diff --git a/packages/local-sync/src/message-processor/index.js b/packages/local-sync/src/message-processor/index.js
index 0d16d9dbc..8e0641bc2 100644
--- a/packages/local-sync/src/message-processor/index.js
+++ b/packages/local-sync/src/message-processor/index.js
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ const LocalDatabaseConnector = require('../shared/local-database-connector');
 
 const MAX_QUEUE_LENGTH = 500
 const PROCESSING_DELAY = 0
+const MAX_CPU_USE_ON_AC = 1.0;
+const MAX_CPU_USE_ON_BATTERY = 0.10;
+const MAX_CHUNK_SIZE = 1;
 
 class MessageProcessor {
 
@@ -19,6 +22,15 @@ class MessageProcessor {
     // The queue is a chain of Promises
     this._queue = Promise.resolve()
     this._queueLength = 0
+    this._currentChunkSize = 0
+    this._currentChunkStart = Date.now();
+    this._isBatteryCharging = true;
+    navigator.getBattery().then((battery) => {
+      battery.addEventListener('chargingchange', () => {
+        console.info('charge change', battery.charging);
+        this._isBatteryCharging = battery.charging
+      });
+    });
   }
 
   queueLength() {
@@ -29,6 +41,19 @@ class MessageProcessor {
     return this._queueLength >= MAX_QUEUE_LENGTH
   }
 
+  _maxCPUForProcessing() {
+    if (this._isBatteryCharging) {
+      return MAX_CPU_USE_ON_AC;
+    }
+    return MAX_CPU_USE_ON_BATTERY;
+  }
+
+  _computeThrottlingTimeout() {
+    const timeSliceMs = Date.now() - this._currentChunkStart;
+    const maxCPU = this._maxCPUForProcessing();
+    return (timeSliceMs * (1.0 / maxCPU)) - timeSliceMs;
+  }
+
   /**
    * @returns Promise that resolves when message has been processed
    * This promise will never reject, given that this function is meant to be
@@ -40,9 +65,21 @@ class MessageProcessor {
     return new Promise((resolve) => {
       this._queueLength++
       this._queue = this._queue.then(async () => {
+        if (this._currentChunkSize === 0) {
+          this._currentChunkStart = Date.now();
+        }
+        this._currentChunkSize++;
+
         await this._processMessage({accountId, folderId, imapMessage, struct, desiredParts})
         this._queueLength--
 
+        // Throttle message processing to meter cpu usage
+        if (this._currentChunkSize === MAX_CHUNK_SIZE) {
+          const timeout = this._computeThrottlingTimeout();
+          await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, timeout))
+          this._currentChunkSize = 0;
+        }
+
         // To save memory, we reset the Promise chain if the queue reaches a
         // length of 0, otherwise we will continue referencing the entire chain
         // of promises that came before
@@ -50,9 +87,6 @@ class MessageProcessor {
           this._queue = Promise.resolve()
         }
         resolve()
-
-        // Throttle message processing to meter cpu usage
-        await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, PROCESSING_DELAY))
       })
     })
   }