diff --git a/util/throttle.c b/util/throttle.c
index bde56fe..4e80a7e 100644
--- a/util/throttle.c
+++ b/util/throttle.c
@@ -95,23 +95,36 @@
 int64_t throttle_compute_wait(LeakyBucket *bkt)
 {
     double extra; /* the number of extra units blocking the io */
+    double bucket_size;   /* I/O before throttling to bkt->avg */
+    double burst_bucket_size; /* Before throttling to bkt->max */
 
     if (!bkt->avg) {
         return 0;
     }
 
-    /* If the bucket is full then we have to wait */
-    extra = bkt->level - bkt->max * bkt->burst_length;
+    if (!bkt->max) {
+        /* If bkt->max is 0 we still want to allow short bursts of I/O
+         * from the guest, otherwise every other request will be throttled
+         * and performance will suffer considerably. */
+        bucket_size = bkt->avg / 10;
+        burst_bucket_size = 0;
+    } else {
+        /* If we have a burst limit then we have to wait until all I/O
+         * at burst rate has finished before throttling to bkt->avg */
+        bucket_size = bkt->max * bkt->burst_length;
+        burst_bucket_size = bkt->max / 10;
+    }
+
+    /* If the main bucket is full then we have to wait */
+    extra = bkt->level - bucket_size;
     if (extra > 0) {
         return throttle_do_compute_wait(bkt->avg, extra);
     }
 
-    /* If the bucket is not full yet we have to make sure that we
-     * fulfill the goal of bkt->max units per second. */
+    /* If the main bucket is not full yet we still have to check the
+     * burst bucket in order to enforce the burst limit */
     if (bkt->burst_length > 1) {
-        /* We use 1/10 of the max value to smooth the throttling.
-         * See throttle_fix_bucket() for more details. */
-        extra = bkt->burst_level - bkt->max / 10;
+        extra = bkt->burst_level - burst_bucket_size;
         if (extra > 0) {
             return throttle_do_compute_wait(bkt->max, extra);
         }
@@ -357,31 +370,6 @@
     return true;
 }
 
-/* fix bucket parameters */
-static void throttle_fix_bucket(LeakyBucket *bkt)
-{
-    double min;
-
-    /* zero bucket level */
-    bkt->level = bkt->burst_level = 0;
-
-    /* If bkt->max is 0 we still want to allow short bursts of I/O
-     * from the guest, otherwise every other request will be throttled
-     * and performance will suffer considerably. */
-    min = bkt->avg / 10;
-    if (bkt->avg && !bkt->max) {
-        bkt->max = min;
-    }
-}
-
-/* undo internal bucket parameter changes (see throttle_fix_bucket()) */
-static void throttle_unfix_bucket(LeakyBucket *bkt)
-{
-    if (bkt->max < bkt->avg) {
-        bkt->max = 0;
-    }
-}
-
 /* Used to configure the throttle
  *
  * @ts: the throttle state we are working on
@@ -396,8 +384,10 @@
 
     ts->cfg = *cfg;
 
+    /* Zero bucket level */
     for (i = 0; i < BUCKETS_COUNT; i++) {
-        throttle_fix_bucket(&ts->cfg.buckets[i]);
+        ts->cfg.buckets[i].level = 0;
+        ts->cfg.buckets[i].burst_level = 0;
     }
 
     ts->previous_leak = qemu_clock_get_ns(clock_type);
@@ -410,13 +400,7 @@
  */
 void throttle_get_config(ThrottleState *ts, ThrottleConfig *cfg)
 {
-    int i;
-
     *cfg = ts->cfg;
-
-    for (i = 0; i < BUCKETS_COUNT; i++) {
-        throttle_unfix_bucket(&cfg->buckets[i]);
-    }
 }