diff --git a/packages/ws/src/utils/constants.ts b/packages/ws/src/utils/constants.ts
index a99f817f9..c901c23b2 100644
--- a/packages/ws/src/utils/constants.ts
+++ b/packages/ws/src/utils/constants.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ export const ImportantGatewayOpcodes = new Set([
 
 export function getInitialSendRateLimitState(): SendRateLimitState {
 	return {
-		remaining: 120,
+		sent: 0,
 		resetAt: Date.now() + 60_000,
 	};
 }
diff --git a/packages/ws/src/ws/WebSocketShard.ts b/packages/ws/src/ws/WebSocketShard.ts
index c1e14cdbd..5af2d2597 100644
--- a/packages/ws/src/ws/WebSocketShard.ts
+++ b/packages/ws/src/ws/WebSocketShard.ts
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ export enum CloseCodes {
 }
 
 export interface SendRateLimitState {
-	remaining: number;
 	resetAt: number;
+	sent: number;
 }
 
 const WebSocketConstructor: typeof WebSocket = shouldUseGlobalFetchAndWebSocket()
@@ -203,12 +203,14 @@ export class WebSocketShard extends AsyncEventEmitter<WebSocketShardEventsMap> {
 			void this.onClose(event.code);
 		};
 
+		connection.onopen = () => {
+			this.sendRateLimitState = getInitialSendRateLimitState();
+		};
+
 		this.connection = connection;
 
 		this.#status = WebSocketShardStatus.Connecting;
 
-		this.sendRateLimitState = getInitialSendRateLimitState();
-
 		const { ok } = await this.waitForEvent(WebSocketShardEvents.Hello, this.strategy.options.helloTimeout);
 		if (!ok) {
 			return;
@@ -357,6 +359,15 @@ export class WebSocketShard extends AsyncEventEmitter<WebSocketShardEventsMap> {
 			throw new Error("WebSocketShard wasn't connected");
 		}
 
+		// Generally, the way we treat payloads is 115/60 seconds. The actual limit is 120/60, so we have a bit of leeway.
+		// We use that leeway for those special payloads that we just fire with no checking, since there's no shot we ever
+		// send more than 5 of those in a 60 second interval. This way we can avoid more complex queueing logic.
+
+		if (ImportantGatewayOpcodes.has(payload.op)) {
+			this.connection.send(JSON.stringify(payload));
+			return;
+		}
+
 		if (this.#status !== WebSocketShardStatus.Ready && !ImportantGatewayOpcodes.has(payload.op)) {
 			this.debug(['Tried to send a non-crucial payload before the shard was ready, waiting']);
 			// This will throw if the shard throws an error event in the meantime, just requeue the payload
@@ -369,34 +380,36 @@ export class WebSocketShard extends AsyncEventEmitter<WebSocketShardEventsMap> {
 
 		await this.sendQueue.wait();
 
-		if (--this.sendRateLimitState.remaining <= 0) {
-			const now = Date.now();
-
-			if (this.sendRateLimitState.resetAt > now) {
-				const sleepFor = this.sendRateLimitState.resetAt - now;
-
-				this.debug([`Was about to hit the send rate limit, sleeping for ${sleepFor}ms`]);
-				const controller = new AbortController();
-
-				// Sleep for the remaining time, but if the connection closes in the meantime, we shouldn't wait the remainder to avoid blocking the new conn
-				const interrupted = await Promise.race([
-					sleep(sleepFor).then(() => false),
-					once(this, WebSocketShardEvents.Closed, { signal: controller.signal }).then(() => true),
-				]);
-
-				if (interrupted) {
-					this.debug(['Connection closed while waiting for the send rate limit to reset, re-queueing payload']);
-					this.sendQueue.shift();
-					return this.send(payload);
-				}
-
-				// This is so the listener from the `once` call is removed
-				controller.abort();
-			}
-
+		const now = Date.now();
+		if (now >= this.sendRateLimitState.resetAt) {
 			this.sendRateLimitState = getInitialSendRateLimitState();
 		}
 
+		if (this.sendRateLimitState.sent + 1 >= 115) {
+			// Sprinkle in a little randomness just in case.
+			const sleepFor = this.sendRateLimitState.resetAt - now + Math.random() * 1_500;
+
+			this.debug([`Was about to hit the send rate limit, sleeping for ${sleepFor}ms`]);
+			const controller = new AbortController();
+
+			// Sleep for the remaining time, but if the connection closes in the meantime, we shouldn't wait the remainder to avoid blocking the new conn
+			const interrupted = await Promise.race([
+				sleep(sleepFor).then(() => false),
+				once(this, WebSocketShardEvents.Closed, { signal: controller.signal }).then(() => true),
+			]);
+
+			if (interrupted) {
+				this.debug(['Connection closed while waiting for the send rate limit to reset, re-queueing payload']);
+				this.sendQueue.shift();
+				return this.send(payload);
+			}
+
+			// This is so the listener from the `once` call is removed
+			controller.abort();
+		}
+
+		this.sendRateLimitState.sent++;
+
 		this.sendQueue.shift();
 		this.connection.send(JSON.stringify(payload));
 	}