diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index f4fd13cfccd..b135804f917 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -194,6 +194,12 @@ version = "1.6.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "bddcadddf5e9015d310179a59bb28c4d4b9920ad0f11e8e14dbadf654890c9a6"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "arraydeque"
+version = "0.5.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "7d902e3d592a523def97af8f317b08ce16b7ab854c1985a0c671e6f15cebc236"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "arrayref"
 version = "0.3.7"
@@ -2562,6 +2568,7 @@ dependencies = [
 name = "libp2p-gossipsub"
 version = "0.46.0"
 dependencies = [
+ "arraydeque",
  "async-std",
  "asynchronous-codec 0.6.2",
  "base64 0.21.4",
@@ -2591,7 +2598,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "regex",
  "serde",
  "sha2 0.10.8",
- "smallvec",
  "unsigned-varint",
  "void",
 ]
diff --git a/protocols/gossipsub/CHANGELOG.md b/protocols/gossipsub/CHANGELOG.md
index b86ec4de6d4..0db1ef48edc 100644
--- a/protocols/gossipsub/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/protocols/gossipsub/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@
 - Remove deprecated `gossipsub::Config::idle_timeout` in favor of `SwarmBuilder::idle_connection_timeout`.
   See [PR 4642](https://github.com/libp2p/rust-libp2p/pull/4642).
 - Return typed error from config builder.
-  See [PR 4445].
-
-[PR 4445]: https://github.com/libp2p/rust-libp2p/pull/4445
+  See [PR 4445](https://github.com/libp2p/rust-libp2p/pull/4445).
+- Bound send_queue with an `ArrayDeque` and drop front-most item if full.
+  See [PR 4756](https://github.com/libp2p/rust-libp2p/pull/4756).
 
 ## 0.45.2
 
diff --git a/protocols/gossipsub/Cargo.toml b/protocols/gossipsub/Cargo.toml
index 58ea50161a4..7df0c166625 100644
--- a/protocols/gossipsub/Cargo.toml
+++ b/protocols/gossipsub/Cargo.toml
@@ -35,12 +35,12 @@ rand = "0.8"
 regex = "1.10.2"
 serde = { version = "1", optional = true, features = ["derive"] }
 sha2 = "0.10.8"
-smallvec = "1.11.1"
 unsigned-varint = { version = "0.7.2", features = ["asynchronous_codec"] }
 void = "1.0.2"
 
 # Metrics dependencies
 prometheus-client = { workspace = true }
+arraydeque = "0.5.1"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 async-std = { version = "1.6.3", features = ["unstable"] }
diff --git a/protocols/gossipsub/src/handler.rs b/protocols/gossipsub/src/handler.rs
index 44258bb5394..c074123086e 100644
--- a/protocols/gossipsub/src/handler.rs
+++ b/protocols/gossipsub/src/handler.rs
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ use crate::protocol::{GossipsubCodec, ProtocolConfig};
 use crate::rpc_proto::proto;
 use crate::types::{PeerKind, RawMessage, Rpc};
 use crate::ValidationError;
+use arraydeque::{ArrayDeque, Wrapping};
 use asynchronous_codec::Framed;
 use futures::future::Either;
 use futures::prelude::*;
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ use libp2p_swarm::handler::{
     FullyNegotiatedInbound, FullyNegotiatedOutbound, StreamUpgradeError, SubstreamProtocol,
 };
 use libp2p_swarm::Stream;
-use smallvec::SmallVec;
+use log::warn;
 use std::{
     pin::Pin,
     task::{Context, Poll},
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ pub struct EnabledHandler {
     inbound_substream: Option<InboundSubstreamState>,
 
     /// Queue of values that we want to send to the remote.
-    send_queue: SmallVec<[proto::RPC; 16]>,
+    send_queue: ArrayDeque<proto::RPC, 16, Wrapping>,
 
     /// Flag indicating that an outbound substream is being established to prevent duplicate
     /// requests.
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ impl Handler {
             outbound_substream_establishing: false,
             outbound_substream_attempts: 0,
             inbound_substream_attempts: 0,
-            send_queue: SmallVec::new(),
+            send_queue: ArrayDeque::new(),
             peer_kind: None,
             peer_kind_sent: false,
             last_io_activity: Instant::now(),
@@ -315,8 +316,7 @@ impl EnabledHandler {
             ) {
                 // outbound idle state
                 Some(OutboundSubstreamState::WaitingOutput(substream)) => {
-                    if let Some(message) = self.send_queue.pop() {
-                        self.send_queue.shrink_to_fit();
+                    if let Some(message) = self.send_queue.pop_front() {
                         self.outbound_substream =
                             Some(OutboundSubstreamState::PendingSend(substream, message));
                         continue;
@@ -409,7 +409,11 @@ impl ConnectionHandler for Handler {
     fn on_behaviour_event(&mut self, message: HandlerIn) {
         match self {
             Handler::Enabled(handler) => match message {
-                HandlerIn::Message(m) => handler.send_queue.push(m),
+                HandlerIn::Message(m) => {
+                    if handler.send_queue.push_back(m).is_some() {
+                        warn!("Handler send queue is full. Dropping message at head");
+                    }
+                }
                 HandlerIn::JoinedMesh => {
                     handler.in_mesh = true;
                 }