diff --git a/core/commands/bitswap.go b/core/commands/bitswap.go
index f89f38d7f..cfc522bae 100644
--- a/core/commands/bitswap.go
+++ b/core/commands/bitswap.go
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ var bitswapStatCmd = &cmds.Command{
 			buf := new(bytes.Buffer)
 			fmt.Fprintln(buf, "bitswap status")
 			fmt.Fprintf(buf, "\tprovides buffer: %d / %d\n", out.ProvideBufLen, bitswap.HasBlockBufferSize)
+			fmt.Fprintf(buf, "\tblocks received: %d\n", out.BlocksReceived)
+			fmt.Fprintf(buf, "\tdup blocks received: %d\n", out.DupBlksReceived)
 			fmt.Fprintf(buf, "\twantlist [%d keys]\n", len(out.Wantlist))
 			for _, k := range out.Wantlist {
 				fmt.Fprintf(buf, "\t\t%s\n", k.B58String())
diff --git a/exchange/bitswap/bitswap.go b/exchange/bitswap/bitswap.go
index 37826c492..8b12a4727 100644
--- a/exchange/bitswap/bitswap.go
+++ b/exchange/bitswap/bitswap.go
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@ type Bitswap struct {
 	newBlocks chan *blocks.Block
 
 	provideKeys chan u.Key
+
+	blocksRecvd    int
+	dupBlocksRecvd int
 }
 
 type blockRequest struct {
@@ -219,6 +222,7 @@ func (bs *Bitswap) HasBlock(ctx context.Context, blk *blocks.Block) error {
 		return errors.New("bitswap is closed")
 	default:
 	}
+
 	if err := bs.blockstore.Put(blk); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -342,6 +346,10 @@ func (bs *Bitswap) ReceiveMessage(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID, incoming bsmsg
 	// Should only track *useful* messages in ledger
 
 	for _, block := range incoming.Blocks() {
+		bs.blocksRecvd++
+		if has, err := bs.blockstore.Has(block.Key()); err == nil && has {
+			bs.dupBlocksRecvd++
+		}
 		hasBlockCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, hasBlockTimeout)
 		if err := bs.HasBlock(hasBlockCtx, block); err != nil {
 			log.Debug(err)
diff --git a/exchange/bitswap/bitswap_test.go b/exchange/bitswap/bitswap_test.go
index 85b3c0ec8..85a8e9d5d 100644
--- a/exchange/bitswap/bitswap_test.go
+++ b/exchange/bitswap/bitswap_test.go
@@ -69,9 +69,6 @@ func TestGetBlockFromPeerAfterPeerAnnounces(t *testing.T) {
 	hasBlock := g.Next()
 	defer hasBlock.Exchange.Close()
 
-	if err := hasBlock.Blockstore().Put(block); err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
 	if err := hasBlock.Exchange.HasBlock(context.Background(), block); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -136,7 +133,6 @@ func PerformDistributionTest(t *testing.T, numInstances, numBlocks int) {
 	var blkeys []u.Key
 	first := instances[0]
 	for _, b := range blocks {
-		first.Blockstore().Put(b) // TODO remove. don't need to do this. bitswap owns block
 		blkeys = append(blkeys, b.Key())
 		first.Exchange.HasBlock(context.Background(), b)
 	}
@@ -144,7 +140,7 @@ func PerformDistributionTest(t *testing.T, numInstances, numBlocks int) {
 	t.Log("Distribute!")
 
