diff --git a/src/state.rs b/src/state.rs
index 8d589dd1..24f6b1fd 100644
--- a/src/state.rs
+++ b/src/state.rs
@@ -457,16 +457,13 @@ impl ProgressDrawTarget {
     ///
     /// Will panic if refresh_rate is `Some(0)`. To disable rate limiting use `None` instead.
     pub fn term(term: Term, refresh_rate: impl Into<Option<u64>>) -> ProgressDrawTarget {
-        let rate = refresh_rate
-            .into()
-            .map(|x| Duration::from_millis(1000 / x))
-            .unwrap_or_else(|| Duration::from_secs(0));
         ProgressDrawTarget {
             kind: ProgressDrawTargetKind::Term {
                 term,
                 last_line_count: 0,
-                rate,
-                last_draw: Instant::now() - rate,
+                refresh_rate: refresh_rate.into(),
+                last_draw: Instant::now(),
+                leaky_bucket: MAX_GROUP_SIZE,
             },
         }
     }
@@ -507,20 +504,32 @@ impl ProgressDrawTarget {
             ProgressDrawTargetKind::Term {
                 ref term,
                 ref mut last_line_count,
-                rate,
+                refresh_rate,
                 ref mut last_draw,
-            } if draw_state.finished || draw_state.force_draw || last_draw.elapsed() > rate => {
-                if !draw_state.lines.is_empty() && draw_state.move_cursor {
-                    term.move_cursor_up(*last_line_count)?;
+                ref mut leaky_bucket,
+            } => {
+                if draw_state.finished || draw_state.force_draw || *leaky_bucket < MAX_GROUP_SIZE {
+                    if !draw_state.lines.is_empty() && draw_state.move_cursor {
+                        term.move_cursor_up(*last_line_count)?;
+                    } else {
+                        term.clear_last_lines(*last_line_count)?;
+                    }
+
+                    draw_state.draw_to_term(term)?;
+                    term.flush()?;
+                    *last_line_count = draw_state.lines.len() - draw_state.orphan_lines;
+                    *leaky_bucket += 1.0;
+                }
+                if let Some(refresh_rate) = refresh_rate {
+                    let ticks = last_draw.elapsed().as_secs_f64() * (refresh_rate as f64);
+                    *leaky_bucket -= ticks;
                 } else {
-                    term.clear_last_lines(*last_line_count)?;
+                    *leaky_bucket -= 1.0;
+                }
+                if *leaky_bucket < 0.0 {
+                    *leaky_bucket = 0.0;
                 }
-
-                draw_state.draw_to_term(term)?;
-                term.flush()?;
-                *last_line_count = draw_state.lines.len() - draw_state.orphan_lines;
                 *last_draw = Instant::now();
-
                 Ok(())
             }
             ProgressDrawTargetKind::Remote { idx, ref state, .. } => {
@@ -555,13 +564,16 @@ impl ProgressDrawTarget {
         };
     }
 }
+
+const MAX_GROUP_SIZE: f64 = 32.0;
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub(crate) enum ProgressDrawTargetKind {
     Term {
         term: Term,
         last_line_count: usize,
-        rate: Duration,
+        refresh_rate: Option<u64>,
         last_draw: Instant,
+        leaky_bucket: f64,
     },
     Remote {
         state: Arc<RwLock<MultiProgressState>>,