Packet network node and method of operating packet network node. Conventional packet network nodes react to congestion in packet network by dropping packets in a manner which is perceived by users to be indiscriminate. In the described system, indiscriminate packet discards are prevented by causing packets to be discarded on lower priority flows and flow aggregates. Further action is taken to reduce the likelihood of packet discards through: (1) classification of flows that are not observable at the point in the network where flow-based packet discards are deployed, but are consuming bandwidth and signaling classification information to flow-based packet discard function or a flow-based monitoring function or network management function; (2) classification of flows making use of extended monitoring functions that are not co-located with a flow-based packet discard function, where extended monitoring functions may perform monitoring of a flow or a group of flows over a period of time.