diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 70e2b84..734fc64 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -193,6 +193,11 @@ pub struct WebSocketStream<S> {
     inner: WebSocket<AllowStd<S>>,
     closing: bool,
     ended: bool,
+    /// Tungstenite is probably ready to receive more data.
+    ///
+    /// `false` once start_send hits `WouldBlock` errors.
+    /// `true` initially and after `flush`ing.
+    ready: bool,
 }
 
 impl<S> WebSocketStream<S> {
@@ -226,7 +231,7 @@ impl<S> WebSocketStream<S> {
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn new(ws: WebSocket<AllowStd<S>>) -> Self {
-        WebSocketStream { inner: ws, closing: false, ended: false }
+        Self { inner: ws, closing: false, ended: false, ready: true }
     }
 
     fn with_context<F, R>(&mut self, ctx: Option<(ContextWaker, &mut Context<'_>)>, f: F) -> R
@@ -321,19 +326,32 @@ where
 {
     type Error = WsError;
 
-    fn poll_ready(self: Pin<&mut Self>, _cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), Self::Error>> {
-        Poll::Ready(Ok(()))
+    fn poll_ready(mut self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), Self::Error>> {
+        if self.ready {
+            Poll::Ready(Ok(()))
+        } else {
+            // Currently blocked so try to flush the blockage away
+            (*self).with_context(Some((ContextWaker::Write, cx)), |s| cvt(s.flush())).map(|r| {
+                self.ready = true;
+                r
+            })
+        }
     }
 
     fn start_send(mut self: Pin<&mut Self>, item: Message) -> Result<(), Self::Error> {
         match (*self).with_context(None, |s| s.write(item)) {
-            Ok(()) => Ok(()),
+            Ok(()) => {
+                self.ready = true;
+                Ok(())
+            }
             Err(WsError::Io(err)) if err.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::WouldBlock => {
-                // the message was accepted and queued
-                // isn't an error.
+                // the message was accepted and queued so not an error
+                // but `poll_ready` will now start trying to flush the block
+                self.ready = false;
                 Ok(())
             }
             Err(e) => {
+                self.ready = true;
                 debug!("websocket start_send error: {}", e);
                 Err(e)
             }
@@ -342,8 +360,9 @@ where
 
     fn poll_flush(mut self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), Self::Error>> {
         (*self).with_context(Some((ContextWaker::Write, cx)), |s| cvt(s.flush())).map(|r| {
-            // WebSocket connection has just been closed. Flushing completed, not an error.
+            self.ready = true;
             match r {
+                // WebSocket connection has just been closed. Flushing completed, not an error.
                 Err(WsError::ConnectionClosed) => Ok(()),
                 other => other,
             }
@@ -351,6 +370,7 @@ where
     }
 
     fn poll_close(mut self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Result<(), Self::Error>> {
+        self.ready = true;
         let res = if self.closing {
             // After queueing it, we call `flush` to drive the close handshake to completion.
             (*self).with_context(Some((ContextWaker::Write, cx)), |s| s.flush())