel) > 1) &&
+    count = mca_btl_usnic_component.max_resends_per_iteration;
+    while (count > 0 && (get_send_credits(data_channel) > 1) &&
            !opal_list_is_empty(&module->pending_resend_segs)) {
 
         /*
@@ -1009,6 +1010,8 @@ usnic_do_resends(
             BTL_ERROR(("hotel checkin failed\n"));
             abort();    /* should not be possible */
         }
+
+        --count;
     }
 }