diff --git a/synapse/handlers/message.py b/synapse/handlers/message.py
index 6f345e429..b33256cc8 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/message.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/message.py
@@ -388,7 +388,9 @@ class EventCreationHandler:
 
         # We arbitrarily limit concurrent event creation for a room to 5.
         # This is to stop us from diverging history *too* much.
-        self.limiter = Linearizer(max_count=5, name="room_event_creation_limit")
+        # meow: there seems to be no reason to allow any more than one event to be created at once.
+        #       it just creates unnecessary state resolution without any performance improvements.
+        self.limiter = Linearizer(max_count=1, name="room_event_creation_limit")
 
         self.action_generator = hs.get_action_generator()