Abstract: In some implementations, in response to receiving a request message from a client device, a computing device may provide a response message that includes a custom or non-standard control header. The control header may instruct the client device to wait before sending any subsequent request messages to the computing device. For example, the control header may inform the client device to wait until passage of period of time or until after a specified time arrives before sending a subsequent request message. A module, an application, an operating system, or other software on the client device that receives the response message, interprets the control header and performs one or more operations to comply with the control header. Accordingly, some implementations herein utilize message headers to perform message throttling for controlling an amount of network traffic or load on one or more computing devices.