In one embodiment, a method for link state flooding between a network node and a receiving node includes determining a current transmit rate that Link State Protocol Data Units (LSPs) are being transmitted from the network node to the receiving node. The method further includes determining an LSP acknowledgment rate that indicates a rate at which a plurality of LSP acknowledgments are received at the network node from the receiving node. The method further includes determining a new transmit rate based on the current transmit rate and the LSP acknowledgment rate. The method further includes transmitting a plurality of LSPs from the network node to the receiving node using the new transmit rate.