diff --git a/bitswap.go b/bitswap.go
index fe0c4855..c7875307 100644
--- a/bitswap.go
+++ b/bitswap.go
@@ -148,6 +148,12 @@ func SetSimulateDontHavesOnTimeout(send bool) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+func WithTargetMessageSize(tms int) Option {
+	return func(bs *Bitswap) {
+		bs.engineTargetMessageSize = tms
+	}
+}
+
 type TaskInfo = decision.TaskInfo
 type TaskComparator = decision.TaskComparator
 
@@ -259,6 +265,7 @@ func New(parent context.Context, network bsnet.BitSwapNetwork,
 		engineTaskWorkerCount:            defaults.BitswapEngineTaskWorkerCount,
 		taskWorkerCount:                  defaults.BitswapTaskWorkerCount,
 		engineMaxOutstandingBytesPerPeer: defaults.BitswapMaxOutstandingBytesPerPeer,
+		engineTargetMessageSize:          defaults.BitswapEngineTargetMessageSize,
 		engineSetSendDontHaves:           true,
 		simulateDontHavesOnTimeout:       true,
 	}
@@ -283,6 +290,7 @@ func New(parent context.Context, network bsnet.BitSwapNetwork,
 		pendingBlocksGauge,
 		activeBlocksGauge,
 		decision.WithTaskComparator(bs.taskComparator),
+		decision.WithTargetMessageSize(bs.engineTargetMessageSize),
 	)
 	bs.engine.SetSendDontHaves(bs.engineSetSendDontHaves)
 
@@ -379,6 +387,9 @@ type Bitswap struct {
 	// the score ledger used by the decision engine
 	engineScoreLedger deciface.ScoreLedger
 
+	// target message size setting for engines peer task queue
+	engineTargetMessageSize int
+
 	// indicates what to do when the engine receives a want-block for a block that
 	// is not in the blockstore. Either send DONT_HAVE or do nothing.
 	// This is used to simulate older versions of bitswap that did nothing instead of sending back a DONT_HAVE.
diff --git a/internal/decision/engine.go b/internal/decision/engine.go
index abb0bcd6..24e45f16 100644
--- a/internal/decision/engine.go
+++ b/internal/decision/engine.go
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ const (
 	// targetMessageSize is the ideal size of the batched payload. We try to
 	// pop this much data off the request queue, but it may be a little more
 	// or less depending on what's in the queue.
-	targetMessageSize = 16 * 1024
+	defaultTargetMessageSize = 16 * 1024
 	// tagFormat is the tag given to peers associated an engine
 	tagFormat = "bs-engine-%s-%s"
 
@@ -159,6 +159,8 @@ type Engine struct {
 	taskWorkerLock  sync.Mutex
 	taskWorkerCount int
 
+	targetMessageSize int
+
 	// maxBlockSizeReplaceHasWithBlock is the maximum size of the block in
 	// bytes up to which we will replace a want-have with a want-block
 	maxBlockSizeReplaceHasWithBlock int
@@ -207,6 +209,12 @@ func WithTaskComparator(comparator TaskComparator) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+func WithTargetMessageSize(size int) Option {
+	return func(e *Engine) {
+		e.targetMessageSize = size
+	}
+}
+
 // wrapTaskComparator wraps a TaskComparator so it can be used as a QueueTaskComparator
 func wrapTaskComparator(tc TaskComparator) peertask.QueueTaskComparator {
 	return func(a, b *peertask.QueueTask) bool {
@@ -302,6 +310,7 @@ func newEngine(
 		peerLedger:                      newPeerLedger(),
 		pendingGauge:                    pendingEngineGauge,
 		activeGauge:                     activeEngineGauge,
+		targetMessageSize:               defaultTargetMessageSize,
 	}
 	e.tagQueued = fmt.Sprintf(tagFormat, "queued", uuid.New().String())
 	e.tagUseful = fmt.Sprintf(tagFormat, "useful", uuid.New().String())
@@ -450,21 +459,21 @@ func (e *Engine) taskWorkerExit() {
 func (e *Engine) nextEnvelope(ctx context.Context) (*Envelope, error) {
 	for {
 		// Pop some tasks off the request queue
-		p, nextTasks, pendingBytes := e.peerRequestQueue.PopTasks(targetMessageSize)
+		p, nextTasks, pendingBytes := e.peerRequestQueue.PopTasks(e.targetMessageSize)
 		e.updateMetrics()
 		for len(nextTasks) == 0 {
 			select {
 			case <-ctx.Done():
 				return nil, ctx.Err()
 			case <-e.workSignal:
-				p, nextTasks, pendingBytes = e.peerRequestQueue.PopTasks(targetMessageSize)
+				p, nextTasks, pendingBytes = e.peerRequestQueue.PopTasks(e.targetMessageSize)
 				e.updateMetrics()
 			case <-e.ticker.C:
 				// When a task is cancelled, the queue may be "frozen" for a
 				// period of time. We periodically "thaw" the queue to make
 				// sure it doesn't get stuck in a frozen state.
 				e.peerRequestQueue.ThawRound()
-				p, nextTasks, pendingBytes = e.peerRequestQueue.PopTasks(targetMessageSize)
+				p, nextTasks, pendingBytes = e.peerRequestQueue.PopTasks(e.targetMessageSize)
 				e.updateMetrics()
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/internal/defaults/defaults.go b/internal/defaults/defaults.go
index 7237a996..54a9eaa6 100644
--- a/internal/defaults/defaults.go
+++ b/internal/defaults/defaults.go
@@ -17,4 +17,6 @@ const (
 	BitswapEngineTaskWorkerCount = 8
 	// the total amount of bytes that a peer should have outstanding, it is utilized by the decision engine
 	BitswapMaxOutstandingBytesPerPeer = 1 << 20
+	// the number of bytes we attempt to make each outgoing bitswap message
+	BitswapEngineTargetMessageSize = 16 * 1024
 )