diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/main.cpp b/examples/simple_repeater/main.cpp
index 5db62ff1..d8ae9556 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/main.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,14 @@
   #define  ADMIN_PASSWORD  "password"
 #endif
 
+#ifndef SERVER_RESPONSE_DELAY
+  #define SERVER_RESPONSE_DELAY   300
+#endif
+
+#ifndef TXT_ACK_DELAY
+  #define TXT_ACK_DELAY     200
+#endif
+
 #ifdef DISPLAY_CLASS
   #include "UITask.h"
   static UITask ui_task(display);
@@ -112,8 +120,7 @@ struct NeighbourInfo {
   int8_t snr; // multiplied by 4, user should divide to get float value
 };
 
-// NOTE: need to space the ACK and the reply text apart (in CLI)
-#define CLI_REPLY_DELAY_MILLIS  1500
+#define CLI_REPLY_DELAY_MILLIS  1000
 
 class MyMesh : public mesh::Mesh, public CommonCLICallbacks {
   FILESYSTEM* _fs;
@@ -446,14 +453,14 @@ protected:
           // let this sender know path TO here, so they can use sendDirect(), and ALSO encode the response
           mesh::Packet* path = createPathReturn(client->id, secret, packet->path, packet->path_len,
                                                 PAYLOAD_TYPE_RESPONSE, reply_data, reply_len);
-          if (path) sendFlood(path);
+          if (path) sendFlood(path, SERVER_RESPONSE_DELAY);
         } else {
           mesh::Packet* reply = createDatagram(PAYLOAD_TYPE_RESPONSE, client->id, secret, reply_data, reply_len);
           if (reply) {
             if (client->out_path_len >= 0) {  // we have an out_path, so send DIRECT
-              sendDirect(reply, client->out_path, client->out_path_len);
+              sendDirect(reply, client->out_path, client->out_path_len, SERVER_RESPONSE_DELAY);
             } else {
-              sendFlood(reply);
+              sendFlood(reply, SERVER_RESPONSE_DELAY);
             }
           }
         }
@@ -482,9 +489,9 @@ protected:
           mesh::Packet* ack = createAck(ack_hash);
           if (ack) {
             if (client->out_path_len < 0) {
-              sendFlood(ack);
+              sendFlood(ack, TXT_ACK_DELAY);
             } else {
-              sendDirect(ack, client->out_path, client->out_path_len);
+              sendDirect(ack, client->out_path, client->out_path_len, TXT_ACK_DELAY);
             }
           }
         }
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/main.cpp b/examples/simple_room_server/main.cpp
index 219c73ab..9f2149fe 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/main.cpp
@@ -67,6 +67,14 @@
   #define MAX_UNSYNCED_POSTS    32
 #endif
 
+#ifndef SERVER_RESPONSE_DELAY
+  #define SERVER_RESPONSE_DELAY   300
+#endif
+
+#ifndef TXT_ACK_DELAY
+  #define TXT_ACK_DELAY     200
+#endif
+
 #ifdef DISPLAY_CLASS
   #include "UITask.h"
   static UITask ui_task(display);
@@ -568,12 +576,12 @@ protected:
           mesh::Packet* ack = createAck(ack_hash);
           if (ack) {
             if (client->out_path_len < 0) {
-              sendFlood(ack);
+              sendFlood(ack, TXT_ACK_DELAY);
             } else {
-              sendDirect(ack, client->out_path, client->out_path_len);
+              sendDirect(ack, client->out_path, client->out_path_len, TXT_ACK_DELAY);
             }
           }
-          delay_millis = REPLY_DELAY_MILLIS;
+          delay_millis = TXT_ACK_DELAY + REPLY_DELAY_MILLIS;
         } else {
           delay_millis = 0;
         }
@@ -592,9 +600,9 @@ protected:
           auto reply = createDatagram(PAYLOAD_TYPE_TXT_MSG, client->id, secret, temp, 5 + text_len);
           if (reply) {
             if (client->out_path_len < 0) {
-              sendFlood(reply, delay_millis);
+              sendFlood(reply, delay_millis + SERVER_RESPONSE_DELAY);
             } else {
-              sendDirect(reply, client->out_path, client->out_path_len, delay_millis);
+              sendDirect(reply, client->out_path, client->out_path_len, delay_millis + SERVER_RESPONSE_DELAY);
             }
           }
         }
@@ -637,7 +645,7 @@ protected:
             auto reply = createAck(ack_hash);
             if (reply) {
               reply->payload[reply->payload_len++] = getUnsyncedCount(client);  // NEW: add unsynced counter to end of ACK packet
-              sendDirect(reply, client->out_path, client->out_path_len);
+              sendDirect(reply, client->out_path, client->out_path_len, SERVER_RESPONSE_DELAY);
             }
           }
         } else {
@@ -647,14 +655,14 @@ protected:
               // let this sender know path TO here, so they can use sendDirect(), and ALSO encode the response
               mesh::Packet* path = createPathReturn(client->id, secret, packet->path, packet->path_len,
                                                     PAYLOAD_TYPE_RESPONSE, reply_data, reply_len);
-              if (path) sendFlood(path);
+              if (path) sendFlood(path, SERVER_RESPONSE_DELAY);
             } else {
               mesh::Packet* reply = createDatagram(PAYLOAD_TYPE_RESPONSE, client->id, secret, reply_data, reply_len);
               if (reply) {
                 if (client->out_path_len >= 0) {  // we have an out_path, so send DIRECT
-                  sendDirect(reply, client->out_path, client->out_path_len);
+                  sendDirect(reply, client->out_path, client->out_path_len, SERVER_RESPONSE_DELAY);
                 } else {
-                  sendFlood(reply);
+                  sendFlood(reply, SERVER_RESPONSE_DELAY);
                 }
               }
             }