diff --git a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub.nim b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub.nim
index 5a5dd621b4..cdb75d024c 100644
--- a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub.nim
+++ b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub.nim
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ proc validateAndRelay(g: GossipSub,
     of ValidationResult.Reject:
       debug "Dropping message after validation, reason: reject",
         msgId = shortLog(msgId), peer
-      g.punishInvalidMessage(peer, msg)
+      await g.punishInvalidMessage(peer, msg)
       return
     of ValidationResult.Ignore:
       debug "Dropping message after validation, reason: ignore",
@@ -492,14 +492,14 @@ method rpcHandler*(g: GossipSub,
       # always validate if signature is present or required
       debug "Dropping message due to failed signature verification",
         msgId = shortLog(msgId), peer
-      g.punishInvalidMessage(peer, msg)
+      await g.punishInvalidMessage(peer, msg)
       continue
 
     if msg.seqno.len > 0 and msg.seqno.len != 8:
       # if we have seqno should be 8 bytes long
       debug "Dropping message due to invalid seqno length",
         msgId = shortLog(msgId), peer
-      g.punishInvalidMessage(peer, msg)
+      await g.punishInvalidMessage(peer, msg)
       continue
 
     # g.anonymize needs no evaluation when receiving messages
diff --git a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/scoring.nim b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/scoring.nim
index 4fe3060723..ee4f34da00 100644
--- a/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/scoring.nim
+++ b/libp2p/protocols/pubsub/gossipsub/scoring.nim
@@ -240,15 +240,15 @@ proc scoringHeartbeat*(g: GossipSub) {.async.} =
     trace "running scoring heartbeat", instance = cast[int](g)
     g.updateScores()
 
-proc punishInvalidMessage*(g: GossipSub, peer: PubSubPeer, msg: Message) =
+proc punishInvalidMessage*(g: GossipSub, peer: PubSubPeer, msg: Message) {.async.}  =
   let uselessAppBytesNum = msg.data.len
   peer.overheadRateLimitOpt.withValue(overheadRateLimit):
     if not overheadRateLimit.tryConsume(uselessAppBytesNum):
       debug "Peer sent invalid message and it's above rate limit", peer, uselessAppBytesNum
       libp2p_gossipsub_peers_rate_limit_hits.inc(labelValues = [peer.getAgent()]) # let's just measure at the beginning for test purposes.
-      # discard g.disconnectPeer(peer)
-      # debug "Peer disconnected", peer, uselessAppBytesNum
-      # raise newException(PeerRateLimitError, "Peer sent invalid message and it's above rate limit")
+      if g.parameters.disconnectPeerAboveRateLimit:
+        await g.disconnectPeer(peer)
+        raise newException(PeerRateLimitError, "Peer disconnected because it's above rate limit.")
 
 
   for tt in msg.topicIds:
diff --git a/tests/pubsub/testgossipsub.nim b/tests/pubsub/testgossipsub.nim
index 25562b30e8..712829dcd6 100644
--- a/tests/pubsub/testgossipsub.nim
+++ b/tests/pubsub/testgossipsub.nim
@@ -952,6 +952,10 @@ suite "GossipSub":
     gossip1.subscribe("foobar", handle)
     await waitSubGraph(nodes, "foobar")
 
+    # Avoid being disconnected by failing signature verification
+    gossip0.verifySignature = false
+    gossip1.verifySignature = false
+
     return (nodes, gossip0,  gossip1)
 
   proc currentRateLimitHits(): float64 =
@@ -964,8 +968,7 @@ suite "GossipSub":
     let rateLimitHits = currentRateLimitHits()
     let (nodes, gossip0, gossip1) = await initializeGossipTest()
 
-    let msg = RPCMsg(messages: @[Message(topicIDs: @["foobar"], data: "Valid data".toBytes)])
-    gossip0.broadcast(gossip0.mesh["foobar"], msg)
+    gossip0.broadcast(gossip0.mesh["foobar"], RPCMsg(messages: @[Message(topicIDs: @["foobar"], data: newSeq[byte](10))]))
     await sleepAsync(300.millis)
 
     check currentRateLimitHits() == rateLimitHits
@@ -973,9 +976,10 @@ suite "GossipSub":
 
     # Disconnect peer when rate limiting is enabled
     gossip1.parameters.disconnectPeerAboveRateLimit = true
-    gossip0.broadcast(gossip0.mesh["foobar"], msg)
+    gossip0.broadcast(gossip0.mesh["foobar"], RPCMsg(messages: @[Message(topicIDs: @["foobar"], data: newSeq[byte](12))]))
+    await sleepAsync(300.millis)
 
