diff --git a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPConnection.java b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPConnection.java
index 5610d62e1..070caae84 100644
--- a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPConnection.java
+++ b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPConnection.java
@@ -104,6 +104,15 @@ public class NTCPConnection implements FIFOBandwidthLimiter.CompleteListener {
     
     private static final int META_FREQUENCY = 10*60*1000;
     private static final int INFO_FREQUENCY = 6*60*60*1000;
+    /**
+     *  Why this is 16K, and where it is documented, good question?
+     *  We claim we can do 32K datagrams so this is a problem.
+     *  Needs to be fixed. But SSU can handle it?
+     *  In the meantime, don't let the transport bid on big messages.
+     */
+    public static final int BUFFER_SIZE = 16*1024;
+    /** 2 bytes for length and 4 for CRC */
+    public static final int MAX_MSG_SIZE = BUFFER_SIZE - (2 + 4);
     
     /**
      * Create an inbound connected (though not established) NTCP connection
diff --git a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPTransport.java b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPTransport.java
index 103b46b15..a9208e9a6 100644
--- a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPTransport.java
+++ b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPTransport.java
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ public class NTCPTransport extends TransportImpl {
         _context.statManager().createRateStat("ntcp.outboundEstablishFailed", "", "ntcp", new long[] { 60*1000, 10*60*1000 });
         _context.statManager().createRateStat("ntcp.outboundFailedIOEImmediate", "", "ntcp", new long[] { 60*1000, 10*60*1000 });
         _context.statManager().createRateStat("ntcp.invalidOutboundSkew", "", "ntcp", new long[] { 60*1000, 10*60*1000 });
+        _context.statManager().createRateStat("ntcp.noBidTooLargeI2NP", "send size", "ntcp", new long[] { 60*60*1000 });
         _context.statManager().createRateStat("ntcp.prepBufCache", "", "ntcp", new long[] { 60*1000, 10*60*1000 });
         _context.statManager().createRateStat("ntcp.queuedRecv", "", "ntcp", new long[] { 60*1000, 10*60*1000 });
         _context.statManager().createRateStat("ntcp.read", "", "ntcp", new long[] { 60*1000, 10*60*1000 });
@@ -243,6 +244,11 @@ public class NTCPTransport extends TransportImpl {
     public TransportBid bid(RouterInfo toAddress, long dataSize) {
         if (!isAlive())
             return null;
+        if (dataSize > NTCPConnection.MAX_MSG_SIZE) {
+            // let SSU deal with it
+            _context.statManager().addRateData("ntcp.noBidTooLargeI2NP", dataSize, 0);
+            return null;
+        }
         Hash peer = toAddress.getIdentity().calculateHash();
         if (_context.shitlist().isShitlisted(peer, STYLE)) {
             // we aren't shitlisted in general (since we are trying to get a bid), but we have