Systems, apparatus and methods include control techniques for controlling operation of pre-mixed internal combustion engines in response to a load shedding event. The control techniques determine, in response to the load shedding event, a number of cycles in which to skip combustion of the fuel in the at least one cylinder based on an air-fuel ratio limit in the exhaust flow, prevent combustion of the fuel in the at least one cylinder during the number of skipped cycles, and combust the fuel in the at least one cylinder each time the number of skipped cycles are complete.