diff --git a/conn.go b/conn.go
index 315148ee..c1b31859 100644
--- a/conn.go
+++ b/conn.go
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ type Conn struct {
 	messagesInFlight int64
 	maxRdyCount      int64
 	rdyCount         int64
-	lastRdyCount     int64
 	lastRdyTimestamp int64
 	lastMsgTimestamp int64
 
@@ -207,13 +206,12 @@ func (c *Conn) RDY() int64 {
 
 // LastRDY returns the previously set RDY count
 func (c *Conn) LastRDY() int64 {
-	return atomic.LoadInt64(&c.lastRdyCount)
+	return atomic.LoadInt64(&c.rdyCount)
 }
 
 // SetRDY stores the specified RDY count
 func (c *Conn) SetRDY(rdy int64) {
 	atomic.StoreInt64(&c.rdyCount, rdy)
-	atomic.StoreInt64(&c.lastRdyCount, rdy)
 	if rdy > 0 {
 		atomic.StoreInt64(&c.lastRdyTimestamp, time.Now().UnixNano())
 	}
@@ -225,6 +223,8 @@ func (c *Conn) MaxRDY() int64 {
 	return c.maxRdyCount
 }
 
+// LastRdyTime returns the time of the last non-zero RDY
+// update for this connection
 func (c *Conn) LastRdyTime() time.Time {
 	return time.Unix(0, atomic.LoadInt64(&c.lastRdyTimestamp))
 }
@@ -523,7 +523,6 @@ func (c *Conn) readLoop() {
 			msg.Delegate = delegate
 			msg.NSQDAddress = c.String()
 
-			atomic.AddInt64(&c.rdyCount, -1)
 			atomic.AddInt64(&c.messagesInFlight, 1)
 			atomic.StoreInt64(&c.lastMsgTimestamp, time.Now().UnixNano())
 
diff --git a/consumer.go b/consumer.go
index 3bc784c6..e2603447 100644
--- a/consumer.go
+++ b/consumer.go
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ func (r *Consumer) perConnMaxInFlight() int64 {
 // before being able to receive more messages (ie. RDY count of 0 and not exiting)
 func (r *Consumer) IsStarved() bool {
 	for _, conn := range r.conns() {
-		threshold := int64(float64(atomic.LoadInt64(&conn.lastRdyCount)) * 0.85)
+		threshold := int64(float64(conn.RDY()) * 0.85)
 		inFlight := atomic.LoadInt64(&conn.messagesInFlight)
 		if inFlight >= threshold && inFlight > 0 && !conn.IsClosing() {
 			return true
@@ -642,7 +642,6 @@ func (r *Consumer) DisconnectFromNSQLookupd(addr string) error {
 }
 
 func (r *Consumer) onConnMessage(c *Conn, msg *Message) {
-	atomic.AddInt64(&r.totalRdyCount, -1)
 	atomic.AddUint64(&r.messagesReceived, 1)
 	r.incomingMessages <- msg
 }
@@ -877,19 +876,9 @@ func (r *Consumer) maybeUpdateRDY(conn *Conn) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	remain := conn.RDY()
-	lastRdyCount := conn.LastRDY()
 	count := r.perConnMaxInFlight()
-
-	// refill when at 1, or at 25%, or if connections have changed and we're imbalanced
-	if remain <= 1 || remain < (lastRdyCount/4) || (count > 0 && count < remain) {
-		r.log(LogLevelDebug, "(%s) sending RDY %d (%d remain from last RDY %d)",
-			conn, count, remain, lastRdyCount)
-		r.updateRDY(conn, count)
-	} else {
-		r.log(LogLevelDebug, "(%s) skip sending RDY %d (%d remain out of last RDY %d)",
-			conn, count, remain, lastRdyCount)
-	}
+	r.log(LogLevelDebug, "(%s) sending RDY %d", conn, count)
+	r.updateRDY(conn, count)
 }
 
 func (r *Consumer) rdyLoop() {
@@ -959,7 +948,7 @@ func (r *Consumer) sendRDY(c *Conn, count int64) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	atomic.AddInt64(&r.totalRdyCount, -c.RDY()+count)
+	atomic.AddInt64(&r.totalRdyCount, count-c.RDY())
 	c.SetRDY(count)
 	err := c.WriteCommand(Ready(int(count)))
 	if err != nil {