-    checkExpiring gossip1.switch.isConnected(gossip0.switch.peerInfo.peerId) == true
+    check gossip1.switch.isConnected(gossip0.switch.peerInfo.peerId) == true
     check currentRateLimitHits() == rateLimitHits
 
     await stopNodes(nodes)
@@ -986,8 +990,7 @@ suite "GossipSub":
     let (nodes, gossip0, gossip1) = await initializeGossipTest()
 
     # Simulate sending an undecodable message
-    let msg = newSeqWith[byte](30, 1.byte)
-    await gossip1.peers[gossip0.switch.peerInfo.peerId].sendEncoded(msg)
+    await gossip1.peers[gossip0.switch.peerInfo.peerId].sendEncoded(newSeqWith[byte](33, 1.byte))
     await sleepAsync(300.millis)
 
     check currentRateLimitHits() == rateLimitHits + 1
@@ -995,7 +998,7 @@ suite "GossipSub":
 
     # Disconnect peer when rate limiting is enabled
     gossip1.parameters.disconnectPeerAboveRateLimit = true
-    await gossip0.peers[gossip1.switch.peerInfo.peerId].sendEncoded(msg)
+    await gossip0.peers[gossip1.switch.peerInfo.peerId].sendEncoded(newSeqWith[byte](35, 1.byte))
 
     checkExpiring gossip1.switch.isConnected(gossip0.switch.peerInfo.peerId) == false
     check currentRateLimitHits() == rateLimitHits + 2
@@ -1008,10 +1011,9 @@ suite "GossipSub":
 
     let msg = RPCMsg(control: some(ControlMessage(prune: @[
         ControlPrune(topicID: "foobar", peers: @[
-            PeerInfoMsg(peerId: PeerId(data: newSeq[byte](30)))
+            PeerInfoMsg(peerId: PeerId(data: newSeq[byte](33)))
         ], backoff: 123'u64)
     ])))
-
     gossip0.broadcast(gossip0.mesh["foobar"], msg)
     await sleepAsync(300.millis)
 
@@ -1020,7 +1022,42 @@ suite "GossipSub":
 
     # Disconnect peer when rate limiting is enabled
     gossip1.parameters.disconnectPeerAboveRateLimit = true
-    gossip0.broadcast(gossip0.mesh["foobar"], msg)
+    let msg2 = RPCMsg(control: some(ControlMessage(prune: @[
+        ControlPrune(topicID: "foobar", peers: @[
+            PeerInfoMsg(peerId: PeerId(data: newSeq[byte](35)))
+        ], backoff: 123'u64)
+    ])))
+    gossip0.broadcast(gossip0.mesh["foobar"], msg2)
+
+    checkExpiring gossip1.switch.isConnected(gossip0.switch.peerInfo.peerId) == false
+    check currentRateLimitHits() == rateLimitHits + 2
+
+    await stopNodes(nodes)
+
+  asyncTest "e2e - GossipSub should rate limit invalid messages above the size allowed":
+    let rateLimitHits = currentRateLimitHits()
+    let (nodes, gossip0, gossip1) = await initializeGossipTest()
+
+    let topic = "foobar"
+    proc execValidator(topic: string, message: messages.Message): Future[ValidationResult] {.raises: [].} =
+      let res = newFuture[ValidationResult]()
+      res.complete(ValidationResult.Reject)
+      res
+
+    gossip0.addValidator(topic, execValidator)
+    gossip1.addValidator(topic, execValidator)
+
+    let msg = RPCMsg(messages: @[Message(topicIDs: @[topic], data: newSeq[byte](40))])
+
+    gossip0.broadcast(gossip0.mesh[topic], msg)
+    await sleepAsync(300.millis)
+
+    check currentRateLimitHits() == rateLimitHits + 1
+    check gossip1.switch.isConnected(gossip0.switch.peerInfo.peerId) == true
+
+    # Disconnect peer when rate limiting is enabled
+    gossip1.parameters.disconnectPeerAboveRateLimit = true
+    gossip0.broadcast(gossip0.mesh[topic], RPCMsg(messages: @[Message(topicIDs: @[topic], data: newSeq[byte](35))]))
 
     checkExpiring gossip1.switch.isConnected(gossip0.switch.peerInfo.peerId) == false
     check currentRateLimitHits() == rateLimitHits + 2