 	wg := sync.WaitGroup{}
-	for _, inst := range instances {
+	for _, inst := range instances[1:] {
 		wg.Add(1)
 		go func(inst Instance) {
 			defer wg.Done()
diff --git a/exchange/bitswap/decision/peer_request_queue.go b/exchange/bitswap/decision/peer_request_queue.go
index e771ece0b..42928487d 100644
--- a/exchange/bitswap/decision/peer_request_queue.go
+++ b/exchange/bitswap/decision/peer_request_queue.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func (tl *prq) Push(entry wantlist.Entry, to peer.ID) {
 	defer tl.lock.Unlock()
 	partner, ok := tl.partners[to]
 	if !ok {
-		partner = &activePartner{taskQueue: pq.New(wrapCmp(V1))}
+		partner = newActivePartner()
 		tl.pQueue.Push(partner)
 		tl.partners[to] = partner
 	}
@@ -57,12 +57,19 @@ func (tl *prq) Push(entry wantlist.Entry, to peer.ID) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	partner.activelk.Lock()
+	defer partner.activelk.Unlock()
+	_, ok = partner.activeBlocks[entry.Key]
+	if ok {
+		return
+	}
+
 	task := &peerRequestTask{
 		Entry:   entry,
 		Target:  to,
 		created: time.Now(),
 		Done: func() {
-			partner.TaskDone()
+			partner.TaskDone(entry.Key)
 			tl.lock.Lock()
 			tl.pQueue.Update(partner.Index())
 			tl.lock.Unlock()
@@ -93,7 +100,7 @@ func (tl *prq) Pop() *peerRequestTask {
 			continue // discarding tasks that have been removed
 		}
 
-		partner.StartTask()
+		partner.StartTask(out.Entry.Key)
 		partner.requests--
 		break // and return |out|
 	}
@@ -179,6 +186,8 @@ type activePartner struct {
 	activelk sync.Mutex
 	active   int
 
+	activeBlocks map[u.Key]struct{}
+
 	// requests is the number of blocks this peer is currently requesting
 	// request need not be locked around as it will only be modified under
 	// the peerRequestQueue's locks
@@ -191,6 +200,13 @@ type activePartner struct {
 	taskQueue pq.PQ
 }
 
+func newActivePartner() *activePartner {
+	return &activePartner{
+		taskQueue:    pq.New(wrapCmp(V1)),
+		activeBlocks: make(map[u.Key]struct{}),
+	}
+}
+
 // partnerCompare implements pq.ElemComparator
 func partnerCompare(a, b pq.Elem) bool {
 	pa := a.(*activePartner)
@@ -208,15 +224,17 @@ func partnerCompare(a, b pq.Elem) bool {
 }
 
 // StartTask signals that a task was started for this partner
-func (p *activePartner) StartTask() {
+func (p *activePartner) StartTask(k u.Key) {
 	p.activelk.Lock()
+	p.activeBlocks[k] = struct{}{}
 	p.active++
 	p.activelk.Unlock()
 }
 
 // TaskDone signals that a task was completed for this partner
-func (p *activePartner) TaskDone() {
+func (p *activePartner) TaskDone(k u.Key) {
 	p.activelk.Lock()
+	delete(p.activeBlocks, k)
 	p.active--
 	if p.active < 0 {
 		panic("more tasks finished than started!")
diff --git a/exchange/bitswap/stat.go b/exchange/bitswap/stat.go
index 1c5fec62b..ceab4b2ee 100644
--- a/exchange/bitswap/stat.go
+++ b/exchange/bitswap/stat.go
@@ -6,15 +6,19 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Stat struct {
-	ProvideBufLen int
-	Wantlist      []u.Key
-	Peers         []string
+	ProvideBufLen   int
+	Wantlist        []u.Key
+	Peers           []string
+	BlocksReceived  int
+	DupBlksReceived int
 }
 
 func (bs *Bitswap) Stat() (*Stat, error) {
 	st := new(Stat)
 	st.ProvideBufLen = len(bs.newBlocks)
 	st.Wantlist = bs.GetWantlist()
+	st.BlocksReceived = bs.blocksRecvd
+	st.DupBlksReceived = bs.dupBlocksRecvd
 
 	for _, p := range bs.engine.Peers() {
 		st.Peers = append(st.Peers, p.Pretty())
diff --git a/exchange/bitswap/workers.go b/exchange/bitswap/workers.go
index 77ce18b7d..724badd30 100644
--- a/exchange/bitswap/workers.go
+++ b/exchange/bitswap/workers.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 	u "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/util"
 )
 
-var TaskWorkerCount = 16
+var TaskWorkerCount = 8
 
 func init() {
 	twc := os.Getenv("IPFS_BITSWAP_TASK_WORKERS")