diff --git a/netty/src/main/java/io/grpc/transport/netty/BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoder.java b/netty/src/main/java/io/grpc/transport/netty/BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoder.java
index 13acdb7d75..3512cfa29e 100644
--- a/netty/src/main/java/io/grpc/transport/netty/BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoder.java
+++ b/netty/src/main/java/io/grpc/transport/netty/BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoder.java
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ import java.util.TreeMap;
  */
 class BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoder extends DecoratingHttp2ConnectionEncoder {
   /**
-   * The number of new streams we allow to be created before receiving the first {@code SETTINGS}
-   * frame from the server.
+   * The assumed minimum value for {@code SETTINGS_MAX_CONCURRENT_STREAMS} as
+   * recommended by the HTTP/2 spec.
    */
-  private static final int NUM_STREAMS_INITIALLY_ALLOWED = 10;
+  static final int SMALLEST_MAX_CONCURRENT_STREAMS = 100;
 
   /**
    * Buffer for any streams and corresponding frames that could not be created
@@ -79,12 +79,19 @@ class BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoder extends DecoratingHttp2ConnectionEncoder {
    */
   private final TreeMap<Integer, PendingStream> pendingStreams =
           new TreeMap<Integer, PendingStream>();
+  private final int initialMaxConcurrentStreams;
   // Smallest stream id whose corresponding frames do not get buffered.
   private int largestCreatedStreamId;
   private boolean receivedSettings;
 
   protected BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoder(Http2ConnectionEncoder delegate) {
+    this(delegate, SMALLEST_MAX_CONCURRENT_STREAMS);
+  }
+
+  protected BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoder(Http2ConnectionEncoder delegate,
+                                            int initialMaxConcurrentStreams) {
     super(delegate);
+    this.initialMaxConcurrentStreams = initialMaxConcurrentStreams;
     connection().addListener(new Http2ConnectionAdapter() {
 
       @Override
@@ -225,7 +232,7 @@ class BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoder extends DecoratingHttp2ConnectionEncoder {
    */
   private boolean canCreateStream() {
     Http2Connection.Endpoint<?> local = connection().local();
-    return (receivedSettings || local.numActiveStreams() < NUM_STREAMS_INITIALLY_ALLOWED)
+    return (receivedSettings || local.numActiveStreams() < initialMaxConcurrentStreams)
             && local.canCreateStream();
   }
 
diff --git a/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/transport/netty/BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoderTest.java b/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/transport/netty/BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoderTest.java
index 6d9b9ef1ae..0bea052f34 100644
--- a/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/transport/netty/BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoderTest.java
+++ b/netty/src/test/java/io/grpc/transport/netty/BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoderTest.java
@@ -344,38 +344,23 @@ public class BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoderTest {
 
   @Test
   public void bufferUntilSettingsReceived() {
-    encoderWriteHeaders(3, promise);
-    encoderWriteHeaders(5, promise);
-    encoderWriteHeaders(7, promise);
-    encoderWriteHeaders(9, promise);
-    encoderWriteHeaders(11, promise);
-    encoderWriteHeaders(13, promise);
-    encoderWriteHeaders(15, promise);
-    encoderWriteHeaders(17, promise);
-    encoderWriteHeaders(19, promise);
-    encoderWriteHeaders(21, promise);
-    encoderWriteHeaders(23, promise);
-    assertEquals(1, encoder.numBufferedStreams());
-
-    writeVerifyWriteHeaders(times(1), 3, promise);
-    writeVerifyWriteHeaders(times(1), 5, promise);
-    writeVerifyWriteHeaders(times(1), 7, promise);
-    writeVerifyWriteHeaders(times(1), 9, promise);
-    writeVerifyWriteHeaders(times(1), 11, promise);
-    writeVerifyWriteHeaders(times(1), 13, promise);
-    writeVerifyWriteHeaders(times(1), 15, promise);
-    writeVerifyWriteHeaders(times(1), 17, promise);
-    writeVerifyWriteHeaders(times(1), 19, promise);
-    writeVerifyWriteHeaders(times(1), 21, promise);
-    writeVerifyWriteHeaders(never(), 23, promise);
+    int initialLimit = BufferingHttp2ConnectionEncoder.SMALLEST_MAX_CONCURRENT_STREAMS;
+    int numStreams = initialLimit * 2;
+    for (int ix = 0, nextStreamId = 3; ix < numStreams; ++ix, nextStreamId += 2) {
+      encoderWriteHeaders(nextStreamId, promise);
+      if (ix < initialLimit) {
+        writeVerifyWriteHeaders(times(1), nextStreamId, promise);
+      } else {
+        writeVerifyWriteHeaders(never(), nextStreamId, promise);
+      }
+    }
+    assertEquals(numStreams / 2, encoder.numBufferedStreams());
 
     // Simulate that we received a SETTINGS frame.
     encoder.writeSettingsAck(ctx, promise);
 
     assertEquals(0, encoder.numBufferedStreams());
-    writeVerifyWriteHeaders(times(1), 23, promise);
-
-    assertEquals(11, connection.local().numActiveStreams());
+    assertEquals(numStreams, connection.local().numActiveStreams());
   }
 
   @Test